Your monthly resource for MSA conservation updates, Miramichi watershed information, upcoming MSA events, and much more.

Since 1953, the Miramichi Salmon Association (MSA) has worked toward the preservation and enhancement of Atlantic salmon on the Miramichi River. With strength in numbers, the MSA continues to build its membership to support our conservation efforts. We encourage you, if not already a member, to please join us.

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Vol. 99 October 2026

President's Update

By Butch Dalton

Hello MSA Members and Supporters,

It has been a busy fall for the Miramichi Salmon Association, and I want to begin by thanking everyone who came out to support us at our Fredericton dinner on October 1st.

The evening was a tremendous success. The ballroom was packed, and it was great to see so many people come together in support of the MSA and the work we do for Atlantic salmon conservation. It was also a real pleasure to honour the Colter family. The Colters have made an important contribution to the Miramichi and to salmon conservation, and we sincerely appreciate everything they have done for the river and the salmon that depend on it.

As we look ahead, the MSA Board will meet on Thursday, October 8th, to determine a path forward for the MSA hatchery. As everyone is aware, the ongoing uncertainty around permitting, combined with the significant costs associated with operating a hatchery in this environment, presents a very difficult business model. "Hope" for a permit in the future is not a business strategy, and we need to make decisions based on what is realistic and sustainable for the organization.

Regardless of the decision on the hatchery, our conservation work on the river continues. As we move into the fall, we will begin our beaver dam breaching work, helping to open up blocked habitat and free additional spawning ground for Atlantic salmon. Additionally, MSA's Dungarvon research project will continue, and to that end, we have collected a number of wild salmon for spawning purposes later this fall.

Finally, we are looking forward to our MSA Saint John Dinner on November 4th at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre. We hope to see another great turnout and look forward to a fun evening dedicated to Atlantic salmon conservation and supporting the work of the Miramichi Salmon Association.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support the MSA. Whether through attending our events, making a donation, volunteering, or simply speaking up for the Miramichi and its salmon, your support makes our work possible.

William (Butch) Dalton

President, Miramichi Salmon Association

MSA Autumn Dinner & Auction
Join us in Saint John!

Join us at the MSA Autumn Dinner & Auction. This event is happening at the Saint John Trade & Convention Centre on Wednesday, November 4th beginning with a cocktail reception and silent auction at 5:30PM, followed by dinner and live auction at 7:00PM.

We have a special guest joining us at this event, Stephanie Maheux will be doing a presentation on her project "Detection of Striped Bass and Atlantic Salmon in the Miramichi Watershed using Environmental DNA"

Stephanie is a second-year master's student at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, working under Dr. Scott Pavey in collaboration with the Atlantic Salmon Federation. Stephanie's research includes using environmental DNA (eDNA) to determine Striped Bass and Atlantic Salmon presence and species overlap in the Miramichi Watershed, particularly during the winter months.

The support generated through our dinners helps the MSA continue its important conservation, research, habitat restoration and advocacy work throughout the Miramichi watershed, we hope you will join us!

Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased by calling (506)622-4000

or by visiting the link below.

Saint John Dinner Tickets

MSA Fredericton Dinner & Auction
Thanks to all who attended!

The MSA’s Fredericton Dinner on October 1st was a tremendous success, with a packed ballroom and an outstanding turnout of supporters, friends, and members of the salmon conservation community.

It was great to see so many people come together to support the MSA and our work to conserve Atlantic salmon. The evening was a chance to celebrate the Miramichi, reconnect with friends and supporters, and recognize those who have made a meaningful contribution to the river.

A highlight of the evening was honouring the Colter family. The Colters have been longtime supporters of the Miramichi and have made an important contribution to the conservation of Atlantic salmon. We sincerely appreciate everything they have done for the river and the salmon that depend on it. Their commitment is a great example of the stewardship and responsibility that are so important to the future of the Miramichi.

We would like to thank everyone who attended, sponsored, donated, volunteered, and helped make the evening such a success. The tremendous turnout and support are a strong reminder of the community that stands behind the MSA and its work for the Miramichi.

A special thank you to our Dinner Sponsor:

Bud Bird Award in Salmon Conservation
Congratulations to Morris Green!

On October 1st, we were honoured to present the MSA’s Bud Bird Award in Salmon Conservation to Mr. Morris Green, this year’s recipient, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Atlantic salmon conservation.

A special thank you to Mr. Bud Bird for his incredible philanthropy and steadfast support of Atlantic salmon conservation. His generosity continues to make a lasting difference.

We also want to congratulate Natalie Dupont, recipient of the Bud & Peggy Bird Scholarship. We are proud to support the next generation of conservation leaders and wish Natalie every success in her studies and future career.

Congratulations to both Morris and Natalie, and thank you to everyone who continues to support Atlantic salmon conservation.

Broodstock Collection

MSA's annual broodstock collection this year focused on our experimental stocking program on the Dungarvon River, a program that has been running since 2020, to help bolster Atlantic salmon fry stocking numbers from wild adults and SAS-reared hatchery adults (collected as wild smolts) as part of the ongoing study on the Dungarvon River.

A couple of weeks ago our hardworking team successfully collected 5 pairs of adults for this program; they will be in spawned mid-October and released back to the wild. These eggs will hatch over the winter, and the resulting fry will be released into the river next spring.

A big thank you to UNB and CRI for assisting with the collection this year.

Last Miramichi Salmon of the Season

There’s a unique charm to both the first salmon caught in spring and the last ones hooked in autumn as the fishing season comes to a close. The Miramichi Salmon Association aims to honour those anglers each year who demonstrate the initiative and perseverance to make the most of these “shoulders of the season” fishing times with a special certificate.

The rules for participation are simple: just email a digital photo of your catch to admin@miramichisalmon.ca. Include the name of the angler, Date and Time of catch, river and branch where catch occurred, and the type of fly used. While we expect a good number of fish to be caught on October 15, 2026, we encourage anglers to start sending in their photos a few days in advance. There’s no entry fee, and any size adult salmon is eligible to win.

We hope this initiative encourages everyone to keep fishing, even into the twilight of that last, moody October 15th evening!

Brian Smith Memorial Photo Contest

Contest closes October 30th!

The Brian Smith Memorial Photo Contest is an opportunity for photographers to showcase their best shots of the Miramichi River and its surroundings. This is an annual event that runs from April 15th until October 30th. The MSA invites participants to submit their best photos capturing the beauty and diversity of the Miramichi watershed. This photo contest is open to all amateur photographers. Contest categories include Miramichi People, Angling, Miramichi Scenes, and Kids.

Our 2026 Brian Smith Memorial Photo Contest prize package is sponsored by:

Bates Custom Laminating and Framing

1st Place - $250

2nd Place - $150

3rd Place - $75

4th Place - $25

Submit Your Photos