Your monthly resource for MSA conservation updates, Miramichi Watershed Information, upcoming MSA Events and much more.

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Vol. 57 April 2023

Hi everyone,

March was a busy month with the NB Sportsmen Show in Moncton, continued planning for the 70 on 70 event (April 29th), organizing the joint Science Day with the Miramichi Watershed Management Committee (April 18th), and planning for spring field work. I’ve also been working with MSA staff and volunteers to set up a unique partnership with local schools through the PowerPlay Young Entrepreneurs Canada program, an innovative way to teach youth entrepreneurial skills. This program allows us to speak more about salmon conservation to youth, and hopefully design some MSA merchandise for our 70^th anniversary! I also attended the New Brunswick Salmon Council AGM on behalf of the MSA on April 2nd.

Our ’70 on 70’ event on April 29th at the Rodd Miramichi is booking up quickly. Join us to celebrate 70 years of the Miramichi Salmon Association as well as past president Mark Hambrook’s 70^th birthday, our 150^th anniversary of the hatchery, and Mark’s retirement. This will be a jam-packed event with something for everyone- good food, good music, unique fundraisers, and more! For more information, please visit our website, and make plans to join us on April 29th.

This year’s Science Day will be held at the Fredericton Inn and via Zoom on Tuesday, April 18th. All are welcome to attend, and more details can be found on our website, including registration. This is a great opportunity to hear about projects on the Miramichi River, learn from other groups, ask questions, and build collaborations. Specific topics include striped bass predation, smallmouth bass eradication, smolt estimates, gaspeareau trap net modifications to help salmon, cold water restoration, and more!

Our Annual General Meeting and next board of directors meeting will be held on Saturday, June 3^rd in Boiestown, followed by the Icebreaker event at the Woodmen's Museum. Make plans to join us for these meetings and take part in the always-fun Icebreaker event!

I’ve been communicating with Saint John-area directors who were instrumental in setting up the Brian Moore Legacy Fund. We have announced our 2023 Brian Moore Legacy Fund student, Cole Johnson - be sure to check out our website for more details.

Thank you for your continued support,

Robyn

Please join us for the MSA's "70 on 70" dinner in celebration of President Mark Hambrook's retirement, the MSA's 70th anniversary, Mark 70th birthday, and the 150th anniversary of the MSA-run fish hatchery in South Esk, Miramichi.

The dinner will be held on April 29th, 2023, at the Rodd Miramichi for an evening of great food, entertainment, and fun. The evening will feature a roast beef buffet dinner, a cocktail hour with a silent auction and a card draw, a live auction, and a fun after party featuring the live music of Kyle Richardson.

Tickets are selling fast, so don't wait to get yours! Unfortunately, we had to cancel the comedian Jimmy McKinnley due to a timing conflict, but we'll be rescheduling an MSA comedy night in the future.



Come out and help us celebrate these milestones and support the Miramichi Salmon Association's vital conservation work. Your attendance and support are greatly appreciated.

For tickets and more information, please contact us at 506 622 4000, visit our website at www.miramichisalmon.ca or click the link below.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Rodd and will be available until April 5th. The rate is $140 per night . To reserve a room Call 506-773-3111 or email miramichi@roddvacations.com

The Miramichi Watershed Management Committee (MWMC) and Miramichi Salmon Association (MSA) are excited to announce our upcoming "Science Day" on April 18th at the Fredericton Inn. The event will run from 10am to 3pm, and this year's theme is "Working Together for the Miramichi: Fostering Collaboration and Partnerships for Ecological Conservation."

We are grateful to INTERFOR for sponsoring this event, which will provide an opportunity for us to come together and discuss the latest scientific research on the Miramichi.

The event will include presentations from a variety of organizations, including UNB, the Canadian Rivers Institute, and Anqotum Resource Management, among others. There will be opportunities for discussion and questions, as well as a light soup and sandwich lunch provided.

We encourage anyone who is interested in the future of the Miramichi River and watershed to attend, whether in person or via Zoom. This event is a great opportunity to learn from experts, share knowledge, and foster partnerships and collaboration.

We hope to see you there! For more information and to register, please visit the MSA website or click the link below.

Spring into the Season with the Miramichi Salmon Association's raffle for an all-inclusive trip to Rocky Bend Camp!

For just $50 per ticket, you could win a dream fishing getaway for 4 rods. The trip includes meals, a guide, and accommodations at the beautiful Rocky Bend Camp.

The trip takes place from August 23rd at 12 pm until August 25th after lunch, giving you ample time to relax, unwind, and catch some fish.



The draw date is April 29th, so make sure to purchase your tickets before then for your chance to win. For tickets please click the link below.

The Brian D. Moore Legacy Fund was established by a group of Saint John-area MSA Directors in 2021 to honour past MSA Chair and long-time MSA Director Brian Moore and his dedication to Atlantic salmon conservation. The purpose of this endowment fund is to offer financial support to encourage students who are undertaking important work that benefits the Miramichi River and the Atlantic salmon that Brian cared so deeply about.

The MSA is pleased to announce that Cole Johnson has been selected as this year’s recipient. Cole is a second-year undergraduate student at Mount Allison University. Cole was a summer student for the MSA in 2022 and is returning for the 2023 field season. 

The MSA is excited to announce our upcoming "Spring into the Season" Online Auction. This auction features a wide variety of fishing items and equipment, artwork, salmon flies, 70th anniversary merchandise, and much more.

The auction will run from April 20th until April 30th, providing ample time for bidders to peruse the selection and place their bids. All funds raised from this auction will go towards supporting Atlantic salmon conservation in the Miramichi watershed.

As an organization committed to preserving and protecting our local environment, we are thrilled to host this auction as a means of raising funds for such an important cause. Building on the success of our previous two spring auctions, we are confident that this year's event will be even bigger and better than before.

Don't miss out on the chance to bid on some incredible items and support a great cause. Mark your calendars for April 20th and get ready to "Spring into the Season" with the MSA.

Thank you for your continued support and to our sponsors for this auction listed below.

Brad Burns, angler, conservationist and president of the MSA US has recently written a letter to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) expressing his concerns about the state of Atlantic salmon populations in the Miramichi River and a lack of action on the part of DFO to address pressing population declines. In his latest blog post, Brad shares his letter to DFO and the response he received. To read the entire blog post, please click the link below.

We are pleased to announce the inaugural "Brian Smith Memorial Photo Contest," launching on April 15th. The contest will run throughout the entire fishing season, and we look forward to receiving your best photos!

We are grateful to Bates Laminating and Framing for sponsoring this exciting event, which features a grand prize of $250 to the overall winner.

The contest rules and details can be found on the MSA website by clicking the "Photo Contest" tab. Please make sure to read the rules carefully before submitting your photos.

This contest is in memory of Brian Smith, a dedicated supporter and friend of the Miramichi Salmon Association. We honour his legacy and passion for nature and salmon by celebrating the beauty of the Miramichi River through photography.

We encourage everyone to participate and share their love for fishing and the Miramichi River. We can't wait to see your entries!

For more information and to submit your photos, please visit our website at www.miramichisalmon.ca or click the link below.

We are excited to announce that the ticket launch for our highly anticipated Icebreaker Dinner and Auction will be happening soon! This event is scheduled to take place on June 3rd at the Central NB Woodsmen's Museum.

Our Icebreaker Dinner and Auction is one of our most popular events of the year, and tickets always sell out quickly. We encourage you to keep your eyes open for the ticket launch and act fast to secure your spot.

We are looking forward to a great dinner and a fun-filled night with all of our valued supporters. Please mark your calendars for June 4th, and get ready for another unforgettable evening.



Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you there!

Join us for the upcoming MSA event, "First Cast," on Saturday, June 24th, and Sunday, June 25th. This free event is open to everyone, young and old, who is eager to learn about the sport of fly fishing for Atlantic salmon.

Registration will be open starting May 1st via the MSA website, so mark your calendars and don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from the experts.

On Saturday, the activities will take place at the Atlantic Salmon Museum in Doaktown and will include a casual classroom session, a tour of the Museum, and riverside casting instruction.

Then on Sunday, there will be a full day of supervised fishing at a private camp on the Miramichi, where you can put your new skills to the test and try your luck at catching an Atlantic salmon.

As a special bonus, all graduates of First Cast MSA will receive a complimentary one-year membership to the Miramichi Salmon Association.

This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about fly fishing and enjoy the beautiful outdoors of the Miramichi region. Don't miss out on this exciting event!

For more information, please visit our website after May 1st at www.miramichisalmon.ca or call us at 506 622 4000. We hope to see you there!

We are pleased to announce that the MSA attended the Moncton Sportsmen Show which took place from March 24th to March 26th at the Moncton Coliseum. We are thrilled to report that the show was a great success and we had the opportunity to connect with many of our members and supporters.

We are delighted to share a photo of our booth, which showcased our 70th anniversary. We want to express our gratitude to everyone who stopped by to visit us and enter our draw. We received an overwhelming response, and we are pleased to announce that the lucky winner of our draw is John Boyd of Fredericton.



We want to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who helped us make the Moncton Sportsmen Show a success. We look forward to participating in the show again next year and hope to see you there!

Attention all anglers! Just a quick reminder that Crown Reserve payments are due by April 14th. If you were successful in the draw, please ensure that you submit your payment to secure your Crown Reserve fishing dates.

For those who were unsuccessful in the draw, the unsuccessful applicant period is between May 8th and 21st. During this time, unsuccessful applicants will have the opportunity to choose their preferred Crown Reserve fishing dates from any remaining availability.

Don't miss out on your chance to fish the Crown Reserves this season! Act fast and secure your dates today. To pay for your crown reserve please click the link below.

• MSA "Spring into the Season" Raffle -

Tickets available until April 29 2023

• MWMC/MSA Science Day -

April 18 - Fredericton Inn - Bi-Centennial Ballroom

• MSA "Spring into the Season" Online Auction

April 20th- 30th - Online

• "70 on 70" - Celebrating Mark Hambrook's 70th Birthday & Retirement and the 70th Anniversary of MSA

April 29th - Rodd Miramichi River

• MSA Annual General Meeting -

June 3rd - Upper Miramichi Rural Community Centre - Boiestown

• Icebreaker Dinner and Auction -

June 3rd - NB Woodsmen's Museum - Boiestown

• 11th Annual MSA First Cast

June 24-25 Doaktown and Blackville

Miramichi Salmon Association

485 Route 420, South Esk, NB

E1V 4L9

506-622-4000| www.miramichisalmon.ca