Your monthly resource for MSA conservation updates, Miramichi Watershed Information, upcoming MSA Events and much much more. |
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President's Update
by Dr. Robyn McCallum
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December Update
Many of you will have received our 2022 Conservation through the Seasons Calendar. We hope you enjoy it and hang it with pride as we head into another year of salmon conservation activities.
Our broodstock and spawning programs have officially wrapped up. Fertilized eggs are tucked in and incubating for the winter now. The resulting fry will be released next spring where their parents originated from.
The MSA has a variety of merchandise, perfect for your Christmas shopping! Stop by the South Esk office or visit our website to browse our selection.
Our board of directors met on November 5th. This was a productive meeting held in Fredericton and via Zoom. Our next board of directors meeting is scheduled for February 5, as part of our joint MSA US event in Maine.
As COVID-19 continues to impact our typical fundraising activities, I am very grateful to the many dinner sponsors who turned over their tickets to donations or to purchase raffle tickets. The MSA is now running a Hooked for the Holidays fishing raffle. This raffle is for an all-inclusive trip for two rods to Ledges Inn next July! Tickets are $50 each, and the draw date is December 25th. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit our website or the South Esk and/or Fredericton MSA offices.
Field work has wrapped up for the season, but our team is busy applying for funding opportunities, compiling and analyzing 2021 data, and preparing for 2022 projects. We are excited to prepare our 2021 annual report and share it with you in early 2022- this will provide a great overview of MSA activities throughout the year.
Thank you for your ongoing support!
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MSA Carleton County Christmas Auction
December 1st - December 10th
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Looking for something special for that angler or salmon conservationist on your Christmas list? Well look no further, we have a great selection of items that will make great Christmas gifts! Our MSA Carleton County Christmas Auction is running from December 1st until December 10th so please check out some of the great items we have available by clicking the link below. Thank you to all of our generous donors and to our Carleton County area corporate sponsors for supporting this important MSA auction.
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Check out some of our great auction items below! |
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Donated by Brad Burns and Darrell Warren |
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Donated by Graystone Breweries |
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Donated by Wes Ward/Graystone Breweries |
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Donated by the Barrett Corporation. |
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The Loss of a Legend - Bryant Freeman |
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The MSA would like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Bryant Freeman - a true champion of the salmon community - he will be remembered fondly by many.
To say that Bryant Freeman was an icon within the New Brunswick salmon fishing community would be an understatement. By all accounts, his contributions to the art of fly tying and to salmon conservation in New Brunswick have almost been too numerous to count, but here's the short list; During his lifetime Bryant was a Director, and also served as Executive Secretary, of the New Brunswick Council of the Atlantic Salmon Federation Inc. In addition, he was the chief Editor of the New Brunswick Salmon Council's, Barbless Butterfly. He was also president of the Nelson Hollow Salmon Association and was Secretary Treasurer of the Petitcodiac Riverkeeper. In September 2007, Bryant was inducted into the Miramichi Salmon Museum's Atlantic Salmon Hall of Fame. In 2011, Bryant received the New Brunswick Lieutenant Governor's award for Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation. For anyone, that is a lot of time spent volunteering!
In addition to his tireless volunteerism, Bryant was also very generous. He was a life member of the MSA and donated more flies and shadow boxes to MSA fundraising dinners over the years than we can count. He was commonly recognized as one of the best Atlantic Salmon fly tiers in Canada - and he was an excellent angler and guide. The MSA had the pleasure of honouring Bryant at our 16th Annual 'Freeman Dunnett' Moncton Dinner in 2016. As recently as last winter, Bryant participated in the MSA-US's Atlantic Salmon Celebration livestream event - always giving of his time. In true Bryant fashion, he told some very funny and interesting fishing stories and genuinely contributed to the success of the event. We enjoyed spending some time recording and sharing his memories and I think he enjoyed it too. He was a great story teller.
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MSA dinner notice honouring Bryant in 2016 - a terrific evening celebrating a great salmon conservationist!
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2016 MSA honouree Bryant Freeman with past MSA Chairmen Doug MacDonald and Brian Moore
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Bryant was introduced to tying salmon flies by his father. Bryant's father had lost one of his arms in a mill accident and couldn't tie flies without Bryant's help. Like many anglers, Bryant learned a lot about fly tying and salmon fishing from his father, and at the age of 10, he caught his first salmon, By the age of 14 he was guiding anglers on the Medway River in Nova Scotia.
After paying his way through school in Saint John, New Brunswick by guiding in the summers, Bryant began working for CN Railway. His job required him to travel throughout New Brunswick and Bryant always found the time to fish the majestic rivers that flow here - fly rod, waders and fly box in the trunk of his car at all times.
After tying flies for W.W. Doak for many years, in 1985 Bryant opened a small fly shop called Eskape Anglers where he tied and sold flies and tying materials all around the Maritimes. If you happen to have any of Bryant's salmon flies in your box, I suggest you give them a try, Bryant knew a thing or two about catching salmon!
The MSA would like to send condolences to all who knew him
- rest in peace Bryant.
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The MSA 2022 Calendar
is in the Mail...
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The 2022 MSA calendar is in the mail and expected to arrive in time for the holidays. The theme of this year’s calendar is Conservation through the Seasons. Calendars are available for $15 by calling the MSA at 506-622-4000 or by clicking the link below. You can also pick them up at our MSA Fredericton office at 1133 Regent St. |
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The MSA's " Hooked for the Holidays" Raffle |
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Win a Fishing Trip for two to The Ledges Inn!
Includes: Meals, guide and accommodations
Arrive: July 21st at 2pm | Depart: July 24th after 12pm
Tickets | $50 each
Draw date | December 25th, 2021
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Newfoundland Catch and Release Research |
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A three year comprehensive study on the effects of hook and release fishing has just been completed by the Newfoundland provincial government. The study measured Atlantic salmon survival after hook and release and tracked many of the factors that affect survival, such as water temperature and release technique. Some important recommendations on hook and release are listed below along with a link to the study and a video summary.
Three important recommendations from the report for anglers are:
- Do not practice intentional hook and release in water temperatures over 18 degrees Celsius;
- Do not remove the salmon from the water;
- Do not touch or handle the salmon unless absolutely necessary (use bare wet hands if needed).
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Question Corner
with Rick Cunjak
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Thank you to everyone who sent in questions for Rick. This month’s question
is from Jeff Maynard - Jeff was wondering about the make-up of salmon runs. Specifically, is the ratio of grilse to salmon relatively consistent from river to river and year to year?
Answer: The short answer is that grilse(G) to salmon(S) ratios vary between rivers, and years. But some general patterns do exist.
Let’s focus on the situation in New Brunswick rivers first, based on the DFO year-end counts for the past 10-16 years (2006-2021). When I tabulate the annual data for the Northwest and Southwest Miramichi Rivers, grilse outnumber salmon, on average, by a factor of 2.2-2.5 : 1 but the yearly ratios range from as high as 5.8:1 (2008, NW Miramichi) to as low as 0.9:1 in 2018 when salmon actually outnumbered grilse (slightly) in both the NW and SW branches. And there is no obvious trend such as a strong salmon year following a strong grilse year. The only suggestive point is that when the annual count was highest for the time series (i.e. in 2010), the grilse run was well above average such that the grilse:salmon ratio was quite high at 4.7:1 and 3.3:1 for the NW Miramichi and the SW Miramichi Rivers, respectively. By contrast, in northern New Brunswick, the long-term average G:S ratio ranges from 1.2:1 – 1.6:1 in the Upsalquitch Rivers and Jacquet River based on barrier count data. That is, grilse counts are often similar to annual salmon counts but can still vary considerably between years such as in 2008 when a strong grilse run in both rivers yielded a G:S ratio of ~3:1; yet the previous year (2007), the G:S ratio was only ~0.7:1 in both rivers. In the St. John River, which flows into the Bay of Fundy, the situation is different again. Historically, this river was recognized to have an adult run of more grilse than salmon, and recent data support this situation. Based on counts at the Nashwaak River fence over the past 16 years, the average. G:S ratio was 3.2:1, ranging from 1:1 (in 2009) to 6.6:1 (2015). Historically, grilse outnumbered large salmon in the spawning runs of Fundy rivers in most years.
Outside New Brunswick, the composition of Atlantic salmon runs varies, depending on geography and, to a lesser extent, year of enumeration. Well respected salmon biologist, Ed Baum, provides a thorough analysis of salmon populations in Maine in his 1997 book. He notes that 1 sea-winter salmon (grilse) represented <5% of the spawning runs to Maine’s rivers in the four decades preceding the end of the 20th century. Spawning populations dominated by large salmon was also typical of the large sub-Arctic rivers draining into Ungava Bay in northern Quebec as well as in the Gaspé Peninsula (e.g., Cascapedia River). By contrast, most rivers of insular Newfoundland are known for having more grilse than large salmon.
It should be noted that many factors have been identified by scientists as influencing the stock composition of Atlantic salmon returning to rivers to spawn. For example, when salmon numbers were more abundant and commercial fisheries were operating, there was a strong selection for capturing large salmon such that G:S ratios were skewed in favour of grilse. There is also evidence in support of the notion that rivers that are geographically distant from suitable marine wintering areas (Maine) and/or that require significant energy expenditure to ascend rivers (e.g. steep cascading rivers like the Moisie and Ungava Rivers) will favour large salmon over grilse. By contrast, Inner Bay of Fundy rivers and the Miramichi River have significant grilse components in their populations.
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If you have a question you would like answered, please email your question by clicking the button below. Dr. Rick Cunjak will provide an answer to your question in the Leaper the following month. |
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Dr. Richard Cunjak is a retired professor at University of New Brunswick where he held a joint appointment in the Department of Biology and the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Management. Rick has more than 35 years experience working on the behavioural ecology of riverine fishes.
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Still not a member of the Miramichi Salmon Association?
Membership in the MSA is the perfect way to express your passion and support for the Miramichi River, for the Atlantic salmon who make it their home, and for the vital work being done by the MSA to protect and conserve both for today and tomorrow!
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