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Your monthly resource for MSA conservation updates, Miramichi Watershed Information, upcoming MSA Events and much much more.
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Be sure to stay up to date with videos and photos by liking us on Facebook on Twitter:
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MSA's Longest Running Dinner Honoured Past Chairman and Longtime Director Vince Swazey
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This years 63rd Annual MSA Conservation Dinner in Boston was held on February 4th, 2017 at the Marriott in Burlington, MA, and honoured long time Director, past Chairman, avid angler and conservationist, Vince Swazey. The evening was well attended and the master of ceremonies and Chair of the Boston Dinner, Andy Dumaine kept everything running on time and smoothly. MSA Director Gary Tanner served as this years auctioneer, offering attendees a chance to bid on beautiful works of art, plenty of one of a kind fishing trips and unique collections of flies and other fishing equipment. The evening also included recognizing over seven American donors with Lifetime giving awards in our $5,000 Blue Charm category right up to long time Director, Kit Barrow who received the $250,000 Royal Coachman shadowbox and pin. The MSA wishes to thank all those in attendance and the Boston Dinner committee for all their continued hard work on making the MSA's longest running dinner a success again this year. For more pictures and information about the 2017 Boston Dinner Please click here!
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Featured to the right:(from left to right) MSA Directors receiving their Lifetime Giving Shadow Boxes; Brad Burns, Acha Lord and Dr. Marty Vickers and presenter MSA Chairman Brian Moore.
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Featured above : Dinner honouree Vince Swazey (center) receives recognition award from MSA Chairman Brian Moore (left) & MSA US Past Chairman Jim Blackwell (left)
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Conservation Programs Update
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with MSA Biologist
Holly Labadie
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Featured above: the frozen dam at the hatchery in South Esk, NB after the Ice storm of 2017.
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Featured below : workers put some new plumbing in place for one of 6 brand new tanks for the smolt to adult salmon rearing program.
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Winter is well upon us here in South Esk and we have survived one of the worst ice storms in New Brunswick’s history! In late January the storm blew through the Maritimes and knocked out power and phone lines at the hatchery for almost a week. Our dedicated staff and back-up generators worked tirelessly to ensure everything ran smoothly until power and alarms could be restored. We are happy to report that we suffered no losses due to the storm and things are back to normal.
Trout fry are hatching and some are ready for feeding at the MSA hatchery; they are fed every hour throughout the day and require lots of care! Our salmon eggs are still incubating and won’t hatch until spring. A crew from Cooke Aquaculture, as well as seasonal MSA staff, have been working continuously for more than a month to get our new tanks and water re-use systems installed in our big greenhouse. These tanks are part of the Smolt to Adult Supplementation (SAS) program, which is one of 4 programs under the first phase of Collaboration for Atlantic Salmon Tomorrow (CAST) initiative. Everything should be up and running in the coming weeks! Be sure to check out MSA's ongoing programs on our website by clicking here !
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Featured to left: Workers put the final touches on the floor of the new tanks in South Esk, NB.
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Flying the Main Southwest Miramichi
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Contributed by Greg Sprague
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One fine fall day in September, 2016, my friend Bob Matthews phoned to see if I was interested in going flying. Bob is both an accomplished fly fisherman as well as a pilot so I was a bit confused - was he was asking me to go fishing or to go up in his Cessna 150, a single engine, 2-seater aircraft? “I’ll pick you at 7:00 am tomorrow. The weather looks good. We can fly from Weyman Airpark in Burtt’s Corner to Doaktown in half an hour, then follow the river up to Juniper and be home by noon.” Being a bit of an amateur photographer I had mentioned to Bob on a couple of occasions that I would love to try taking a few photos of the Main Southwest from the air if he ever needed a co-pilot. Seeing as Bob is one of the few people I would trust to take me thousands of feet up into the air with only one engine and his skill between me and a crash landing, I was quick to accept his invitation.
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was a bit nervous at first but as Bob did his walk-around and pre-flight checks my nerves disappeared. Just as the weatherman had promised the day was sunny and clear, however the quarters in the cockpit were very cramped. There was no room to bring my camera bag on-board so I was limited to one lens, an 80-200 zoom lens, that I could only point out the front windshield since there was no chance of turning sideways to take pictures out the side door. I was also concerned that the Plexiglas windshield would make for very fuzzy photos.
But in the end I was very pleased with the results. The trip was fabulous giving me a whole new perspective on the incredibly beautiful
Miramichi River. And the photos turned out to be a bonus that will help me remember a wonderful morning flying over the river. Thanks for the invitation Bob. I am sure glad I accepted.
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Featured above: Bob Matthews checking out his cessna.
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Featured above: Burnthill Rapids and Burnt Hill Brook
Featured below: Salmon Brook
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Fish Friends Needs Volunteers In Miramichi Area
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Fish Friends is an educational program delivered to grades 4, 5, and 6 in many schools in the Miramichi Watershed. Over a four-month period (March through June), students watch an egg incubation unit in which Atlantic salmon fry hatch and grow right in the classroom! Students also learn about the life cycle of salmon and other aquatic creatures in marine and freshwater ecosystems.
At the end of the program, students release their fish into designated streams.
The Fish Friends Program is looking for volunteers to take on one or two schools (or more).
Requires:
- Visit to school the week prior to March break to set up small aquarium (provided)
- Visit to school to deliver salmon eggs the week after March break. Also to give a presentation to the students on the life cycle of salmon and the project (provided)
- Troubleshooting as required
- Attend school tour to hatchery and to stock fry in the river (optional)
We need volunteers like you to make sure wonderful programs like this continue.
To become a volunteer please contact Kate Flanagan at 506-622-4000 or via e-mail at kate@miramichisalmon.ca
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Upcoming MSA Events You Don't Want to Miss
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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!
Click here to sign up today!
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