Ottawa pledges $81M to rebuild Atlantic salmon populations in New Brunswick

In this April 2, 2012 file photo, a 4-year-old Atlantic salmon is held at the National Fish Hatchery in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)

The federal government is spending $81 million to “help stabilize and rebuild wild Atlantic salmon populations” in New Brunswick.

This will be accomplished through habitat restoration, monitoring and partnerships with Indigenous communities and local organizations.

“This is a positive step forward for the protection and recovery of wild Atlantic salmon,” says N.B. Natural Resources Minister John Herron in a news release from the provincial government.

Herron adds the salmon are an important part of New Brunswick’s natural heritage and play a key role in the province’s ecosystems and cultural identity.

It’s the largest investment in wild Atlantic salmon conservation in Canadian history, according to the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF), a non-government organization based in New Brunswick.

The ASF adds they will contribute $25 million raised from individuals and foundations, bringing a total public-private investment of over $100 million for one of Canada’s iconic species.

The federal funding comes as part of the Canadian government’s recent strategy called A force of Nature, announced in March.

“A strong future for Canada depends on healthy, resilient oceans and freshwater,” says Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson in the announcement.

“By investing in our wild Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative and National wild Atlantic Salmon Strategy, we are strengthening protections for aquatic species at risk as well as fish and fish habitat.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney points to issues of climate change, pollution and industrialization.

“[They are] causing global habitat loss, an increase in invasive species, and more destructive wildfires and floods. Tackling this issue is both a moral duty and an economic imperative,” he says.

The ASF’s goal is to restore the number of returning wild Atlantic salmon to North American rivers from around 400,000 to one million.

The New Brunswick government says it will continue to collaborate with the federal government, Indigenous communities, and local organizations to implement these initiatives.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.