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At the mouth of the Terra Nova River in Newfoundland and Labrador, people from all around Eastern Canada gathered in a small community hall for three days. The third annual Wild Salmon Watershed (WSW) Network Meeting was held in Glovertown, Newfoundland, and concluded yesterday. It was hosted by the Freshwater Alexander Bays Ecosystem Corporation (FABEC).
The Wild Salmon Watersheds, which has now been operating for three years,is most simply described as “integrated watershed management, planning, and action.”
“We’re talking about whole watersheds,” said ASF’s Kris Hunter, the Regional Director for Wild Salmon Watersheds. “What’s going on the land. What’s going on in the tributaries. What’s going on in the headwaters. What’s going on in the main river. And we use salmon as a lens for that — hundred year horizons, seven generational thinking. All that sort of stuff.”
Aside from the opportunities to network, socialize, and learn about some of the technical and scientific aspects of WSW, participants also got to hear from partners. For example, one of the WSW smolt wheels was installed on the Terra Nova river this year, and grabbed the attention of some of the nearby residents.
“People were really moved by how youth are getting engaged, and how it’s exciting the town,” Kris said. “And of course that speaks to all the integrated community aspects that we want to get to within wild salmon watersheds.”
Hearing from people like Derek Sparkes, the president of FABEC, was also particularly impactful.
“It was so very positive. It literally moved me. It made me emotional, just how much it meant to him,” Kris said. “42 cups of caffeine and no sleep helped make me emotional too.”
These meetings have proven to be invaluable, with insights and feedback directly contributing to the processes and development of the program.
“I often tell everybody, we’re building this ship together as we sail it,” Kris said. “It’s an evolving process, but it’s becoming something great.”
In this week’s edition of Rivernotes, we have a more detailed report that recaps what happened each day of the WSW Network Meeting. Kris also took the opportunity to gather impressions from the ASF staff in attendance.
We have several submissions this week, including a personal recap of trips to the Kenamu River in Labrador this season, an update on the golf course being built along the River Phillip in Nova Scotia, as well as information on a new restoration project to reverse the effects of acid rain on a small tributary of the LaHave River.
Kris Hunter, the Regional Director for Wild Salmon Watersheds, has a detailed recap of the third annual Wild Salmon Watersheds (WSW) network meeting. He writes:
“This past week ASF staff participated in the third annual Wild Salmon Watersheds (WSW) network meeting. The meeting was hosted in Glovertown, NL with support from our local partners Freshwater Alexander Bays Ecosystem Corporation (FABEC).
In attendance we had Val, Aaron, and Jon from research; Kristen from communications; and the entire regional affairs team (Charles, David, Deirdre, Kim, Jordan, and Kris). The whole team came together to meet with our WSW partners and regional councils to discuss the program. Our theme this year was capacity building and research priorities.
Our staff arrived on Saturday and jumped into supporting me and Kim with meeting planning and prep. The meeting kicked off on Sunday night with an excellent meal provided by Bonavista Bay Search and Rescue, followed by square dancing, and a “screech-in” ceremony for the “come-from-aways.” This was a great way to get into the meeting, break the ice, and set the stage. It also spawned our new mantra for Wild Salmon Watersheds, our version of keep calm and carry on — “hold on and keep moving.”
On Monday we gathered at the Alexander Bay Lion’s Club to delve into the work. To open the meeting the mayor of Glovertown welcomed us and spoke of how great it was for the community to have us there and to have FABEC and the WSW program. Following the welcome, Jordan and I went through an update on WSW activities, covering how the program developed this past year, the meetings and work that was done, and what was likely to come up next year.
One of the highlights of the meeting came after our update. Deirdre led a mini workshop on youth engagement bringing in the local school principal and Derek Sparkes, the president of FABEC. Derek and Natasha spoke highly of how ASF provided an opportunity for student engagement, and how that has led to great collaboration between FABEC, the school, and the community. Derek was visibly moved by seeing students participate and get excited by the work and the ways it could connect with their lives. Derek and Natasha’s words moved and inspired many (if not everyone) in the room.
Charles commented how he was moved when he heard Derek Sparkes talk about “ASF coming into our lives” and invigorating their organization. He remarked that this is the premise of what we (ASF) want to do for groups, especially through programs like WSW. It was great to see WSW partners understand this, take ownership, and establish themselves as salmon conservation leaders.
The meeting continued with discussions led by Val and Aaron highlighting research opportunities, and the need for care and consideration when collecting and analyzing data. Another highlight for people was when Aaron presented on how the data the groups are collecting can be turned into maps that could help with both communications and provide visualizations that could help with prioritization and lead to action. This tied into a theme that emerged at the meeting of recognizing the need for data but balancing that with the need for immediate action.
We wrapped the formal meeting portion of Monday with a panel discussion on capacity building. From that discussion we realized there are many ways to attract funds outside of grants and that by working with each other, and learning from each other, we can all improve our capacity building efforts. On Monday evening the discussions continued as we all gathered at Happy Adventure Inn in Happy Adventure for our Monday evening mixer. At the mixer we shared some great food and drink as we networked and socialized, building off the discussions earlier in the day.
On Tuesday we opened the meeting to other groups and organizations from across Newfoundland and Labrador. Almost 60 people were in attendance. After some show-and-tell around new technologies, research, and cool toys that will help with salmon assessment and conservation efforts, we focused on research questions, skills, and technical equipment that the groups felt were needed to help advance their conservation work. Data analysis support and other similar technical skills were common themes from these sessions. In the afternoon we ended the WSW portion of the meeting and shifted our focus to a discussion on regional priorities with the groups from Newfoundland and Labrador. We shared about our different work and initiatives before trying to identify some key research priorities, some major limitations on conservation, and some of the areas we need to focus on. The need for management plans, more support for non-profits and indigenous organizations, and education/outreach were some of the ideas that garnered lots of support.
While it was a busy couple of days, everyone seemed to be happy with the outcome of the meeting.”
Kris also gathered impressions from the team of ASF staff that were in attendance:
Valérie: “Sense of place and belonging that people are getting from Wild Salmon Watersheds. It is really rewarding and fulfilling to see that and the role that we are playing in that.”
Jordan: “The team was impressed by the youth engagement aspect, and the value that has for WSW and conservation. “
David: “I was impressed by the commitment and enthusiasm that all in the salmon community, from anglers to government employees and non-profit watershed organizations, express for what is happening with Wild Salmon Watersheds. And their eagerness to share and collaborate.
Deirdre: “What struck me most in Glovertown was how often the themes of trust, community, and youth surfaced. There is a natural magnetism in how young people connect with this work when we create space for them to belong. Seeing that energy, alongside the trust we are building with our partners and local communities, reinforced for me that Wild Salmon Watersheds is not just a program, it is ASF’s mission in action. As our event came to a close, it became even clearer to me that the strongest roots we are planting are in people, and that is where our vision will endure.”
Tony Chubbs, President of the Labrador Hunting and Fishing Association, provides a report on the last days of the season on the Kenamu River.
“The season on the Kenamu River produced well again in 2025! Although there were some hot days in July and August, they were interspersed with frequent-enough rain episodes that it kept the river at decent levels with relatively cool water temperatures.
In total, I made 5 trips to the Kenamu, fishing both the upper inflow into Pleasure Steady that we have named Triangle Rock Pool, as well as a further walk down to the outflow of Pleasure Steady to Island Pool. Each trip involved a noon time boil up on our propane burner, with a fresh meal of brook trout and homemade bread and tea for lunch. This was always the highlight of the day!
Fluctuations in water levels and temperatures on the Kenamu can be extreme and sudden. We often see the river rise 6 inches the morning after a good downpour!
13 September: I rose one and hooked a hen grilse at Triangle Rock. Hollis and Jim none. At Pleasure Steady: I released 1 jack grilse and an 83 cm (14 lb) hen. Jim rose 2, hooked 1; Hollis none. Jim caught 4 nice Brook Trout. (4 hooked, 3 rises).
Hollis, Darryl and Alex made it back for closing day on the 15th of September when I was attending the tremendously successful, 3rd Annual Atlantic Salmon Federation’s Wild Salmon Watershed Network Meeting in Glovertown/Traytown, NL. They saw nothing at Triangle Rock but at Pleasure Steady Hollis hooked 1, Alex hooked 1, I rose 5, and Darryl hooked 2 and rose 6. (4 hooked, 11 rises). They managed to catch 2 nice trout for their shore lunch!
Overall, we had fantastic fishing all season with very cooperative water levels and cool water temps.”
In Nova Scotia we have two submissions this week.
The first submission is from Michael Martino, the Acid Rain Mitigation Program Coordinator with the Nova Scotia Salmon Association, about an interesting restoration project. He writes:
“The Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSA), in partnership with the LaHave River Salmon Association (LRSA) have been trialing a first-of-its-kind, land-based liming project in a small tributary of the LaHave River.
Fire Brook, a stream that is no stranger to habitat restoration projects, was confirmed once more as a critical Atlantic salmon habitat thanks to data from the NSSA’s W.A.T.E.R. project. While previous work has greatly improved instream habitat, the impact of Nova Scotia’s acid rain legacy is still greatly felt within its waters. With an average water pH in the low fives, the waters of Fire Brook are still too acidic for optimal health and success of our native salmonids. Utilizing a lime spreader, originally designed for the maple industry, the NSSA and LRSA hope to spread enough limestone in the area around the headwaters of Fire Brook to have a lasting positive impact by increasing both soil and water pH.
The first phase of the Fire Brook land liming project took place in late fall of 2024. With landowner support, 85 tonnes of limestone was spread across 16.75 hectares of land near the source of Fire Brook. 2025 has seen the LRSA take the lead on the continuation of phase 2 of the the land-based liming initiative, with a goal of liming an additional 40 hectares of mixed agricultural and forested land, making up a large portion of the accessible area surrounding the origin of Fire Brook. With continued support from the NSSA and funding through the Adopt-a-Stream program, the motivated team from LaHave have been developing a long-term restoration plan for the west branch of the Lahave river that will include physical habitat restoration, more acid rain mitigation work, and invasive species monitoring.”
We also have an update this week about the golf resort being built along a portion of the River Phillip, where land-clearing near the banks of the river were causing concerns. Brent Locke, the Development and Habitat Supervisor for the North Shore Rivers Restoration Association (NSRRA), submitted some comments on a newly announced partnership between the NSRRA and the Bragg Development Group. He writes:
“Over the past few months the North Shore Rivers Restoration Association (NSRRA) has had a number of meetings with the Bragg Development Group and has entered into partnership to plan, implement, and monitor conservation and restoration projects on the site of the golf course and residential development.
As the only active river restoration association working in this community and with the development of our River Philip Watershed Management Plan, which will be implemented in 2026, the relationship between the developer and our association was a natural fit. We have completed a number of planning meetings, site visits and have identified a number of areas on the development property that may be suitable for restoration. The family has given us site access and full cooperation to complete any projects that we undertake. As many conservation associations are aware, lack of cooperation on much needed projects can sometimes be challenging so it’s reassuring to know that this isn’t a consideration with the sites identified for restoration.
Our organization takes an integrated approach to watershed management, considering environmental, social and economic factors in any project we undertake. The development of the golf course is important to Collingwood and the surrounding communities. It will provide much needed jobs for Cumberland County, enhance the profile of the community, the River Philip and be a great legacy for the Bragg family. With proper planning and cooperation there is no reason why the golf course and the river can’t successfully co-exist and thrive.”
New Brunswick Program Director David Roth is also sending this week’s Rivernotes from the beautiful province of Newfoundland & Labrador. Before leaving for the WSW Network meeting, David was invited to present at a special event in New Brunswick. He writes:
“I had the pleasure of being invited to present at the annual Women’s Retreat Atlantic salmon event hosted by Country Haven on the Miramichi River. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with participants and organizers, to hear about their fishing experiences and observations so far this season.
During the presentation, I highlighted some of the work ASF is carrying out in the region, including our involvement in land protection initiatives, cold-water refuge projects, and various tracking programs.
I also received an update from the province regarding this year’s wildfire season. To date, New Brunswick has seen 350 fires, burning a total of 2,500 hectares. By comparison, the 10-year average is 231 fires per year with 404 hectares burned.
As this week’s Rivernotes for New Brunswick is a shorter one due to the WSW meeting in Newfoundland, I encourage readers to check out the publicly available salmon counts for the province on DFO’s website before I returns next week with a more detailed update: DFO Salmon Counts.“
Jennifer Noll, a Marine Resource Scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources Bureau of Sea Run Fisheries and Habitat, provided us with reports on the mainstem Kennebec and Androscoggin Rivers.
“Maine got steady rain last weekend, but continues to be in drought conditions. The temperatures continue to cool, again getting into the 40’s during some evenings. The low discharge for the week dipped to 566 cfs and the high peaked at 2,470 cfs. Currently the river flow is at 1,600 cfs, which continues to fall out as the lowest discharge recorded at this site on this date (https://waterdata.usgs.gov, based on 39 years of data).
Lockwood fish lift, located in Waterville, ME at the first dam on the mainstem Kennebec River, opened on May 1st for the 2025 season. The trap has been operational the entire week. Fifty-nine new Atlantic salmon have been captured to date; the first two arrived on 5/30. We’ve had a few special appearances so far this year – one wild female 3 sea-winter (89cm) on 6/8 and one wild female long absence repeat spawner (84.5cm) on 6/11.
Brunswick fishway, located in Brunswick, ME on the mainstem Androscoggin River, was opened May 1st this year. Flow conditions have been somewhat steady (dry, yet again) lower Androscoggin River as well, reaching a low of 861 cfs and a high of 1,520 cfs. Currently, the river flow is at 1,460 cfs, which falls between the minimum discharge level (626 cfs) and the 25th percentile discharge of 2,002 cfs (https://waterdata.usgs.gov, based on 96 years of data). The first Atlantic salmon at Brunswick in 2025 showed up on 6/13. “