Past Recipients - Lee Wulf Conservation Award

Chris Verbiski has developed a unique model for public-private research cooperation on rivers in Labrador where he has developed commercial salmon angling lodges. The runs of Atlantic salmon in Labrador rivers are poorly understood scientifically. In 2014 his outfitting company, AROC, initiated a partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the St. Lewis River, that has shown details of migration, barriers and important details of the population. He has also instituted a total live release policy at the lodges he owns. On the Hunt River he is installing a state-of-the-art sonar counting system. This is the only salmon assessment site north of Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Chris Verbiski is widely known in Canada for his co-discovery of the Voisey’s Bay nickel and copper deposit, just south of the community of Nain, Labrador.

Chair of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (U.S.), Chad Pike played a key role in securing a new 12-year suspension of Greenland's commercial harvest, and helped set the groundwork for improved reporting of all Greenland harvests. He was a key negotiator with KNAPK in seeing this vital agreement reaching acceptance. He took on the roll following the death of Orri Vigfusson in July 2017, and immediately showed his understanding of melding the need for Atlantic salmon conservation with the culture and economics of the Greenland communities involved.

A successful financial executive, Paul Fitzgerald is an avid angler and outdoorsman with a heart for conservation. He has had a gift for helping to build volunteer and community support for Atlantic salmon conservation. Through his efforts many millions of dollars have been brought to Atlantic salmon restoration and research efforts.

C. Austin Buck’s passion for wild Atlantic salmon was matched only by his generosity, donating time and resources to the cause of Atlantic salmon conservation. He joined the ASF Board in 1992, and his financial support for the Penobscot River Restoration Project was vital to the successful completion of the program, that removed two large mainstem dams, and rebuilt fish passage in two others.

Christopher Buckley, a graduate of Harvard Law School created an environmental and natural resources action group within one of the largest law firms in the U.S.A. He played an important role in the successful petition to list Atlantic salmon as endangered in the few remaining Maine rivers in which it spawns. He has also been a frequent lecturer with respect to environmental regulation and litigation. He has long had a passion for Atlantic salmon on the rivers as well, with much experience on rivers in Atlantic Canada as well as Europe.


He also worked as board member of ASF (U.S.) and from 2012 to 2015 was Chairman of ASF (U.S.). His extensive experience in environmental and natural resource litigation was invaluable in ASF’s efforts to protect wild Atlantic salmon by removing dams and restoring watersheds.

The late Ralph C. Keef was elected President of the Maine Council of ASF in 1998, serving in that capacity and then as a director for many years. He participated in countless field activities with state and federal fisheries biologists including marking and tagging juvenile salmon, electrofishing, and monitoring fish counting facilities. He provided testimony in support of state and federal agency budgets for Atlantic salmon conservation and research programs and acted as a member/advisor to the U.S. section of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) for 15 years.

Keef was a generous supporter of U.S. and Canadian organizations dedicated to the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon including Penobscot River Restoration Trust, Downeast Salmon Federation, ASF, and numerous Maine Atlantic salmon angling clubs. He was a leader in the ASF Live Release Program and donated thousands of hours over 15 years to the Fish Friends program enthusiastically recruiting teachers and schools to participate.

Keef’s generous volunteerism was an inspiration to others, particularly fisheries scientists, teachers, children and his fellow anglers.

Laura Rose Day has provided the leadership for the Penobscot River Restoration Project, the largest sea-run fisheries project ever undertaken in the United States. The decommissioning of the Veazie and Great Works Dam, plus the development of the new bypass of the Howland Dam, will free 1,000 miles of habitat for 11 species of sea-run fish.

She was involved in every aspect of the project, from negotiations with the dam owners for purchase of the dams to helping to raise more than $60 Million, to undertaking the community acceptance of the projects and the permitting process. She came to Maine in 1998, and worked on the completion of the Edwards Dam removal project. This helped her gain the knowledge to successfully lead the Penobscot River Restoration Project.

Richard (Rick) Warren has played a significant role at every stage in developing the Penobscot River Restoration Program over more than a dozen years. In addition, for more than five years Rick Warren worked with ASF partners in his role as co-chair of the project's private capital campaign that raised more than $25 million to buy and remove two dams and build a state of the art fish passage at a third dam. When the project is complete, more than 1,000 miles of habitat in streams throughout the watershed will be opened up.

In addition to his work on the Penobscot, he was also chairman of ASF (U.S.) for eight years, leading the organization through a period when it developed programs of great international importance, including at-sea tracking of Atlantic salmon and the Penobscot Project. He has been a director of ASF for more than 20 years, and has been instrumental in raising the profile of wild Atlantic salmon throughout North America.

With his great financial expertise and commitment to the environment, Kit Barrow transformed the Atlantic Salmon Federation into a stronger and better financed organization able to carry out its ambitious programs such as ocean tracking of the species.

He has served on several ASF committees, as well as being chairman of ASF's Development and Nominating Committees, and has been a driving force behind ASF's annual fundraising dinner in Boston. His interest in the ocean's health and that of the charismatic Atlantic salmon has led him to be a member of the Corporation of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, as well as a director of the Miramichi Salmon Association.

Dr. Whoriskey led the Atlantic Salmon Federation’s Research and Environment Department for 15 years. Under his direction, ASF delivered ground-breaking research programs, especially on the marine phase of the wild Atlantic salmon’s life cycle.

One of the world’s leading Atlantic salmon research scientists, Dr. Whoriskey led ASF interventions on many high profile environmental issues and was regularly consulted by governments and NGOs for his expertise and advice.

Fred advanced the techniques and technology to conduct ocean tracking research, greatly advancing the international effort to track salmon and other species. Through his efforts, ASF amassed vital data on wild Atlantic salmon migration that will guide conservation and management options for this iconic species.

Dr. Whoriskey convinced others of the great need for ocean research and was instrumental in establishing Dalhousie University’s Ocean Tracking Network program. In 2010, he became the OTN’s Executive Director. The OTN is tracking many ocean species world wide to determine migration routes and patterns and to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding these creatures.

Ray B. (Bucky) Owen, Jr. is a highly-respected Maine environmentalist. Through his efforts, 1000 miles of habitat is being restored to sea-run fish in Maine’s Penobscot River, which is home to US’s largest wild Atlantic salmon population. An exceptional communicator, Bucky led, contributed significantly to, and gained support from the river’s salmon clubs for the Penobscot River Restoration Project.

When complete, two dams will be gone and a third circumvented, allowing fish, including wild Atlantic salmon, access to spawning habitat that has been inaccessible for many decades.

Dr. Owen taught in, was chairman of, and is professor emeritus at the University of Maine’s Wildlife Department in Orono. He also served as Commissioner, Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Chairman, Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission; U.S. Commissioner, North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization; and on the Natural Resource Council of Maine, the Nature Conservancy, Land Use Regulation Commission, the Maine Critical Areas Program, and the Veazie Salmon Club

Nat Reed has a long and distinguished career as a conservationist both in government and in his own life. In 1973, while serving as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and National Parks, a post he held from 1971-77, he negotiated the first substantial reduction in the Greenland Atlantic salmon catch with representatives of the Danish Government.

His conservation efforts have gone well beyond just protecting wild Atlantic salmon. He assembled a team in the Dept. of Interior that led the successful battle to ban DDT. For more than 40 years he has been involved in the efforts to protect and restore the Florida Everglades. As chairman of the Commission on Florida's Environmental Future, he spearheaded the investment of $3 Billion in the best of Florida's remaining wild lands.

Wild Atlantic salmon and the environment in general have benefitted from his persistent successful efforts to protect the natural world.

Joan Wulff has had a long and distinguished career in sport fishing and a commitment to conserving the Atlantic salmon. Through promotion of measures such as catch and release, she has helped the recreational fishery to be recognized as an environmentally-sustainable industry.

From 1937 to 1960, Mrs. Wulff won numerous International and National tournament titles. In 1951, she captured the Fisherman's Distance event while vying against an all-male line-up. Joan cast a fly a distance of 161 feet in one competition. Joan is the co-founder and chief instructor of the Wulff School of Fly Fishing in Lew Beach, N.Y.. She has appeared in many fishing films and authored Joan Wulff's Fly Casting Techniques; Fly Fishing: Expert Advice from a Woman's Perspective and Fly Casting Accuracy.

Joan is an active member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, writes a casting column for Fly Rod and Reel Magazine, and has contributed articles for the Atlantic Salmon Journal. She is also a founding member and Vice President of the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum and a director of ASF (U.S.). Joan has been honoured by the fishing tackle industry for her promotion of the sport of angling and by ASF and the Federation of Fly Fishers for her conservation efforts.

Edgar Cullman, Sr. has conserved wild Atlantic salmon and their habitat for more than 50 years. On the Restigouche River in New Brunswick, he helped form an association to prevent illegal fishing and served for more than 25 years as President.

Thousands of salmon were stocked in the Restigouche, thanks to his involvement in a program that pumped river water into stream-side tanks to help acclimatize young salmon to river conditions.

Edgar has been a Director of many well-known corporations, and served for many years on the boards of Mount Sinai’s Medical Center and School of Medicine, the Hotchkiss School, and Yale University.

For his service to the U.S. Business Committee on Jamaica, in 1989, the Jamaican government presented him with one of only two Commander of Distinction awards ever given to Americans.

All visitors to Mr. Cullman’s camps on the Restigouche must carefully live release all salmon and grilse angled. An ASF Director, he has generously supported ASF’s conservation mission for several decades.

Donal C. O'Brien's leadership helped position ASF as the leading wild Atlantic salmon advocate from local watersheds to the international arena. Before becoming Chairman of ASF (U.S.) in 1993, Mr. O'Brien had long been involved in protecting the environment and conserving natural resources.

Under his leadership, ASF helped develop an international blueprint for saving wild salmon, conducts leading-edge ocean and river research, and reached a Conservation Agreement with Greenland's commercial salmon fishermen that suspended that fishery.

Mr. O'Brien was elected to the ASF (U.S.) Board of Directors in 1979 and ASF (Canada) in 1992. He served as Chairman of ASF's Nominating, Development, and Executive Committees and Vice-Chairman of the Management Board, where he helped integrate ASF's efforts with those of its seven Regional Councils and 150 River Affiliates.

Mr. O'Brien initiated the decision to merge the Management Board with ASF (Canada) and ASF (U.S.) and to hold joint Board meetings of the two organizations.Mr. O'Brien served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Board of Fisheries and Game. He also served on the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality over a 35-year period by appointment of four Governors, serving his last two terms as Chairman.

Mr. O'Brien also gave the National Audubon Society 25 years of service, most of which as Chairman. Formerly, he was Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors of The Nature Conservancy, President of the International Council for Bird Preservation and Chairman of the American Bird Conservancy. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Quebec-Labrador Foundation.

Royall (Mike) Victor III has devoted four decades to conserving wild Atlantic salmon and has accrued many conservation credits.

Internationally, Mike worked closely with ASF to close high seas and other interceptory fisheries that targeted threatened wild Atlantic salmon populations.

Locally, Mike raised the visibility of the problem of clear-cutting along Quebec's Grand Cascapédia River. In addition to saving salmon, his actions brought about an agreement to make forestry practices more sustainable and helped create employment for Native people.

Mike Victor is a true leader in the live release movement. At his lodge, New Derreen on the Grand Cascapédia River, 100% of the salmon angled are returned to the water alive. Because of his leadership, live release is now an accepted conservation measure on this river and its live release rate overall climbed from 26% in 1998 to 80% in 2004. As a result, many large repeat spawning salmon, some weighing as much as 50 pounds, are now returning to this river.

An early member of the ASF U.S. Board, Mike was responsible for ASF's fundraising dinner in New York for many years. He served as Chair of the ASF U.S. Executive and Finance committees and is a member of several other committees. A member of ASF's Regional Affairs Committee, he also helps steer ASF's policy development.

Thomas V. Grasso, Director of Marine Conservation Policy for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), was instrumental in driving international wild Atlantic salmon conservation issues forward with government and industry leaders and non-governmental groups alike.

Through his work, Mr. Grasso broadened support for saving wild Atlantic salmon in key countries in Europe and across the North Atlantic and bolstered the presence of non-governmental organizations at the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) annual conferences.

Before joining WWF, Mr. Grasso was the Executive Director for the Maryland office of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation where he worked for six years on the eco-regional conservation of the Chesapeake Bay. An environmental attorney, he has held positions with the National Wildlife Federation, The Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, and the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Mr. Grasso received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Rochester, New York, and a Juris Doctorate from Washington College of Law at American University, Washington, D.C. He also served as an adjunct faculty for the University of Maryland School of Law.

Buff Bohlen was instrumental in helping to negotiate the historic long-term agreement to suspend Greenland's commercial Atlantic salmon fishery in 2002. His leadership aided in ensuring successful collaborations between ASF, the North Atlantic Salmon Fund, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Mr. Bohlen served on the ASF (U.S.) National Council for several years and became an ASF Director in 1997. As Co-Chair of ASF's International and Government Affairs Committee, he introduced many strategic programs to save endangered wild Atlantic salmon.

Mr. Bohlen has had a long and distinguished commitment to the wild Atlantic salmon and to the environment. Before retiring, he was the Assistant Secretary for Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs at the State Department. He served earlier as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior, where he supervised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service; and as Senior Vice President at World Wildlife Fund. He is a former chair of the Ocean Conservancy and the National Wildlife Refuge Association, and a Director of Trustees for Alaska. He was also an Embassy Officer in Egypt and Afghanistan. Mr. Bohlen's career, diplomatic skills, and conservation ethic have served ASF and the wild Atlantic salmon well.

Andrew Stout dreamed of returning healthy runs of wild Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River and he toiled for more than three decades to make his vision a reality.

Mr. Stout, with a friend, charted and mapped more than 140 miles of salmon holding pools, spawning habitat, and fishing sites on the Connecticut River. He identified the potential hazards of over exploitation and the need for strict enforcement and controls in specific areas that he believed should be declared off-limits to all fishing to protect the resource.

Mr. Stout worked cooperatively with local, state, and federal governments, served on numerous committees, and worked in the field with several watershed restoration and conservation groups to enhance New England's rivers and streams. He served as the Project Director for Restoration of Atlantic Salmon in America (RASA) from 1972 to 1978 and as Director of U.S. Operations for the Atlantic Salmon Federation from 1978 - 1987. Later he founded and became President of the New England Salmon Association. He served as Chairman of the New England Atlantic Salmon Management Conference Steering Committee, was a member of the U.S. section of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), and a Director for a number of other conservation organizations.

Ed Baum, a dedicated biologist and salmon conservationist, was a committed Senior Fisheries Scientist for the Atlantic Salmon Authority in Maine for 32 years.

Mr. Baum conducted research on the migration of Maine salmon and documented their characteristics. He helped prove that the Greenland commercial salmon fishery was contributing to their North American decline.

Ed Baum made a very controversial and courageous decision to publicly support listing Maine's wild Atlantic salmon under the US Endangered Species Act, realizing that his statements would be unpopular with the state authorities.

An American Fisheries Society Certified Fisheries Scientist, Ed serves on many Atlantic salmon conservation committees and professional working groups, including the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO).

The Venerable Robert A. Bryan, Archdeacon of the North Shore (Quebec) and founder of the Québec Labrador Foundation was blessed with high energy, unique insight, and the ability to persuasively articulate his thoughts and beliefs. These gifts, combined with Bob's dedication to a clean environment and ardent interest in the Atlantic salmon, greatly boosted salmon conservation in Canada.

In 1960, Bob Bryan became the first aviator-clergyman in Eastern Canada when he was assigned by the Anglican Church of Canada to serve a vast area in Québec from Baie Comeau to Blanc Sablon and north to Schefferville. His home base became Harrington Harbour, 250 miles east of Sept-Iles. Since that time, he logged thousands of hours of flying time, both serving his parishioners and encouraging conservation and wise Atlantic salmon management in the area he serves. Bob Bryan died in December, 2018.

Bob helped local fishermen in the isolated villages of the North Shore to understand the fragility of the Atlantic salmon resource. He persuaded many families whose livelihoods depended upon salmon netting at the mouths of the rivers to consider the benefits of building an Atlantic salmon sportfishery, employing local inhabitants as guides and outfitters. Bob's dedication to preserving our natural resources has helped sustain the fragile Atlantic salmon resource.

Lucien Rolland joined the Atlantic Salmon Association in 1979 and was soon appointed a Director. In 1981 he became President and was a leader in the unification process which merged the Atlantic Salmon Association (ASA) and the International Atlantic Salmon Foundation (IASF) into the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) in 1982.

Mr. Rolland then became the first Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ASF (Canada), and a director of ASF (U.S.) and served in these capacities until 1998. He was also elected as the first Chairman of the ASF Management Board where his persuasive diplomatic skills played a key role in the early years of the new organization.

During his tenure, ASF's profile and involvement in Atlantic salmon conservation grew immeasurably and Mr. Rolland's steady influence helped ASF to expand its programs and funding base.

Lucien Rolland's leadership was a constant source of inspiration. His advice allowed ASF to work effectively toward salmon conservation. He always looked to the future with optimism and believed in the potential for development of a healthy sport fishery.

In 1968 Mr. Buck organized the Committee on the Atlantic Salmon Emergency. CASE's mission was to bring to an end the rapidly escalated netting of salmon of West Greenland, principally by Danish trawlers, which threatened possible extinction of the species.

Mr. Buck enlisted luminaries such as Bing Crosby, Ted Williams and Curt Gowdy to assist him in an all-out public relations campaign. CASE brought pressure on Danish officials, which culminated in 1971 in a meeting in Copenhagen by Mr. Buck with the Danish Foreign Minister Mr. Poul Hartling.Mr. Buck also expedited in the U.S. Congress the passage of embargo legislation. Finally, in January 1972, Danish Prime Minister Krag announced that, "due to pressure from private interests in America and the threat of an embargo, Denmark was seeking a meeting with the United States." The U.S.-Danish Agreement to phase out the high-seas fisheries by 1976 was reached on February 22, 1972. In 1973 Restoration of Atlantic Salmon in America, Inc. was organized by Mr. Buck, who commenced working with the U.S. State Department on securing a multilateral treaty to protect the species while on ocean migration. In 1979 he was appointed a member of the three-man "U.S. Negotiating Team on Atlantic Salmon." In this capacity, Mr. Buck took part in every formal meeting with the seven North Atlantic nations interested in joining such a treaty. Finally, in 1983 the treaty went into effect under the operating mechanism "North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization" (NASCO). President Reagan appointed Mr. Buck a U.S. Commissioner to NASCO, and President Bush extended this appointment until 1991.

In June 1990, at their Annual Meeting in Helsinki, Finland, the NASCO nations awarded special "Honours" to Richard A. Buck, "in recognition of his life-long commitment to the conservation of Atlantic salmon, and for his work to bring about the agreement on the NASCO treaty and his consistent support and encouragement to the work of the Organization."

David Egan has promoted conservation and restoration of the Atlantic salmon for more than 20 years. His dream was to restore a run of wild Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River where the Atlantic salmon had been extinct since 1825. He founded the Connecticut River Salmon Association in 1974 and served as its president until 1995. In 1981, legislation was passed creating the Connecticut River Salmon Commission and Governor Ella Grasso appointed David the Connecticut representative to the Commission; he served as Chairman from 1984 to 1992.

David also served as a Director of the Atlantic Salmon Association, the International Atlantic Salmon Foundation and the Connecticut Wildlife Federation, and as Chairman, Federation of Fly Fishers Atlantic Salmon Committee. President George Bush appointed him as a U.S. Commissioner to NASCO in 1991. From 1992 - 1995, he served as Chairman of NASCO's West Greenland Commission. During this time, the commission established a formula enabling NASCO to set quotas for the Atlantic salmon commercial fishery at Greenland.

Francis Goelet was Chairman of the Goelet Corporation of New York. His passion for Atlantic salmon angling began early. As a child he made regular visits to Toad Brook, his family's fishing lodge on the Restigouche River in New Brunswick. He was a member and former president of the Ristigouche Salmon Club. In 1974, Mr. Goelet acquired Tracadie, a fishing lodge on the Grand Cascapedia River in Quebec.

Frank Goelet's love of salmon angling spurred his determination to ensure that future generations had the opportunity to enjoy the Atlantic salmon. In 1968, he founded the International Atlantic Salmon Foundation and was its first President. Later he served as Chairman and Treasurer.

Frank was a modest, private person and kept his activities low-profile, but his impact on the future of Atlantic salmon has been spectacular. He helped fund ASF's first building in St. Andrews, which was dedicated to him as the "Francis Goelet Atlantic Salmon Research Centre" on October 5, 1991.

After retiring as President, Mr. Goelet was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors and Treasurer of ASF (U.S.). Later, he served as Chairman Emeritus until his death in 1998.

Bill Brewster has served the cause of Atlantic salmon conservation since he first became a Director of the International Atlantic Salmon Foundation in 1972. Later, he served on ASF's Management Board and on the International, Development, Executive and U.S. Advisory committees. Bill is currently Vice Chairman Emeritus of ASF (U.S.).

Mr. Brewster is an avid salmon angler who has fished in 12 countries. He conducted field research in Greenland and the Faroe Islands and contributed articles on their fisheries to the Atlantic Salmon Journal. On July 15, 1998, Bill Brewster caught and released his 900th salmon; his target is 1000 before his 90th birthday in 2007!

Bill is very active in the conservation community. In addition to his service to ASF, he also serves on the Boards of the Nature Conservancy, the New England Aquarium (Chairman), the Manomet Center for Environmental Sciences (Chairman), the Boston Museum of Science, Massachusetts Natural Resources and the Jordan Hospital (President).

As Chairman of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF), Orri Vigfússon led the international effort to remove interceptory nets from Greenland and the Faroe Islands, with funding provided by ASF, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. State Department, and private contributors in North America and Europe. As one of Iceland's representatives to NASCO, Mr. Vigfússon fought for the closure of commercial mixed-population fisheries. He worked with the Atlantic Salmon Federation to provide compensation and to develop alternative employment for Greenland salmon fishermen.

Orri serves as a Director of ASF (U.S.), is a Member of the Council of Management of the Atlantic Salmon Trust (UK) and the Association Internationale de Defénse du Saumon Atlantique (France). His contributions have been recognized by various awards, including the Chuck Yeager Award from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in 1993. In 1994, he was presented with a sculpture by HRH Prince Charles. He was named a Knight of the Order of the Falcon by the President of Iceland and a Knight of the Order of Dannegrog by the Queen of Denmark.

Joseph F. Cullman's passion for Atlantic salmon fishing on New Brunswick's Restigouche River inspired his involvement as a leader in the conservation movement. Through fishing excursions from his home to Runnymede Lodge on the Restigouche, his appreciation for Atlantic salmon and its habitat has grown. His great determination to save the salmon is matched by his generosity and he has supported many projects invaluable to the salmon's survival.

The Atlantic Salmon Federation benefits from his vitality and resourcefulness, the same characteristics that made him a leader of industry in the United States. His expertise and support have greatly assisted the federation in achieving recognition as the leading Atlantic salmon conservation organization in the world.

In 1972, Joe was elected President of the International Atlantic Salmon Foundation. Later, he served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ASF (U.S.) and Vice Chairman of the ASF Management Board. In 1993 he was elected Chairman Emeritus. He also serves as Chairman of ASF's National Council.

Cullman House, which houses ASF's Administrative offices, is named in honour of Joseph Cullman 3rd, as a small acknowledgement of his immense commitment to Atlantic salmon conservation.

Sylvio Conté served the people of the United States as a congressman and a conservationist. His service to his constituents and to his country was aided by his powerful political voice, personal convictions and integrity. These same qualities facilitated his conservation work. His commitment to preserving wildlife habitat was a source of irritation to many of his colleagues who were more interested in economic development. He led the fight to end wasteful, environmentally-unsound water projects, to clean the nation's air and rivers, and to preserve wetlands and wilderness areas.

His experiences as a sportsman allowed him to learn about the wonders of nature first-hand and spurred his love and respect for the environment and its fragile and delicate balances. It kept him fighting for conservation programs to preserve the environment for future generations. One of Silvio's goals was to restore Atlantic salmon to the Connecticut River and in 1990, thanks to his efforts, the first federal research laboratory for migratory fish was opened on this river and named in his honour.

Robert Winthrop, philanthropist, sportsman and conservationist, has been a salmon fisherman for more than sixty years. During his time on the rivers, he became thoroughly aware of the many threats to Atlantic salmon. Because of his respect for the salmon and his desire to conserve the species for future generations, he has provided valuable help in the restoration of salmon rivers, both in Canada and the United States. Over the years, Bob has made an enormous contribution by serving on numerous committees, providing advice and giving generously of both his time and his resources.

Mr. Winthrop was a founding member of the International Atlantic Salmon Foundation and served as a Director on its Board for many years. He also served on the ASF (U.S.) Board of Directors and as Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee, supporting and guiding the federation's work for over 20 years. The Board Room in ASF's Administration Building is dedicated to Robert Winthrop in acknowledgement of his counsel and support, which he offered in the organization's early stages and continued without falter.

Bill Townsend is a dedicated conservationist who demonstrates his deep, personal commitment and respect for the environment by working tirelessly to sustain it. He has given freely of his time, energy and wisdom to improve Maine's environment and way of life since the 1960s and most of Maine's environmental organizations have benefitted from his efforts. He is an avid fisherman and duck hunter.

In 1960, Bill served on the Board for the National Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) and as President from 1965 to 1971. He assisted in building NRCM into the largest and most active environmental organization in the state. In 1982, Bill helped found the Maine Council of the Atlantic Salmon Federation and became President of the Maine Council and a Board Member of the Atlantic Salmon Federation in 1986. President Bush appointed Bill a United States Commissioner to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) in 1990. He served in this capacity until 1994. Bill has received numerous awards and honours for his conservation efforts, including the 1980 Conservationist of the Year from the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the 1989 New England Outdoor Writers Non-Member Sportsman of the Year Award, the 1991 Sol Feinstone Environmental Award, the 1991 North Eastern Council Federation of Fly Fishers Conservation Award, the 1992 Down East Magazine's Environmental Award, and the Atlantic Salmon Federation's 1994 Roll of Honour Award.

Allen Peterson began his public service career with the Massachusetts Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Recreational Vehicles. In 1979, he became the Regional Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service's Northeast Region. Later, he became Chairman of the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, responsible for managing the fishery resources of the region. In 1983, President Reagan appointed Allen as a U. S. Commissioner to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO). He later served as President of this organization.

Mr. Peterson has received numerous awards for his contributions as a public servant and for his work in fisheries management. The University of Massachusetts named him a Distinguished Alumnae in 1983. He has also received the Silver Medal from the U.S. Department of Commerce for his national and international work in carrying out Federal fishery legislation (1983).

Wilfred (Wilf) Carter received the first Lee Wulff Award in 1987 and the Happy Fraser Award in 1996. He has shown an unfaltering commitment to the cause of conserving Atlantic salmon populations for nearly five decades.

In 1968, Dr. Carter became the first Executive Director of the newly formed International Atlantic Salmon Foundation (IASF). When the IASF merged with the Atlantic Salmon Association (ASA) in 1982 to establish the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF), he became the new organization's first President. He served in this capacity until he retired in 1989 and was appointed President Emeritus. He was appointed a Commissioner of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) in 1984 and served until 1998.

Dr. Carter has received many tributes for his years of conservation work, including honourary doctorates from the University of New Brunswick and Mount Allison University. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1993. He is also a director of Atlantic Salmon Trust (U.K.), the Association Internationale de Defense du Saumon Atlantique (France), a director and fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, a former chairman of the Fisheries Development Board for New Brunswick, a founding member of the Atlantic Salmon Advisory Board and the first chairman of Fisheries and Oceans National Recreational Fisheries Awards Committee.