Rivernotes, Uncategorized
Rivernotes June 25, 2026
Phil Monahan
June 25, 2026
Editor's Note
by Phil Monahan
Welcome back to Rivernotes, our weekly roundup of news and information from around the world of Atlantic salmon—Québec, Atlantic Canada, and Maine.
Reminder: The row of buttons you see above will help you find exactly what you're looking for. Simply click a button and you'll be whisked directly to the section you want to read.
A Battle Won in Iceland
When I was in Reykjavik a couple weeks ago, I had an informative lunch meeting with Elvar Fridriksson, CEO of the North Atlantic Salmon Fund Iceland; Dagur Olafsson, Program Associate at NASF Iceland; and Johann Stefansson, CEO of Federation of Icelandic River Owners (FIRO). They were in the throes of battle, attempting to beat back new aquaculture legislation under consideration in the Icelandic Parliament. In NASF’s view, the draft legislation was heavily tilted in favour of the aquaculture industry and failed to provide adequate protection for wild-salmon stocks.
Photo via Let's Undo This
This week, Elvar emailed some good news:
"NASF and its partners have worked hard to ensure that the interests of wild salmon, Icelandic nature, and the broader public—not the narrow commercial interests of salmon farming companies—are placed at the centre of this process.
Last Friday, the Icelandic Parliament announced that the bill will not pass this spring and will need to be reintroduced at a later stage. This is welcome news for wild salmon. We hope that the next draft will be stronger, better balanced, and far more protective of Iceland’s wild salmon and natural heritage."
Developing Passion
ASF's new Director of Development, Natasha O'Donnell sent in a report from a great women's event.
Last weekend, members of ASF's Development team traded their desks for waders, as Natasha O'Donnell, Jennifer Baldwin, and Chelsea Frigault participated in the Atlantic Women on the Fly workshop on Nova Scotia's St. Mary's River. We were also proud to see ASF's own Deirdre Green sharing her expertise as one of the event's volunteer instructors.
Alongside more than 50 women from all Maritime provinces, representing varying skill levels, we spent the weekend learning about wild Atlantic salmon, native fish species, river ecology, habitat conservation, fly fishing, and fly tying. We also had the opportunity to share ASF's mission; connect with partners, members, and supporters; and experience firsthand the incredible community that surrounds wild Atlantic salmon conservation.
The weekend featured screenings from the Scale of Change Film Tour, whose powerful stories of conservation, connection, and stewardship left a lasting impression. There wasn't a dry eye in the room.
A special thank you to Mary Atkinson and Sali Cunningham for bringing this incredible event to life. Their leadership and hard work created a memorable weekend of learning for all.
One of our goals was to connect more deeply with the rivers, people, and passion that drive this work every day, and we left inspired, energized, and grateful for the experience. Needless to say, after one weekend, we're hooked! And a special congratulations to Chelsea, who landed her very first fish—a beautiful resident St. Mary’s brook trout.
Restigouche Beauty
Robbianne Mackin sent in this great photo of a 15-pound bright salmon that she caught last Thursday on a green What’s Up pattern. Guided by Daniel Main, Robianne was fishing the Upper Patapedia pool on the Restigouche with ASF Chairman Eric Roberts, along with other ASF board members Don and Ann Calder, Phil Sawyer, and Chris Lanning.
Twice Hooked Salmon?
Avid Rivernotes reader Patricia Parsons of Gander, NL, sent in her unique way of commemorating a salmon landed by her husband a few years ago:
"Tolson Parsons (ASF member and ardent catch-and-release angler) caught this beautiful salmon on the Gambo River, about 40 km east of our home. I am a member of the Rug Hooking Guild of Newfoundland & Labrador, so I decided to recreate an image of the salmon on a rug.
"Although I am not an angler, I always keep up to date via the Atlantic Salmon Journal, and Rivernotes. This salmon is special because it was hooked twice—once on the river and once on the burlap!"
Award Winners
We're thrilled to share that the Atlantic Salmon Journal was recognized twice at the recent Atlantic Journalism Awards.
Gold Medal–Magazine Covers
Dru Kennedy for the Atlantic Salmon Journal Winter Cover
Silver Medal–Climate Action Reporting and Writing
Brian Owens for "Fish Can't Walk"
Congratulations to Dru, Brian, and everyone involved in producing the Atlantic Salmon Journal. These awards recognize the power of great storytelling in advancing conservation conversations across Atlantic Canada and beyond.
Prince Edward Island
Kris Hunter, Program Director for Prince Edward Island, details a meeting that brought together many different watershed groups.
Last week, I attended the PEI Watershed Alliance annual general meeting, held in Charlottetown. More than 67 people attended the meeting, representing the 25 Watershed groups on PEI as well as other stakeholders, rights holders, and government agencies. The event featured opening remarks by Hon. Darlene Compton, PEI Minister of Land and Environment, and a keynote address on water-withdrawal regulations by Sean Ledgerwood, Manager of Water and Land Monitoring from the PEI Department of Land and Environment.
Sean’s presentation generated lots of questions, owing in part to last year’s drought, concerns about this year, and an increased interest in developing more high-capacity wells for agriculture. Also covered at the meeting were changes to the Wildlife Management Fund committee—which oversees the formula for allocating the core funding for the watershed groups from the province—and presentations from the some of the watershed groups. ASF staff continue to support our partners on PEI.
As the meeting drew to a close, PEI Watershed Alliance chair and long-time board member, Dale McIsaac, officially stepped down from the board after years of service. We thank Dale for his dedication to salmon and to conservation on PEI.
Québec
Samuel Major, directeur général de Destination Chic-Chocs, nous fait le point sur la pêche durant la première semaine de la saison sur la rivière Sainte-Anne.
Rivière Sainte-Anne : la saison est bien lancée
La Sainte-Anne a pris son élan. Depuis l'ouverture du 15 juin, les conditions sont excellentes et les premiers jours de pêche laissent entrevoir une belle saison.
Au 23 juin, le débit atteignait 34 m³/s. En une semaine, 21 saumons ont déjà été capturés et remis à l'eau par 158 pêcheurs, pour un taux de succès de 13 %.
« Les niveaux d'eau sont excellents et nous sommes très satisfaits de ce début de saison », souligne Samuel Major, directeur général de Destination Chic-Chocs.
Un pêcheur remet un saumon à l’eau dans la rivière Sainte-Anne. Vidéo de Bill Johnson.
Les photos et vidéos des derniers jours montrent des saumons fraîchement arrivés de la mer, de belles remises à l'eau et des pêcheurs heureux de retrouver la rivière. Elles témoignent aussi du travail réalisé avant l'ouverture, alors que Destination Chic-Chocs accueillait une nouvelle cohorte de guides. Ces derniers viennent renforcer une équipe de guides chevronnés, dont l'expérience et la connaissance de la Sainte-Anne contribuent depuis longtemps à la qualité de l'expérience offerte aux visiteurs. Cette transmission des connaissances est une force de l'organisation et permet d'assurer la continuité d'un savoir-faire développé au fil des générations.
Les membres de l'Atlantic Salmon Federation connaissent aussi Destination Chic-Chocs pour sa générosité. Lors du banquet-bénéfice de Montréal ce printemps, l'organisation a offert plusieurs forfaits de pêche à l'encan. Les heureux gagnants auront l'occasion de découvrir une rivière qui amorce sa saison dans d'excellentes conditions.
Photo : Guillaume Gauthier Morin
Avec un bon niveau d'eau, des saumons déjà bien présents et une équipe prête à accueillir les pêcheurs tout au long de l'été, la saison 2026 est partie sur de solides bases.
Québec (English)
Samuel Major, General Manager of Destination Chic-Chocs, updates us on fishing during the first week of the season on the Sainte-Anne River.
Sainte-Anne River Off to a Strong Start
The Sainte-Anne River is off to an excellent start. Since opening day on June 15, water conditions have been outstanding, and the first days of the season are showing great promise. As of June 23, river flow stood at 34 m³/s. During the opening week, 21 Atlantic salmon were landed and released by 158 anglers, representing a 13% success rate.
"Water levels are excellent and we're very pleased with how the season has started," said Samuel Major, General Manager of Destination Chic-Chocs.
Recent photos and videos capture bright, freshly arrived salmon, careful catch-and-release moments, and anglers happy to be back on the river. They also highlight the work completed before opening day, as Destination Chic-Chocs welcomed and trained a new group of guides. These newcomers join an experienced guiding team whose knowledge of the Sainte-Anne has helped create memorable fishing experiences for generations of visiting anglers.
ASF members may also recognize Destination Chic-Chocs from this spring's Montreal Dinner & Auction, where the organization generously donated several fishing packages. The successful bidders should have an excellent opportunity to experience the river under very promising conditions.
With healthy water levels, salmon already entering the river, and a dedicated team ready to welcome anglers throughout the summer, the 2026 season is off to a very strong start.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador Program Director Kim Thompson shares some early fishing news, as well as reporting and conservation work.
The cold, wet, grey weather persisting well into June will hopefully bode well for salmon this season. As anglers brave the elements on central and western Newfoundland rivers, along with the major Labrador systems, they are beginning to see increasing numbers of adult salmon returning with each passing day.
Photo: Riley Saunders
Some anglers are already enjoying early success. Recent high-school graduate Charles Day was lucky enough to hook and release a couple of salmon—an impressive accomplishment. Congratulations to Charles on his achievements all around; what a great graduation gift for a young angler!
Numbers Games
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has also begun posting Atlantic Salmon Fence and Fishway Counts up to June 21, 2026. These reports include comparisons with previous generation average, moratorium average, pre moratorium average, and the previous year, providing valuable insight into the returns so far this season.
Conservation efforts continue across the province. Members of the Salmon Preservation Association for Waters of Newfoundland (SPAWN) have been active on the Corner Brook stream, clearing debris from the fishway system to support the safe and efficient upstream movement of returning salmon.
ASF Director of Conservation Campaigns Andrew Clarke details a trip to Newfoundland to scout for a proposed hiking trail that crosses several salmon rivers.
Nature Trail
ASF Engagement Coordinator Madison Dicks and I joined Barrens to Beaches volunteers Glenda Dollimount and Derrick Mercer to sail from Burgeo to White Bear Bay to assess salmon-river crossings for a new trail currently being being developed. The Burgeo and Southwest Coast Community Alliance (BASCA) is the primary driver of this initiative, with a goal to create a trail that links the towns of Burgeo, Grey River and Francois. (See the slideshow below.)
Stretching over 130 km, the trail will offer hiking enthusiasts a world-class experience, featuring historic settlements, magnificent coastal fjords and nature in its truest form—virtually untouched. This project would link Francois and Grey River to Burgeo over land and is a terrific opportunity for ASF to showcase the significance of wild salmon and other keystone wild species.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick Program Director David Roth shares some angling reports from around the province.
As we move into the prime weeks of the salmon season in late June and early July, I am hearing from more and more anglers heading out for their first trips of the year across New Brunswick. Many have been visiting Crown Reserve stretches on both the Miramichi and Restigouche systems. While not everyone has been successful in bringing a fish to hand, anglers are consistently reporting seeing salmon throughout the rivers. The common theme this week has been that fish are present, but convincing them to take a fly remains a challenge.
What anglers are equally quick to point out, however, is how encouraging it is to see rivers carrying plenty of water and temperatures that remain highly favourable for salmon migration. Looking ahead, the forecast suggests that rain gear will continue to be essential, along with a spare pair of socks for good measure. I will be out in the coming days exploring some new corners on the Miramichi River.
Kayla Wallace and Julia Carpenter checked in from their annual Crown Reserve trip on the North Branch Kedgwick River. Despite steadily rising water levels throughout their stay, the stretch remained fishable thanks to its location high in the watershed. While no salmon were hooked, the pair enjoyed several days on the river and reported seeing encouraging conditions.
Farther downstream, ASF Chief Operating Officer Robert Otto had the opportunity to fish the Three Sisters Crown Reserve stretch on the Restigouche just two days after my own visit, which I wrote about in last week's Rivernotes. Robert reported seeing more fish than we had encountered during our trip, but river conditions had changed dramatically. Water levels had risen by more than two feet and turbidity had increased significantly, making for challenging fishing conditions. Despite seeing fish, none could be persuaded to take a fly.
Maine
Jason Valliere, a marine scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources, discusses a milestone in the number of salmon returning to the Penobscot.
Recent cool nights and rain bought us some more time before the summer lull, as the river temperature dropped back down to 20.3C/68.5F from a high of over 24C/76F. While shad and lamprey have slowed down, salmon are still arriving, slow but steady. We will hit our 1,000th salmon for the year Monday, since (as of Sunday) the count stands at 996. Two striped bass and a shortnose sturgeon showed up to the trap this week, too!
Nova Scotia
This week's guest correspondent for Nova Scotia is angler/conservationist Garrett Velkjar, who experienced a milestone on the river last week.
This is the third year I have been salmon fishing. A single salmon following my fly for half a second was the closest I’d ever come to catching one of these beautiful fish. On Friday, June 19, I was able to make an unforgettable memory on the Margaree River.
After a full day of fishing, we went to low pool, where we stumbled upon a pod of four salmon resting at low tide in the mouth of a small tidal channel. The teamwork that defines our group’s approach to salmon fishing was in full effect. We army-crawled into position to hide our shadows; two of us would peek through the tall grasses to guide the person casting to the fish. We each finished our first passes without luck, so we rested the fish. When my turn came again, I tied on a black and yellow Bomber. On the third cast, the most eager of the four fish instantly took the fly. The fight was brief but explosive—two quick jumps, a run toward deeper water, and a turn back into the shallows, where it was skillfully netted.
After the release, we noticed that the hook had been straightened out almost completely! There is no way I ever could have landed that fish without my friends, Branden Hillier and Riley McLeod. They offered advice on changing my presentation, calmed me down during the fight, and netted the salmon. Although he couldn’t make it on this trip, Matt Russell helped me keep believing that all the work would be worth it.
For the last three years, I have worked on a large project to try to restore natural saltmarshes in the Bay of Fundy. Some 80% of the saltmarsh area has been lost because of dyke infrastructure, and Inner Bay of Fundy salmon are critically endangered. Almost all the rivers in Nova Scotia that have stable, healthy Atlantic salmon populations have expansive, healthy, saltmarshes. The importance of a healthy estuary is too often overlooked or taken for granted, and the wild and healthy rivers we still have in this province need to be protected, from the headwaters and tributaries all the way down to the estuaries and saltmarshes. It is much easier to protect what we still have than it is to restore what has already been lost.
Action Alert: Major Gold Mine Proposal Returns to the St. Mary's Watershed
ASF Executive Director of Regional Programs Deirdre Green says it's time to make our voices heard about proposed mines near the St. Mary's River.
A major gold mining proposal that could affect the St. Mary's River watershed and surrounding region has entered the federal review process, and public comments are being accepted until July 7.
The proposed 15-Mile Processing Hub Project combines three previously separate projects into a single operation:
• 15-Mile Mine (formerly Fifteen Mile Stream)
• Old Austen Mine (formerly Beaver Dam)
• Old Mitchell Mine (formerly Cochrane Hill)
Under the proposal, ore from Beaver Dam and Cochrane Hill would be transported by truck to the 15-Mile site for processing. The project includes multiple open pits, a central processing facility, tailings-storage facilities, waste-rock management areas, and associated infrastructure.
The St. Mary's River is one of the last wild Atlantic salmon strongholds on mainland Nova Scotia. For decades, Indigenous communities, local watershed groups, conservation organizations, volunteers, anglers, landowners, and government agencies have invested millions of dollars and countless volunteer hours into protecting and restoring this watershed. The river was recently identified by Fisheries and Oceans Canada as the first national Ecologically Significant Area candidate under the Fisheries Act because of its importance to Atlantic salmon and aquatic biodiversity.
Many residents and conservation groups have expressed concerns about potential impacts to water quality, fish habitat, wetlands, groundwater, wildlife, increased industrial traffic, and the cumulative effects of large-scale mining activity within the region. There are also questions about concentrating the processing and tailings management from multiple mine sites within a single watershed.
This stage of the federal review process is particularly important. Public comments will help inform decisions about the scope and level of environmental assessment applied to the project and ensure potential impacts receive thorough consideration.
As someone who cares about wild Atlantic salmon and the future of the St. Mary's River, we encourage you to take a few minutes to submit a personalized comment before July 7 through the federal project registry: 15-Mile Processing Hub Project.
Comments do not need to be lengthy, technical, or scientific. The most effective submissions are often personal and explain why the St. Mary's River matters to you—as an angler, river steward, community member, or supporter of Atlantic salmon conservation—and what issues you believe should be carefully assessed before any decisions are made on wild salmon rivers.
The St. Mary's River has benefited from decades of conservation, restoration, and stewardship. Please help ensure that the future of this watershed and the wild Atlantic salmon that depend on it receive the careful consideration they deserve.
Research
Vice President of Research and Environment Valérie Ouellet describes an exciting new tool that will help prioritize projects on the ground.
A Decision Tool for Climate-Resilient Salmon Conservation
People on the ground and Atlantic salmon managers often lack a clear path from data to decision. RISE (Resilience Index for Salmon Ecosystems) is a climate resilience decision-support tool in active development at ASF, led by Aaron Clausen. The goal is to give watershed practitioners, conservation planners, and ASF partners a structured, evidence-based framework to diagnose watershed conditions and to prioritize land protections or restoration actions.
Think of RISE as a GPS for salmon conservation: it takes what we know about a watershed’s temperature, connectivity, and habitat condition and turns that into a clear map of where protection or restoration will matter most under a changing climate. We are developing RISE to be grounded in thermalscape science, connectivity, and habitat function, while translating the model into an approachable tool that can be used without a team of scientists in the room.
As climate change reshapes salmon habitat faster than most management frameworks can keep up, RISE will provide a reproducible way to assess resilience and prioritize salmon focused conservation investments. Not all the important conservation work happens in the field. Some of it is built from behind a screen.