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Believe it or not, it’s the end of May. By all accounts, throughout the entire Atlantic region, it has been a cold and rainy spring, which is good.
The kelt seem to be gone, the smolt runs are slowing down, and some returning Atlantic salmon have already been recorded in Maine. We have yet to hear of any anglers hooking onto a bright salmon. But it won’t be long. It may even be happening right now…
As we all wait for the salmon to return, it’s a good time to remember the best way to handle fish when practicing live release. Minimize air exposure, avoid contact with dry surfaces, and reduce handling time as much as possible. It’s essential that fish be kept in the water when taking photographs. We don’t publish any photos of fish out of water on Rivernotes.
« It’s worrisome for the survival of those fish,” said Valérie Ouellet, ASF’s Vice-President of Research & Environment.
It’s easy to think it’s only a couple of minutes, when lifting a fish up and positioning yourself for a shot. But fish can’t breathe at all during that time. Studies have shown that even a few seconds out of the water can cause noticeable stress on the salmon’s bodies.
« We’re talking about fish that come to our rivers to reproduce,” Valérie said. “They’re not eating. They’re focusing on their spawning. So all their energy is there. If you stress them — if you induce non-necessary stress — then you can affect their health and their reproductive success. »
ASF is a member of Keep Fish Wet, a great initiative focused on sharing science-backed best-practices for catch-and-release fishing. Check out the website to learn more.
In this week’s edition, we have some reports from the smolt wheels in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador. As summer sets in, new research projects are getting geared up. We have some reports from great events, fundraisers and initiatives that were held around our regions, as well as some updated data from the fishways in Maine.
We’re anxiously awaiting photos of the first salmon (in the water) of this season. Be sure to submit your photos or stories to rivernotes@asf.ca.
ASF’s Research teams have had a busy spring, with the smolt wheel installations, operations, and tagging. Other summer projects are also getting started. Ellen Mansfield, Office Manager, Research & Environment provides us an update:
« May is almost over and all we can wish for is decent weather for June! Lots of mornings the teams started out in the field in single digit temperatures.
The smolt run on the Northwest Miramichi is winding down with over 3600 smolts PIT tagged and 180 acoustically tagged. Tagged smolts were released either above the head of tide at Wayerton or transported to the inner bay to be released after a period of acclimation, circumventing the estuarine reach in which previous telemetry studies have documented severe predation by striped bass.
This work wouldn’t have been possible without dedicated effort from the large team that’s been on the clock there all month from Anqotum, MSA, CRI (UNB) and ASF. »
Ellen continues:
« Sunday of the May long weekend ASF’s Graham Chafe was in Rocky Brook where he and Jerry Price tagged 80 smolt, in cold rainy weather. The mouth of the brook has changed and therefore the sitting of the smolt wheel had to change. Along with this change was the late start of the smolt run. »
Ellen continues:
« Graham is also getting ready to test out the lower-cost water quality monitoring equipment. He has also set up the trail camera on Chamcook Stream to get flow photos for the thermal habitat imagery project, and is learning all he can about our new drone. Last week he placed the temperature loggers in various locations throughout Southwest New Brunswick. This week he will be assisting with the tagging at Nepisiguit.
The Nepisiguit smolt wheel has had some issues. The gasket broke between the wheel and the live box. Jordan Condon (ASF’s Science Coordinator for the Wild Salmon Watersheds program) had to make one out of duct tape and gym mats… No joke, he did, and it worked!! Hopefully will be a better week for the site!
ASF’s Senior Research Scientist Jon Carr has been in the field for the last few weeks, deploying and training. Last week he was in Terra Nova helping with the smolt wheel and tagging. This week he and Jordan headed to the Cascapédia to tag 60 smolts and do a school presentation on the work they are doing. »
Aside from all the activity around the smolt wheels, other projects are getting started. Ellen writes:
« Not all the important work is done in the field: our biologist Jason Daniels has been focused on running analyses for one manuscript and finalizing another, both of which investigate the timing and behaviours exhibited by post-smolt Atlantic salmon in the marine environment. These studies explore how oceanographic factors may be influencing salmon movement and distribution, with consideration of how climate change could further shape these behaviours. In parallel, he has been refining methodologies to improve our capacity to monitor Atlantic salmon production across both riverine and marine environments, with a particular focus on capturing variability across broad spatial gradients.
Finally, the alewife run is going strong. The fish ladder in St. George has seen numerous travel the ladder to access the Magaguadavic River. »
Maine has been the only area recording returning salmon so far this year, with 29 salmon on the Penobscot River, as of May 25th. But just like the rest of the Atlantic region, cold weather and rain has slowed down activity, but the good start to the season is very promising.
This week, we have data from the fishways in Maine, but also some inspiring work done by students in Bangor, Maine.
John Burrows, ASF’s Vice President of US Operations, writes:
« On May 3, students from the University of Maine and members of the local group Bangor Beautiful celebrated the unveiling of the new Penobscot River Ecology Mural on the Kenduskeag Pump Station building located in downtown Bangor, Maine, at the confluence of Kenduskeag Stream and the Penobscot River. This project seeks to draw attention and connect the local community to the vibrant Penobscot River ecosystem, and it highlights the importance of freshwater mussels and sea-run fish. The mural is the cultivation of a semester of work that brought together ecology and art through the collaborative teamwork between scientists, artists, undergraduate and graduate students, local high school students, and Bangor Beautiful. ASF provided financial support for the project. »
Jennifer Noll, Marine Resource Scientist with the Maine Department of Marine Resources, has data from the Lockwood fish lift on the mainstem Kennebec River, Benton Falls fishway on the Sebasticook River, and Brunswick fishway on the mainstem Androscoggin River:
« Air temperatures plummeted and rain has been consistent over the last week. Flow conditions in the lower Kennebec River reached a low river discharge of 13,800 cfs on May 23th and peaked at 27,400 cfs on May 24th. Currently the river flow is at 15,000 cfs, which falls between the 75% percentile discharge level (12,700 cfs) and the high of 76,100 cfs (https://waterdata.usgs.gov, based on 39 years of data).
The 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 most of the week, except for part of the day on Saturday when the river was too high to operate the trap. No new Atlantic salmon have been captured to date. The water temperature dropped from 14°C last week to 12.3°C today.
Lockwood fish lift total catches for 2025:
*Reported by Brookfield
Benton Falls fishway, the first fishway located on the Sebasticook River, a tributary to the Kennebec River, has been open since May 1st this year. Benton Falls fishway total catches for 2025 as of 5/26:
**Catches reported by DMR crews, time period 5/19-5/25
ASF’s Deirdre Green, the Director of Nova Scotia Programs, attended several events, educating students, and helping raise funds. She also got to visit the Chéticamp River, and get some hands-on experience. She writes:
« Last week, as part of the Indigenous youth engagement component of our Wild Salmon Watersheds (WSW) Program, I had the pleasure of joining Rene Aucoin (President of the Chéticamp River Salmon Association and Certified Fly-Casting Instructor) for a visit with students and teachers at Allan Lafford High School in Potlotek. We spent a great afternoon discussing fly casting, Atlantic salmon conservation, and catch-and-release angling.
On Sunday, the St. Mary’s River Association hosted a well-attended Annual General Meeting, where long-time volunteer Sandy MacDonald was honoured as Member of the Year. The meeting also featured a presentation by Dr. Patrick Duke of Cabron Run, who shared updates on their work in Nova Scotia and discussed potential plans to lime the West Branch of the St. Mary’s River to mitigate acidification impacts on salmon habitat. I also had the opportunity to speak about the ASF/NSSA 34th Annual Halifax Dinner and the tremendous support it generated—highlighting our first-ever paddle raise, which successfully raised funds that will help support the development of a modernized population assessment on the St. Mary’s River.
Earlier this week, I traveled to one of our WSW rivers, the Chéticamp, where ASF’s Kris Hunter and the Chéticamp River Salmon Association are operating the first rotary screw trap (smolt wheel) ever deployed on this system. This critical monitoring tool helps estimate the timing and abundance of juvenile salmon outmigration—key indicators of watershed productivity and population health. »
Deirdre continues:
« Kris has been providing hands-on training to ASF partners and local watershed groups on operating the smolt wheel, collecting DNA and scale samples, and applying Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags. PIT tagging enables researchers to track individual smolts over time, generating valuable data on migration survival, movement patterns, and return rates. These efforts are essential for long-term assessments of Atlantic salmon abundance and freshwater-to-ocean productivity.
Although I’ve worked with smolt wheels before, this was my first time tagging smolts—and it was an incredible learning experience. Working directly with Kris, who has extensive knowledge and expertise in salmon conservation, made the experience especially meaningful. From handling smolts to taking fin clips, applying tags, and recording data, everyone working with Kris is gaining a deeper appreciation for the care and precision this work requires. It’s rewarding to move beyond observation and contribute directly to data collection that will inform future conservation. I’m looking forward to heading back next week to continue building these hands-on skills. »
Deirdre concludes:
« ASF is proud to see the Wild Salmon Watersheds Program fulfilling its goal of building local capacity. Our partners have shown real enthusiasm and commitment to learning. Kris and the Chéticamp River Salmon Association team recently welcomed staff from the Inverness South Anglers Association and the Margaree Salmon Association to the Chéticamp River for practical training.
It’s inspiring to see our Headwaters and WSW partners come together to strengthen their skills and knowledge. Our team is excited to continue supporting them as they continue to step into leadership roles in their respective watersheds. »
For those in Nova Scotia, there are two upcoming events to take note of:
In Newfoundland the Atlantic salmon recreational fishery is just about to open, with Labrador not far behind. Kim Thompson, the Program Director for Newfoundland and Labrador, reminds anglers to check on regulations and notices. She writes:
« We are just days away from the opening of the Atlantic Salmon recreational fishery season for Insular Newfoundland starting June 1 to September 7, and Labrador opening June 15 until September 15. Details on the regulations pertaining to retention limits, river classification, closed areas and special management areas are contained in the 2025-2026 Angler’s Guide which is available online at Anglers’ Guide 2025-2026. DFO « Notices to Anglers » is also now available online under the Fishery Notices link on the DFO NL Region webpage at Newfoundland and Labrador Region | Newfoundland and Labrador Region
May 21st saw a packed house at Banished Brewing with the launch of Best Days Session IPA brewed in collaboration with Atlantic Rivers Outfitting Company (AROC). A portion of each beer sold, with matching funds from AROC, is going to support the conservation efforts of the Salmonid Association of Eastern Newfoundland (SAEN) and the Salmon Preservation Association for the Waters of Newfoundland (SPAWN).
The feature of the evening was a special screening of Scale of Change hosted by Fred Campbell and made possible through the incredible synergy of collaborators that included Hooké, ASF, AROC and Loop Tackle–all united by a shared passion for wild Atlantic salmon. A huge shout-out to the diverse audience of passionate people who purchased tickets and joined us. Your presence and energy made it a truly special night. »
Kim continues:
« On Thursday evening May 22nd at the SAEN 33rd Dinner and Auction Fundraiser Jim Burton and family presented the Dorothy Burton Conservation Award, to Travis Van Leeuwen. The late Dorothy Burton was a passionate entrepreneur, successful Labrador Outfitter, avid outdoors person and true steward of the environment and inland fishery. Travis is a research scientist whose work over the last five years has helped to significantly advance the understanding of catch-and-release fishing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Upon accepting the award Travis said, ‘as a scientist you often gauge your successes on the number of citations, reads or downloads your work receives; however, receiving this award acknowledges how the work we do is also important to the community, which is very special.' »
In New Brunswick, work is following the seasons. With smolt runs coming close to their end, so is work with various smolt wheels around the province. But new and exciting research is just getting started. ASF’s New Brunswick Program Director David Roth writes:
« With the month of May coming to an end, our direct involvement with smolt work with the trap and transport on the Miramichi and on New Brunswick’s Wild Salmon Watershed River, the Nepisiguit River, is coming to an end as the smolt run has started to taper off in both rivers.
While the tally for the 2025 season is not yet fully finished, we can already state that we have achieved our goals for this year. Further north in the Restigouche system, smolt wheels operated by different organizations will continue to operate as the smolts start migrating later in the northern parts of the province. »
David continues:
« This also means we are starting to gear our attention to one of our favourite times of the year: the arrival of the bright salmon in our rivers. While there have been no sightings of any adults running yet, during this rather cold and wet May, the change in weather will bring more anglers to the water, and we expect reports of the elusive first fish of the season very soon.
There will be no shortage of work for the ASF team and our local partners in the coming month. ASF’s Heather Perry, for example, will start her second field season radio tracking salmon parr in the Little Southwest Miramichi as part of her master’s degree project with the University of New Brunswick (read about the project here) and PIT and acoustic telemetry work will take place across different rivers in the province. «
In coming weeks, I’ll be looking forward to visiting our friends from the Restigouche River Watershed Management Council Inc. Together, with our partners from the Nepisiguit Wild Salmon Watershed (Pabineau First Nation and the Nepisiquit Salmon Association), to see the Upsalquitch River 10 mile pool barrier to learn about their floating fence setup and the experience they have gathered, compared to their old metal barrier.
While everyone is busy on Prince Edward Island, Kris Hunter, the Regional Director for Wild Salmon Watersheds, provided a brief update:
« The PEI Watershed Alliance hosted their Salmon Technical Advisory Committee meeting and continues to work on ways to support wild Atlantic salmon and the salmon watershed groups on PEI. Rebecca, the PEI WA Salmon technician has been working to analyze feedback from the salmon watershed groups and develop standards and common forms to help the groups and make comparisons easier. Jordan and I are working with Rebecca to ensure this connects with salmon conservation efforts.
There have also been a number of spring AGMs and a number of other events and we know everyone on PEI is busily gearing up for field season. »