Catch and release of Atlantic salmon in Canada

I have recently read a few letters about catch and release of Atlantic salmon in Canada, some of which agree with government policy, and some do not.

I totally agree with a catchand-release policy for Atlantic salmon. First, Atlantic salmon is a species of importance throughout Atlantic Canada, however, the scientific data indicates that abundance of Atlantic salmon has declined over the past 12 years in most of rivers in the Gulf Region. Therefore, it is reasonable that the Government of Canada is ensuring there are strong management measures in place to continue to protect Atlantic salmon populations.

The effects of the catch-andrelease policy is demonstrated in some scientific publications. According to DFO, the number of Atlantic salmon returned in the Gulf Region improved in 2015 and 2016. In addition to improving the survival rate of fish released, the DFO have also introduced some tips such as using barbless flies, minimizing the duration of the fight once you hook a salmon, and minimizing the time the fish spends out of the water.

I read Ken Collis’ Feb. 15 letter (Catch and keep vs. catch and release). In this letter, he argued limited catch and keep is no more harmful than catch and release for Atlantic salmon. I partly agree with Mr. Collis, the number of Atlantic salmon allowed to be kept should be restricted. However, that was his personal observation on the matter, without scientific evidence to support that all anglers respect the two per season limit. Good for Mr. Collis in respecting the bag limits. Increasing public awareness in protecting Atlantic salmon populations is not easy.

DFO has spent more than half a century monitoring and studying salmon stocks in the Atlantic Provinces. They also have been collaborating closely with various groups such as First Nations and non-governmental organizations to monitor Atlantic salmon stocks for the past number of years. The budget for federal government science was increased in 2016 to $197 million for ocean and freshwater science, and this should allow Atlantic salmon science and conservation to make the informed decisions on current management and potential recovery strategies.

Atlantic salmon is a species of importance throughout Atlantic Canada. Protecting Atlantic salmon populations is everyone’s responsibility. Effective policies on catch and release as a management principle for Atlantic salmon should be based not only on government policy but also combined with public awareness of the policies and their impacts.

Chau Nguyen

Advanced diploma, sustainable aquaculture student, Marine Institute