Year of the Salmon looks at the core problems

Everyone has heard of the problems facing Atlantic salmon in Nova Scotia. Numbers are declining, and fishing season has been closed on many rivers.

Unfortunately, it is not only salmon facing problems in Nova Scotia these days. Salmon populations around the world are all under threat from a variety of sources.

To address these concerns, 14 countries in the Northern Hemisphere which have runs of both Pacific and Atlantic salmon have banded together in an effort to support the conservation and restoration of wild salmon species. The initiative is called The International Year of the Salmon (IYS) and is being viewed as an opportunity for organizations around the world to work together on issues facing salmon.

Salmon are at risk throughout the Northern Hemisphere from a combination of environmental changes and human activities. The Year of the Salmon is designed to protect salmon by not only raising awareness of the various issues facing the fish but also by bringing people together to take action. The IYS not only recognized the importance of the fish but also the communities and cultures which have depended on them for thousands of years.

In Canada the IYS initiative is being led by the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO) which serves as an umbrella organization for the countries which have runs of Atlantic salmon in their home waters. Atlantic salmon have long been an iconic species with their long migrations from home waters to feed before returning to the rivers where they were spawned to repeat the process. Unlike Pacific salmon, Atlantic salmon can spawn several times, increasing the contribution they make to the preservation of the species.

The aim of International Year of the Salmon is to raise awareness, not only of the fish but to also stimulate the sharing of research, stimulate investment in research and raise broad public knowledge of the crisis facing many populations of salmon.

Since salmon know no borders in their epic migrations through rivers and oceans, the IYS aims to reach across borders and build bridges between countries and cultures. Organizers recognize that no single country can hope to fully address the challenges that salmon face over their amazing migrations. The International Year of the Salmon recognizes that collaborating and sharing knowledge is essential to learn how best to help salmon and will draw on science, Indigenous knowledge and the experience of anglers, fishers, policy-makers, resource managers and others who work to conserve and protect salmon.

The IYS is an opportunity for everyone who cares about Atlantic salmon to join people from across the world to make a difference. While organizers recognize this is a global issue, they also believe that by acting locally our combined efforts will make a big difference. For further information check out the official IYS website: yearofthesalmon.org.

Don’t forget this weekend (Feb. 16 to 18) is the annual Nova Scotia Free Winter Sport Fishing Weekend. On this weekend you can fish areas open for winter sport fishing without a fishing licence. You can also take advantage of the Pictou County Rivers Association’s annual family icefishing derby on Gairloch Lake. This year marks the 12th anniversary of this event and it’s a great opportunity to get out for some fishing.

The derby is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 16, with Sunday as an alternate date in the case of inclement weather.