Gulf Region PO Box 5030
Moncton, New Brunswick ElC 9B6
JAN2 3 2025 2024-001-01977
Mr. Ian M. Knapp MacKenzie Fujisawa L.L.P.
< txu@macfuj.com > Dear Mr. Knapp:
Thank you for your correspondence of November 21, 2024, addressed to the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, regarding Save Miramichi Salmon lnc.’s (SMS) recommendations for the Miramichi River Atlantic salmon population. I have been asked to respond on the Minister’s behalf.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) acknowledges the concerns of SMS about the declining Atlantic salmon population. As you may know, Minister Lebouthillier and the Governor General visited the Miramichi this summer to assess the situation first-hand.
While striped bass are a native species and an integral part of the ecosystem, declines in salmon are caused by a range of factors. In addition to predation, among other possible causes, these declines are the result of habitat loss, climate change, and fishing pressures.
To address some ofthese threats, the Minister announced new measures in the summer. This includes increasing First Nations access and recreational opportunities for striped bass and a pilot project to assess bycatch in the lobster fishery. The Department also continues to invest in conservation efforts to rebuild Atlantic salmon populations.
In addition, DFO is finalizing a national strategy for Atlantic salmon, informed by extensive consultations with Indigenous communities, provincial governments, and stakeholders. This strategy focuses on collaborative, place-based stewardship and is expected to be launched in 2025.
We appreciate your call for a more integrated management approach to the Miramichi River, which aligns with the strategy’s goals. To discuss these efforts further, I would be happy to meet with SMS and relevant stakeholders. I invite your clients to reach out to Mr. Marc LeCouffe, Regional Director of Fisheries and Harbour Management, by email at < marc.lecouffe@dfo-mpo.gc.ca > or by telephone at 506-869-0140, and we will coordinate a
meeting at their earliest convenience.
Thank you for providing your thoughts on this matter. Yours sincerely,
Celine C. Gaudet
Regional Director General