Hi Marc,
I am writing in response to the letter which our counsel Ian Knapp received from the Regional Director General , Ms. Celine Daigle, offering to meet with representatives of Save Miramichi Salmon , viz. Karl Wilson, John Bagnall, and me . Aa copy of the correspondence from Ms. Daigle is attached .
We thank you for the offer to meet and would like to request a meeting as soon as possible. Due to previous commitments I will be out of the country and with the agreement of John and Karl we would request a meeting by video conference.
In our letter to the Minister of Nov 21, 2024, we requested immediate action to address the Miramichi ecological crises caused by previously unknown explosion of striped bass numbers. Specifically we are requesting the establishment of a high-level departmental committee with stakeholders, funding, resources, a viable plan and a schedule to move forward the reduction of striped bass and the rebuilding of Atlantic salmon stocks in the Miramichi River system without delay. We maintain this demand.
As a prelude to the meeting, we would like to set out the point of discussion to ensure our meeting is focused and the parties are prepared. The evidence is clear that the explosion of the striped bass in the Miramichi is a direct and consequential cause of the Atlantic salmon in the Miramichi. We also know that Striped Bass are sustainable at much lower spawner population levels. We thus expect to be discussing with you a plan to rapidly bring populations of striped bass back into balance.
We accept your invitation to meet as soon as possible, with the sincere hope that it will be productive and contribute to the necessary remedial action as we have previously requested.
Sincerely,
Alex Mills