Fisheries and Oceans Canada
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National Recreational Fisheries Awards – Recipients in 2008
The 2008 Award recipients are:
- Council of Conne River Micmacs, Conne River Reserve, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Mr. Carl Purcell, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
- Mr. George Ferguson, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
- Quebec Wildlife Federation, Charlesbourg, Quebec
- St. Albert & District Fish and Game Association, St. Albert, Alberta
Council of Conne River Micmacs, Conne River Reserve, Newfoundland and Labrador
The Council of Conne River Micmacs have a long history of promoting conservation as a top priority. Through their actions, the Conne River Micmacs have served as an example not only for the province, but for other Canadian jurisdictions in how Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal constituencies can jointly work on behalf of sound and sustainable fisheries management. They have also been instrumental in working to protect and, where necessary, restore a major Atlantic salmon river and nearby streams in the province. Through their recognized leadership and initiative, they have been able to build cultural, political and interpersonal bridges leading to significantly improved fisheries management for Atlantic salmon.
Mr. Carl Purcell, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
Mr. Carl Purcell has worked diligently on behalf of Atlantic salmon conservation during the past three decades. During this time, he has served as a board member of the Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSA) and currently serves as its President after having previously held this post from 1988-1991. He is an active member of several Nova Scotia river associations and is admired for his communications skills and strong leadership. He has been a pioneer in promoting the conservation and protection of fish and their habitat and his reach has extended throughout Atlantic Canada. As a result of his efforts, community groups remain interested and active and enhancement work is conducted on streams throughout Nova Scotia.
Mr. George Ferguson, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia
Mr. George Ferguson has been contributing to the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon since 1988 when he was one of the original founders and directors of the Sackville River Association. He played a prominent role in bringing salmon back to the river and assisted in securing a permanent counting fence on the site. Mr. Ferguson has been a leader in many of the province's conservation networks. He was President of the Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSA) from 2001-2004 and served as the first chair of the Nova Scotia River Watch Program. Mr. Ferguson has volunteered countless hours of work to instigate and sustain an acid rain mitigation project to assist endangered salmon populations in acid rain impacted rivers, the first like it in North America. He has been recognized for his contributions with the NSSA's David Symonds' Award and the Nova Scotia Lieutenant-Governor's Award for conservation.
Quebec Wildlife Federation, Charlesbourg, Quebec
The Quebec Wildlife Federation (QWF) is one of the oldest wildlife organizations in Quebec. The QWF has worked to establish programs and youth education projects that protect the environment while promoting conservation.
In 2002, the QWF initiated the "Operation Renaissance" project to reintroduce the once abundant striped bass back into the St. Lawrence River. This is one of the most ambitious wildlife projects in the Province of Quebec. The striped bass saw a dramatic decrease in its population in the early 1960s and finally disappeared completely toward the end of that decade. Because of a unique combination of unfavourable conditions, it was the only species of fish to disappear from the St. Lawrence River. More than one million bass of all sizes have since been reintroduced into the river. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada recently designated the striped bass populations of the Southern Gulf and Bay of Fundy as threatened. "Operation Renaissance," therefore, is important to all of Atlantic Canada.
St. Albert & District Fish and Game Association, St. Albert, Alberta
The St. Albert & District Fish and Game Association has organized "Fun Fishing Days" for over 30 years for disabled residents of Alberta. They have worked with Camp He-Ho-Ha, the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and St. Joseph's Auxiliary Hospital to provide opportunities to individuals who would otherwise not be able to participate in recreational fishing. Each year, more than 100 people take part, with volunteers being partnered with each participant. It has become a highly anticipated event that creates lasting memories. The association has actively partnered with the Alberta Fisheries Management Branch in the St. Albert area and in the spring of 2006 provided much-needed assistance to relocate northern pike in Big Lake and the Sturgeon River to Cow Lake. The association has also acted as a conduit to share information with anglers and sportsmen's groups throughout Alberta, and their willingness to provide support when requested has been an important component contributing to successful fisheries management in the Province of Alberta.
