The Nashwaak Watershed

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A conversation with fly fisherman Gary Spencer

August 24, 2015

New Brunswick has some amazing rivers and some of the best fishing. Both have been important in shaping the identity of New Brunswickers. Being by, and in the water, is part of a traditional way of life that has been passed on from generation to generation. The salmon fishing industry in particular has always played a very important role in the lives of the residents of New Brunswick, and especially for those of us living in the Nashwaak watershed.

The recreational salmon fishery provides vital employment for the fishing lodges and regional ecotourism. However, the Nashwaak River, once so plentiful in salmon, has seen a decreasing trend in the number of fish returning to the ocean for over 20 years (see our previous article about the decline)

Gary Spencer, a Nashwaak resident; fly fisherman of the Nashwaak river; and a dedicated volunteer of the Nashwaak Watershed Association and other organizations like the NB Salmon Council, shares his thoughts and experiences about salmon fishing and how the decline of salmon returns has impacted the fishers and the residents of the area.

 

gary fishing

 

Aliza: When was the first time you went fishing? gary child

Gary: I was 6 or 7 years old and my brother and I fished for trout in Sands Brook. I caught a 7″ trout. My mom made a big deal about it and we ate it (and others) for supper. 

 

 

 

 

 

gary salmonAliza: What do you love about salmon fishing?

Gary: The challenge of it. It can actually be very difficult at times. I also like the time to reflect on during those long stretches of inaction. I take that time to learn bird songs, notice rocks that have moved since I visited that spot last summer, and reunite with friends. The best part is the sudden “pull,” when a salmon takes the fly and you experience the completely unpredictable behaviour of a salmon on the line.

 

 

Aliza: What was the largest salmon you have caught in the Nashwaak?

Gary: It was 18 pounds, caught at a little known (and secret!) pool near Stanley.

 

Aliza: What was your most memorable moment while fishing?

Gary: That would be the memory of my son catching his first salmon. Having me as a dad he said, “I guess I should let this salmon go” and I told him there are 2 reasons I accept for killing a salmon, if it is 24.5″-long male (and therefore not going to spawn) right at the end of a long fishing day, or if it is your first one and you want to take it home to show mom, Gary grins.

 

*note: this year the Department of Fisheries and Oceans instituted a catch-and release only policy for New Brunswick rivers.

 

Aliza: What concerns you most about the decline of the salmon population in NB and in the Nashwaak?

Gary: What concerns me most is the potential loss of our heritage and friendships that are closely tied to salmon fishing. I miss going to the pools on the Nashwaak or other rivers and meeting friends or making friends amongst the fisher people I would meet there.   I am also concerned about the lost money to our local economy and the jobs associated with guiding and getting visitors out on the water. Also, they are a high quality and delicious food source!

 

Aliza: Do you feel that there is hope for the revival of the Nashwaak salmon population? Do you have thoughts on how we can improve this situation?

Gary: Absolutely there is hope. We saw a substantial recovery of the salmon in the Nashwaak in 2008-2011. In my humble opinion better regulation of the salmon aquaculture industry would bring an immediate and substantial recovery to the Nashwaak stocks. We are working hard on that file. There are other issues we have worked on in the past, but now that such things like our input to the Sisson mine project in the headwaters of the Nashwaak is complete and downstream fish passage at NB Power dams is started we will turn our attention to aquaculture. Salmon populations are very resilient and recover quickly when given a chance. 

 

Aliza: What do groups like the Nashwaak Watershed Association do to help the salmon population on the Nashwaak?

Gary: A great deal!  They provided excellent input to the Sisson mine Environmental Impact Assessment and have improved the design of the project by doing so. They also contributed to an independent 3rd party review of the mine’s bonding requirements, water treatment costs and plans, and the tailings dam design. This is good stuff!  They also have created hatchery operations when the salmon population was at risk, helped get downstream passage in place on the St. John River (those dams do kill Nashwaak salmon even though they are not placed between the Nashwaak and the Bay of Fundy) and much more. 

Filed Under: News & Events Tagged With: aquaculture, atlantic salmon, returns

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- 48 days ago

Mr. Woodcock's talented gr 12 FHS music class joined us at Marysville Flats this week! We talked climate change and floodplain restoration. We're excited to hear what they create from their Nashwaak River trip. Kudos to the NB Dept of Ed for supporting this awesome experience! https://t.co/6nGyCy7XBP

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Thanks for supporting this outdoor learning opportunity. Come visit anytime. It was a pleasure to spend time talking about water, climate change and floodplain restoration. @ASD_West @ASDWLimelight @FHSkats @CityFredGov @CityFredRec #eaunbwater #mynashwaak https://t.co/ALhfzSS123

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@Andrew__Holland @mla_mike @Gov_NB @NCC_CNC Excellent work!

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Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

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7 hours ago

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
A big thank you to everyone who who whooo joined us and @atlanticducks for the first of our three Owls, Stars and Snowshoes events. It was beautiful evening to be in the winter forest with you folks ❄️🌲🦉#nighthike #owlcalling #community #hotchocolate #nashwaakwatershed ... See MoreSee Less

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Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

4 days ago

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
Though still SOLD OUT, we wanted to make sure everyone knew that our event has been moved to Sunday the 5th due to the extremely cold forecast tomorrow. Same time, same place, same adventure. If you have tickets and this is news to you, please check your junk mail for any missed Eventbrite updates. Cheers ... See MoreSee Less

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Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.

5 days ago

Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
Interested in learning more about how fellow watershed landowners are handling flooding? Check out a recent article on the owners of Durham Bridge RV Resort Ltd.and their experience along the river. To see this article which also features Sabine Dietz of CLIMAtlantic , check out the News section of our website, or follow the link here: www.nashwaakwatershed.ca/category/news-events/ Photo: Kari Davis, who owns Durham Bridge RV Resort, says she got a bit of a fright in her first winter on the property in 2018 when an ice jam on the Nashwaak River sent a surge of water over the banks. (Photo: John Chilibeck/Legislature Bureau)#MyNashwaak #eauNBwater ... See MoreSee Less

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Contact Us

Mail:
Nashwaak Watershed Association Inc.
P.O. Box 314, Station “A”
Fredericton, NB
E3B 4Y2

Office:
181 Westmorland Street
Fredericton, NB
E3B 3L6
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Phone: 506 447-9699
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