Smolt Run Doubles on Miramichi
MSA counting project on Main Southwest and tributaries
shows strongest migration since 2001
By Mark
Hambrook
The Miramichi Salmon Association has just completed the fourth year of counting salmon smolt migrations on the SW Miramichi
and the numbers are finally increasing. With the primary support of International Paper, the MSA is conducting a five-year
smolt assessment study on the Main Southwest Branch of the Miramichi River to obtain an accurate inventory of the salmon smolt
populations migrating annually to sea.
The MSA smolt wheels began fishing on May 3 at the mouth of the Dungarvon River and at the mouth of the Cains River.
The Dungarvon smolt wheel has been more efficient at capturing smolts due to the swifter water current and strategic placement.
The Cains location was bolstered this year by the addition of a second smolt wheel, placed beside the original one, which
helped improve the catches of smolts. The smolt wheel on Rocky Brook, operated by Bowater, and two smolt wheels on Clearwater
Brook, operated by JD Irving, were also in use this year, giving a total of six wheels on tributaries of the SW Miramichi
tagging smolts for possible recapture in Millerton.
The Millerton smolt trap net is located in the estuary of the Southwest Miramichi and is the main indicator for estimating
the total smolt run for this branch. This trap was installed May 12 and smolts began entering immediately with the highest
number counted on May 17, two weeks earlier than last year. The trap and wheels are fished seven days per week in all
weather conditions and the MSA crew, directed by MSA field manager Grant Ross and the JD Irving and Bowater staff, have done
a tremendous job to capture this vital information.
More than 7,322 smolts were tagged at the six wheels and the Millerton trap efficiency was determined by the number of
tagged smolts that were recaptured, which was 90. If we assume that there was a mortality or tag loss rate of 5% on
the 7,322 smolts tagged, then the Millerton trap caught 1.29% of the tagged smolts and probably 1.29% of the total run of
smolts. Since we captured approximately 15,000 smolts in Millerton in 2004, the estimate for the SW Miramichi is 1.1
million smolts migrating to the sea. This is double the count in 2003 and the highest number since the start of the
count in 2001. The Cains also showed a big increase from 47,000 in 2003 to 78,850 in 2004, but the Dungarvon only increased
slightly from 34,700 in 2003 to 41,360 in 2004.
In conversation with Department of Fisheries and Oceans biologists, smolt counts appear to be on the increase on many
Maritime rivers and a special workshop will be held on the Miramichi in early July to sort through the data from many of these
rivers to identify the reason for the increase.
The consequence of increased smolt counts is that grilse runs should be excellent in 2005 and large salmon in 2006.
Just as important, we may be able to pinpoint key survival indexes after tracking salmon fry and parr densities in the river
for a number of years, enumerating smolts for four years and monitoring adult returns to the river. This information
will enable better management of the salmon resource, so stay tuned for more updates.
Education for Conservation Program
Miramichi Salmon Association has encouraged all students in the watershed to participate in the MSA program “Education
for Conservation”. The contest is designed to be both instructive and stimulating, and the MSA is pleased to have
received over 1,700 entries in Printing, Handwriting and Art categories.
The MSA thanks the Department of Education, principals and teachers, the judges and all participants. Congratulations
to Upper Miramichi Regional High School student Kalin McCluskey, winner of the $100 Eldred Bailey Memorial Award for highest
standing in Biology.
The winner of a rod and reel was awarded to Brandon Hollier, a Grade 5 student at Blackville School in the best story
writing category. His submission is as follows:
One day I went fishing with my Dad. When we got to the river, down over the hill I saw two big bright grilt
jump. My Dad and I went straight to the place where we saw the grilt jump. I casted my fly rod out a couple of
times when I started getting a bite. I felt this great big jerk and the fish jumped and fought! When I got him in it
was a big bright grilt.
I kept the grilt because he was only twenty-one inches. When I got home from the river I cleaned the grilt
and froze him.
Very early the next morning my Dad and my Mom and I went to the river again. My Mom and Dad told me that I should
go to the same spot that I went to the day before. I went down to the spot not expecting to catch anything. As soon
as I casted the rod out a big salmon grabbed the hook and fought for a while. I finally brought him in. It was
an even bigger salmon, it was thirty inches. I let that salmon go because it was too big. That was my two best memories
of fishing on the Miramichi.
Name: Brandon Hollier
Grade: 5
Age: 10
Teacher: R. Turcotte
Blackville School
Will Webb
MSA is pleased and proud to have Will Webb on its Board of Directors, and we greatly appreciate the commitment and dedication
that he brings us on behalf of the Atlantic Salmon and the Miramichi River.
Will started fishing when he was six years old with his Dad at Meranci Brook outside of Fredericton Junction. During
those early years, the fishing equipment wasn’t very sophisticated – just an alder pole with some fishing line
wound around the end with a hook and a sinker and of course worms.
“As I look back I realize that I thoroughly enjoyed those fishing trips, but most of all I cherish the relationship
that developed between my Dad and I”.
Will started salmon fishing at Hickey’s Pool on the Miramichi in 1955 and from that point on he was hooked.
Will’s work background is life insurance and investments and has been in that business for 47 years. In 1976,
he returned to New Brunswick after being away for 17 years to establish his company W.K. Webb & Associates.
Like the relationship that was established between he and his Dad, Will has spent quality time fishing with his three
sons, all of whom work with him in his business. Will has two grandsons and two granddaughters who enjoy fishing.
This spring both of his grandsons hooked a black salmon at his cottage at Porters Cove. Will is a member of the Thistle
Fishing Club and Hinchey Lodge.
“Fishing is a great way to establish relationships, not only with family but with friends, many of whom I met
salmon fishing”, Will states. “A bit of advice – be a conservationist, protect the salmon and as often
as possible hang that sign on your door that says “Gone Fishing”.
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