North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF). Helping restore Atlantic salmon to their natural abundance: Big Bucks Save Big Salmon

Big Bucks Save Big Salmon
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Editor on 08/11/2009 16:56:00
 
2008 was an incredible year for big salmon. Rivers in northern Iceland (noted
for salmon numbers not size) all produced a huge number of large salmon with the
Big Laxá Fishing Club reporting a 20-pounder almost every day.
Many fish have been caught over 30 lbs in Scotland’s river Tay and in the
mighty Norwegian Namsen, and the Gaula in Norway has averaged two fish over 35
pounds almost every day of the season.  Incredibly, the Alta in Finmark has
produced 15 salmon larger than 50lbs and no less than 70 salmon over 40lbs!  One
monster salmon that did not slip through the commercial nets weighed 37,5 kilos
or 82,5lbs! This magnificent creature was captured in the Alta fjord of Norway.
These great salmon have thrived and put on great body mass in the sea because of
the NASF high seas salmon-netting moratoria. They have been able to roam in
their natural feeding grounds without being intercepted by commercial netsmen.
But this of course has cost, and continues to cost, big money.
NASF is currently meeting all of its financial obligations but we are not immune
from world´s financial crisis and worrying times are ahead, as it will no doubt
affect support for salmon conservation.
Every year NASF International pays commercial salmon fishers NOT to exercise
their netting rights. We pay netsmen in Greenland and the Faroe Islands, we pay
for the Trondheim nets in Norway, we pay for nets on the west coast of Scotland
and estuary nets on the Dee, and the Towi/Cothi in Wales, and pay for estuary
nets in the Bay of Biscay in the Pyrenees Atlantic region.  Furthermore, NASF
has funded the setting up of a major new foundation in Norway
www.reddvillaksen.no .
The choice is a stark one. We either continue to pay our agreed obligations or
all of these netsmen will go back to making their living through the netting of
Atlantic salmon, and once more we’ll see a drastic reduction on returning
salmon stocks.
NASF final payments are made in December each year and our teams are actively
working to raise the necessary additional funds despite the financial crisis.
Fortunately more and more salmon fishers realise the situation and are
supporting us with private donations which are so important.  Dreamstore is
taking a lead in the UK to support NASF and the Migratory Salmon Foundation
stands ready to receive charitable contributions from UK citizens and
corporations.  At present some of NASF accounts are temporarily frozen but at
this stage we have every reason to believe this will not affect our ability to
complete all payments due in 2008.
We are also receiving many donations for exciting fishing trips that will be
auctioned in our forthcoming salmon dinners/receptions which will be featured on
the www.fishandfly.com website.
NASF is very reliant on private donations so that it will be of enormous help if
anglers feel able to continue their support during what is bound to be a
difficult period for all of us.  Despite this financial crisis NASF remains
steadfastly determined to protect the Atlantic salmon from interception at sea
and with the support of anglers and river owners
worldwide we can do it.