Antigonish Rivers Association

Happy Holidays to all of our members and friends.

Happy Holidays and all the best for 2021 to our members and friends. Our Christmas Newsletter is available at the link below. I hope you have some time to relax and enjoy some fishing stories. https://online.fliphtml5.com/kryw/talb/#p=1

Nova Scotia Public Health recently announced they are expanding COVID-19 asymptomatic testing across the province. These tests can help Public Health detect pos...itive cases in people who don’t have symptoms and help prevent the spread of the virus. It is an opportunity for Nova Scotians to help keep each other safe, especially as we approach the holiday season. There are two ways to get tested: 1. POP UP TESTING (NO APPOINTMENT REQUIRED) NS Public Health has announced plans for a ‘rapid result’ pop-up testing site in Antigonish this weekend. Please see the attached image for details. Note that NS Public Health is also seeking volunteers to work at the testing site, with roles including screening members of the public as they arrive, registering them and getting contact information, completing the swabbing and testing (full PPE provided), and texting everyone the results of their rapid test. Volunteers can sign up for as many roles as they’d like. If you are interested in volunteering, please email [email protected] or sign up here: https://forms.gle/ogepKcoMet7NVX8F8. The testing itself will take place Saturday December 12 and Sunday December 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Amelia Saputo Centre Auxiliary Gym. Please note that NS Public Health is the lead for this event and StFX is the host. As such, all questions should be directed to [email protected]. Please pay special attention to the ‘Who Can Get Tested’ section of the attached image and this message. 2. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A REGULAR ASYMPTOMATIC (NON POP-UP) TEST Appointments can be booked through NS Public Health at https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/, choosing the asymptomatic option. Appointments can be booked until December 13. WHO CAN GET TESTED? Just about anyone can get tested, and the province is especially encouraging testing for people who have a lot of close contact through social activities. Asymptomatic testing is available for people who: - Do not have symptoms of COVID-19 - Have not travelled outside the Atlantic provinces within the past 14 days - Have not visited a potential exposure location - Have not been in contact with someone who has tested positive - Are at least 16 years of age (for pop-up testing location only; persons younger than age 16 can make an appointment for an asymptomatic test) People getting tested through this process are not required to self-isolate while waiting for their test or results. People getting tested for other reasons should review self-isolation requirements at www.novascotia.ca/coronavirus. A negative test result is a good indication that a person is not able to spread the COVID-19 virus at the time of testing but it does not mean that they could not become infectious in the next few days. People who receive a negative test result must continue to follow public health measures and if they develop symptoms, immediately self-isolate and complete the COVID-19 self-assessment. Everyone is reminded to keep their social circles small and follow public health measures including wearing masks, physical distancing, practicing good hand hygiene, and staying home if they feel sick.

Good day Everyone! There are a few things brewing in my neck of the woods (Nova Scotia) that I would like to bring to your attention. Please take a moment to re...ad the following and share. As you are likely aware, Nova Scotia is home to the king of fish, the wild Atlantic Salmon. This majestic species is rich in both cultural and social significance. Vulnerable to a variety of threats, stocks have declined globally. However, Nova Scotia has seen success in recent years due to extensive recovery and restoration efforts. It’s important to note that the lion’s share of this work has been completed by volunteers, river associations and non-profits. These conservation-minded organizations have made it their mandate to tirelessly fight to preserve Atlantic Salmon for future generations. Today the Atlantic Salmon is vulnerable for another reason. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is looking to classify several Atlantic Salmon populations within Nova Scotia as endangered under the Species At Risk Act (SARA). You may wonder why I and many others are concerned about this listing. 4 key concerns follow: FLAWED DATA NO RECOVERY PLAN RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS LOSS OF STEWARDSHIP * See below a detailed summary of each concern. The above list is far from exhaustive. However, my hope is that after reading, you will feel as compelled as I do to discuss this important issue with your fellow anglers and local political representatives. And if you are asking yourself what you can do to help, I invite you to: 1) Join the Nova Scotia Salmon Association (NSSA) today (link in my bio). 2) Call your local political representatives to make them aware of your concerns. and; 3) Write to DFO - More instructions to follow on where and when to send your personal submissions. Make no mistake, there is strength in numbers! Please share this post and stay tuned for more information on how you can help keep our rivers open. Now is the time for us all to take a stand. Without anglers, there can be no meaningful recovery plan for our precious, wild Atlantic Salmon. Flawed Data: This listing decision is being based upon dated and incomplete data. Much has changed since the original COSEWIC listing of 2010. Significant positive trends are being witnessed on several of the rivers in question. Notably the following Eastern Cape Breton rivers: North Asby, North, Baddeck, Middle and Inhabitants River and respecting the Southern Uplands; the St. Mary’s River. No Recovery Plan: At this juncture, no meaningful management/action plan has been developed/shared by the parties for the recovery of our Atlantic Salmon. This step in the regulatory process appears to have been overlooked to date. Restrictions on Access: The Species at Risk Act (SARA) in section 32(1) limits access to the rivers in question (aka ‘residences’) and the fish (aka ‘individuals’). We cannot ignore that the nuances of how the Act is written, presents a noteworthy impediment to any meaningful recovery efforts. A SARA listing will negate the critical habitat and restoration work being completed in our province by NGO’s and countless volunteers. Loss of Stewardship: A Species at Risk listing is likely to result in the closure of these rivers to all catch and release angling, not just that for Atlantic Salmon. Anglers are allies, along with the conservation organizations they support. If they are alienated, who will make up their efforts and investments that will dwindle as a result? In addition, a primary concern for the rivers in question, as identified by DFO, is poaching. Anglers are the eyes and ears on the water and have a proven and vested interest in acting as stewards. The Atlantic Salmon cannot afford to be divorced from any group who actively fights for their preservation.

Please consider joining the Nova Scotia Salmon Association for FREE. There is strength in numbers ! https://www.nssalmon.ca/join