2017 LG Award

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Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation

2017 Recipient: Mr. Rod Currie 

 

Rod Currie Presented the Council’s 2017 Award for Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation

 

On April 11, 2018, Mr. Rod Currie was presented the New Brunswick Salmon Council Inc’s. (NBSC’s) 2017 Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation by Her Honour, the Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau.  Her Honour Ms. Vienneau is the Honourary Matron of the NBSC.  The event took place at Government House in Fredericton.

The award, which was first presented in 2001 for the year 2000, is the Province’s most prestigious for salmon conservation, and is symbolized by a wood carving, crafted by the late Bill Page, of a wild Atlantic salmon being released alive from the hand of a successful angler.  Mr. Peter Cronin, the NB Salmon Council’s immediate past-President, and former winner of the award, was the master of ceremony for the event, which was attended by approximately 50 people, mainly from the angling and conservation community.  Attendees included representatives of the 2016 winner, Fort Folly (First Nation) Habitat Recovery.

The 2017 winner, Mr. Currie, has a wealth of experience as a fisheries biologist.  He began his career working a university summer student with the Province of New Brunswick.  Following graduation in 1979 from the University of New Brunswick with a Bachelor of Forestry in Wildlife Management, he worked briefly with the Canadian Wildlife Service, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), and the Atlantic Salmon Federation.

Mr. Currie was an environmental consultant with Moneco from 1982-1986, after which he formed his own biological consulting company, which he has successfully owned and operated for over 30 years.  He attributes his company’s success and longevity to his passion for fishing and the conservation efforts associated with the wild Atlantic salmon.

Mr. Currie has been a fly-tying instructor for many years with the Fredericton Fish and Game Association, has occupied several key positions within that group, and is currently the Secretary of the New Brunswick Wildlife Federation (NBWF).  He is an active member of the NBWF’s Fisheries Committee, and has been honoured by the NBWF as a Life Member.  He has also served a term on the New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund, and has received the New Brunswick Sportsman of the Year Award.

John Pugh, President of the New Brunswick Salmon Council describes Mr. Currie as “the individual who can always be counted upon to lend a helping hand, yet never seeks any praise or recognition except from the wild salmon.  Rod Currie is definitely a giver, and a true friend of Salmon salar, the King of Sportfish.”

During his acceptance speech, Mr. Currie pointedly criticized the DFO on a number of issues including their:

  • closing of hatcheries, which, when employed correctly, are the best short-cuts to salmon recovery,
  • cutting of conservation and protection staff,
  • failure to immediately implement an inquiry into the sudden collapse of wild salmon in 2014 (as had been done in the case of sockeye salmon in BC), and
  • failure to immediately support the Coalition for Atlantic Salmon Tomorrow’s (CAST’s) Captive Adult Rearing (aka Smolt-to-Adult Supplementation) Program resulting in the loss of a full year class of egg production.

Mr. Currie did congratulate DFO on their ongoing restoration of the fish habitat provisions of the Fisheries Act, provisions which were eliminated by the previous federal government.

On a lighter note, Mr. Currie asserted himself to be a terrible Atlantic salmon angler, and cited several failed outings to famous salmon fishing locales to support his claim.

We at the NB Salmon Council welcome Rod to The Executive of the Council, where he will serve as its new Secretary.

Photo credit: Bryant Freeman

Her Honour Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau Presenting a framed Image of the Award for Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation to Mr. Rod Currie

Photo credit: Bryant Freeman

The Award Carving with Nameplates Identifying Past Winners

 

 The New Brunswick Salmon Council (NBSC) is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization, dedicated to protecting wild Atlantic salmon and supporting restoration and enhancement activity on all watersheds in New Brunswick.  The NBSC is comprised of, and represents, 30 affiliated salmon angling/conservation organizations throughout New Brunswickand is the Regional Council of the Atlantic Salmon Federation in New Brunswick.