VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — (Marketwired) — 06/18/13 — Dr. Brian Riddell, president and CEO of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, made the following statement today responding to the launch of the Government of Canada–s Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program. Parliamentary Secretary Randy Kamp and Member of Parliament Robert Sopuck, on behalf of the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, announced the program today. The program represents delivery of the Government–s commitment to support the protection, restoration and rebuilding of recreational fisheries habitat as outlined in Economic Action Plan 2013. The new program will make $10 million available over two years to local groups who will undertake a variety of projects to restore and protect recreational fisheries habitat.
Dr. Riddell said: “I commend the Government of Canada for continuing with their commitment to protecting fisheries and building the program around a partnership approach. Since, 1989, the Foundation has worked with the Department of Fisheries and B.C.–s salmon volunteers. Our community partners have now undertaken over 2000 projects and demonstrated a highly successful business plan where every dollar from the Foundation is leveraged several times. Their success in these partnerships enabled us to return 100% of the Recreational Conservation stamp to B.C. in the 2013 federal budget and now provides a model for the new federal funds. These funds provide all communities an opportunity to expand their efforts. The Foundation looks forward to a busy two years of community support to sustain recreation and other fisheries through the restoration and protection of salmon habitat and ecosystems.”
About the Pacific Salmon Foundation:
The Pacific Salmon Foundation was created in 1987 as an independent, non-government, charitable organization to protect, conserve and rebuild Pacific Salmon populations in British Columbia and the Yukon. Since 1989, the Foundation has invested more than $37.5 million to support Pacific salmon conservation projects. Pacific Salmon Foundation–s mission is to be the trusted voice for conservation and restoration of wild Pacific salmon and their ecosystems and works to bring salmon back stream by stream through the strategic use of resources where local communities are mobilized. .
Contacts:
Pacific Salmon Foundation
Elayne Sun
(604) 340-6940