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Top Conservation Award for Monsieur Saumon

Press Releases 
http://asf.ca/news.php?id=666&type=press


Top Conservation Award for Monsieur Saumon


April 28th, 2011


For immediate release


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St. Andrews, NB ….. The Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) presented its top Canadian conservation award to Yvon  Côté, known as Monsieur Salmon in Québec, in Montréal on Wednesday, April 27.


Presented in conjunction with ASF’s board meeting, Directors from both Canada and the United States were present to honour their colleague’s commitment to conservation of salmon and their habitat.


"Yvon Côté has guided the Fédération québécoise pour le saumon Atlantique (FQSA), ASF's Regional Council in Québec,  through challenging times with poise and a level headedness that has brought praise from all sectors of the Atlantic salmon world," states ASF (Canada) Chairman, the Honourable Michael Meighen.  "Yvon goes beyond the call of duty to help solve problems in a spirit of respect and cooperation, while trying to include all stakeholders."


In Québec, he led the way for the creation of a federally funded "Salmon Economic Development Program", which provides funds to facilitate development and conservation initiatives in the province’s rivers.


Yvon’s knowledge of Atlantic salmon issues and biology is uncontested.  For more than 20 years, he held various positions within the Québec Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife.  During his tenure, he completed many field research projects and was the chief Atlantic salmon biologist until he retired from the public service in 1996.


He has served as President of the FQSA since 2000.  Founded in 1984, FQSA is a non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve salmon rivers, develop Québec’s salmon sport fishery, and protect the resource and its habitat against threats.  FQSA has 35 affiliated river management groups and more than a thousand members.


The award, first presented in 1975, is named in memory of T.B. "Happy" Fraser of Montréal for the many contributions he made during his lifetime to protect and conserve wild Atlantic salmon.  Since then ASF has honoured more than 40 people, who, like Mr. Côté, have contributed significantly to ensure the future survival of this iconic species.


The Atlantic Salmon Federation is dedicated to the conservation, protection and restoration of wild Atlantic salmon and the ecosystems on which their well being and survival depend.


ASF has a network of seven regional councils (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Maine and Western New England).  The regional councils cover the freshwater range of the Atlantic salmon in Canada and the United States.


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Yvon Côté (centre) was presented with the Atlantic Salmon Federation's T. B. "Happy" Fraser Conservation Award from ASF President Bill Taylor (left) and Senator Michael Meighen, Chairman of ASF (Canada) on April 27 in Montreal.