Canada Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thomson announced a CAD 10 million (USD 6.9 million, EUR 6.1 million) grant to the Foundation for Conservation of Atlantic Salmon (FCAS) that will go toward supporting wild Atlantic salmon conversation.
The funding will be used to enhance the Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund, which was established in 2007 via a CAD 30 million (USD 20.8 million, EUR 18.5 million) government investment. The Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund has since supported the restoration of 7.5 million meters of habitat, as well as increased access to almost 200 square kilometers of habitat for Atlantic salmon.
“Wild Atlantic salmon are of critical importance to the ecological, social, cultural, and economic fabric of Atlantic Canada and Quebec,” Thomson said in a release. “For many years, the Foundation for Conservation of Atlantic Salmon has brought together partners and collaborators from a broad range of communities and organizations to advance initiatives to restore and protect Atlantic salmon. The funding announced today will ensure those efforts continue our progress toward a sustainable future for wild Atlantic salmon.”
The latest investment will allow FCAS to expand its efforts in supporting watershed-level initiatives such as habitat restoration, fish passage and connectivity improvements, population monitoring, climate adaptation initiatives, and applied scientific research, according to Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
“This top-up investment to the Foundation for Conservation of Atlantic Salmon's endowment fund will significantly strengthen our capacity to support wild Atlantic salmon conservation for generations to come,” FCAS Executive Director Charline McCoy said. “This additional funding will allow us to increase our financial support for community-led conservation initiatives; strengthen partnerships with governments, Indigenous organizations, and local conservation groups; and advance collaborative watershed-level planning and management. As part of our permanent endowment, this investment will have a lasting impact in perpetuity, helping protect and restore wild Atlantic salmon and their habitat across Atlantic Canada and Quebec."
The funding falls in step with Canada’s conservation strategy for Atlantic salmon in its eastern provinces, published in 2025, which serves to guide the DFO in safeguarding the species.
