The Crown and the Irving Clan have shown their nasty arses again as CBC covers it up

 https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies




David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos

Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and  49 others

CBC blocked the link to this file for the benefit of the Crown, KPMG, IRS, CRA, FBI,, RCMP and the Irving Clan Of that I have no doubt but I wonder will Trump's minions check out Page 2?


https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-crown-and-irving-clan-have-shown.html


#TrudeauMustGo #nbpoli #cdnpoli #TrumpKnew


https://www.scribd.com/document/2619437/CROSS-BORDER

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David Amos

Methinks the Irving Clan proved to us once again not only just how powerful they are but just how dumb and or corrupt the Crown truly is N'esy Pas?

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David Amos 

@Norman Albert Snr "Irving is going no where even with higher taxes imposed. They no a good thing when they see it"

FYI The battles between the Irving Clan and mine began back in the sixties when my Father Max Amos was the supervisor of taxation for New Brunswick until he died in the early eighties. I recall him sending the Sheriff to put the a chain on the gates of the Irving Refinery in order to make old KC pay his property taxes. Clearly one of my Father's sons is still battling the Irving Clan and their many cohorts to this very day N'esy Pas?

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David Amos 

@Colin Seeley First you reply to me with a simple KMA insult which i found rather comical from a person who does not know how to argue. However now you imply that I am troll who knows nothing of corporate taxation. If that were even remotely true how do you explain my suing 3 US Treasury Agents about covering up the fact that money was stolen from my family's trust and given to a charitable organization?

Methinks you should study the file then look at Page 134 very closely and then Google Cardinal Bernard Law N'esy Pas?

https://www.scribd.com/document/2619437/CROSS-BORDER

David Amos

@Rene Cusson Methinks the Irving Clan knows as well as I that everything is political and its always about the money. Obviously they abide in the Golden Rule of all corporations and governments. Everybody knows it is "He with the Gold Makes the Rules" N'esy Pas?

Roy Kirk

@David Amos I thought fines were not tax deductible, and so a contribution to a charity in lieu of a fine would not be deductible either. But I'm no tax accountant/lawyer.

David Amos

@Roy Kirk "I'm no tax accountant/lawyer."

Nor I but methinks everybody knows I am whistleblower about financial crimes who sued many Yankee accountant/lawyers, judges and tax men in 2002 long before I ran for a seat in the 38h Parliament. N'esy Pas?

 https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies




David Raymond Amos‏ @DavidRayAmos

Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and  49 others

Methinks as the Crown and the Irving Clan are showing their nasty arses again CBC is covering things up as usual N'esy Pas?


https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-crown-and-irving-clan-have-shown.html

#TrudeauMustGo #nbpoli #cdnpoli #TrumpKnew


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/wild-atlantic-salmon-cooke-aquaculture-jd-irving-ltd-conservation-stocking-1.4865176

Proposed Irving plea deal would put money into Irving-controlled salmon group

James Irving of JDI is chair of CAST, a non-profit trying to bring back wild salmon

Connell Smith · CBC News · Posted: Oct 17, 2018 6:00 AM AT

92 Comments
 Commenting is now closed for this story.

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David Amos

Methinks the Irving Clan proved to us once again not only just how powerful they are but just how dumb and or corrupt the Crown truly is N'esy Pas?

 
Rick Given

Why are we so worried about the lack of a functioning government in Freddy...we know who actually runs this province.

David Amos

@Rick Given YUP

Norman Albert Snr

@Rick Given I almost bought property here. Who in their right mind would do that?
Two sets of rules and two levels of taxation. One for the have nots and never will have and those who dictate policy.

David Amos

@Norman Albert Snr "I almost bought property here. Who in their right mind would do that?"

I just did again after 30 years of being gone.

 
Edwin Kelley

Looks like the Empire controls both provincial and federal governments. This whole process stinks, pay a fine to yourself for an area that wasn't even involved in the incident????

David Amos

@Edwin Kelley "Looks like the Empire controls both provincial and federal governments."

Methinks everybody has known that for years. E ven Mr Trump and his minions south of the 49th like the Irving Clan N'esy Pas?

 
Shawn McShane

The crown is recommending this deal? There was a song about this stuff...
Money and Corruption Are ruining the land
Crooked politicians Betray the working man,
Pocketing the profits And treating us like sheep,
And we’re tired of hearing promises
That we know they’ll never keep.

David Amos

@Shawn McShane The Kinks were pretty decent band

 
Murray Brown

I should be able to pay my fines to my favourite charity... Me!

David Amos

@Murray Brown Me Too

 
kelly sherrard

The money from the fine should be used to clean up the waters where the incident occurred NOT to an Irving interest. It doesn't make sense. They pollute the waters in one area and then walk away from it and look to pour the money from their fine into one of their special projects..... NO IT DOESN'T PASS THE SNIFF TEST.

David Amos

@kelly sherrard I wholeheartedly agree

 
Stanley Beemish

The Atlantic Salmon Federation has been around for decades, perhaps they could use the funds? Or the Huntsman Centre in St. Andrews?

David Amos

@Stanley Beemish Methinks they don't need money either their sponsors make sure of that N'esy Pas?

 
David Stairs

this is Irving simply trying to divert money for a tax right off..what a wonderful system...Irving gets to claim the money paid, for the fines, as tax right offs, and then gets to divert the same money into a program in which he is CEO ..and the next thing you know he will be going to Gallant for a non refundable loan...

Roy Kirk

@David Stairs I thought fines were not tax deductible no matter to whom they are paid. Is this wrong?

David Amos

@Roy Kirk Methinks fines are tax deductible but the CRA won't argue with the Irving Clan anyway N'esy Pas?

Bernard McIntyre

@Roy Kirk. This is N.B. and the Irving's so what do you think.

Fred Brewer

@David Stairs
You are 100% right. Irving will pay the "fine" to himself and then claim it as charitable donation for a tax write-off. No wonder a judge wants to review this settlement before approving it.

Fred Brewer

@David Stairs
And here is another sneaky way the Irvings and others get a nice tax write-off.

When I go to an Irving Kent store I am frequently asked if I wish to donate to a charity. I always ask if Kent will match my donation and the answer is always no, and then I decline. I don't think it is right for Irving to collect thousands from its customers and then look like a good guy by making the donation and then filing for a tax write-off without donating a single penny!!!

David Amos

@Fred Brewer I don't think it is right for Irving to collect thousands from its customers and then look like a good guy by making the donation and then filing for a tax write-off without donating a single penny!!!

Methinks that is simply standard operating procedure for the Irving Clan N'esy Pas?

 
Roy Kirk

New Brunswick Justice: Pay your fine to yourself and your friends. Be . . . well-connected . . . in this place!

David Amos

@Roy Kirk Methinks the Irving Clan will be allowed to deduct the fine from their taxes as well N'esy Pas?

Roy Kirk

@David Amos I thought fines were not tax deductible, and so a contribution to a charity in lieu of a fine would not be deductible either. But I'm no tax accountant/lawyer.

David Amos

@Roy Kirk "I'm no tax accountant/lawyer."

Nor I but methinks everybody knows I am whistleblower about financial crimes who sued many Yankee accountant/lawyers, judges and tax men in 2002 long before I ran for a seat in the 38h Parliament. N'esy Pas?

 
Norman Albert Snr

What kind of a deal is that!!!!! You get to dictate where the fines go????
Is this God we are talking about here

Bernard McIntyre

@Norman Albert Snr. Of course it is. This is N.B. where the Irving's are supreme.

David Amos

@Bernard McIntyre Sad but Oh So True

Jack Forester

@David Amos Yes sadly, billionaires are the new gods, and we are their pawns.

David Amos

@Jack Forester Methinks the powerful ones ruled over the meek as soon as peoplekind could think N'esy Pas?

 
Norman Albert Snr

Not a chance in H. Pay your fines on all charges. This special treatment policy needs to stop!!!! NOW!!!!

David Amos

@Norman Albert Snr Methinks it is a small wonder that my first comment has not appeared yet N'esy Pas?

 
Rene Cusson

Nice...when you get a fine, you can basically give it to yourself and consider it paid?

Fine...the next time I get a speeding ticket, I'm going to take the money for the fine, and rather than pay it, I'll invest it in improvements for my car, in the name of making me a safer driver of course.

It's the same deal...think the courts will go for it? :)
Probably not, because I'm not rich enough to own them, unlike Irving apparently.

David Amos

@Rene Cusson Methinks the Irving Clan knows as well as I that everything is political and its always about the money. Obviously they abide in the Golden Rule of all corporations and governments. Everybody knows it is "He with the Gold Makes the Rules" N'esy Pas?

 
Dan Lee

Remember the blue heron habitat he destroyed a few years ago.......same thing......he was allowed to deduct as a contribution.............

David Amos

@Dan Lee Methinks folks should finally wake up, sit up and pay attention N'esy Pas?

 
Norman Albert Snr

Just when you thought the justice system here couldn't sink any lower???/

Shawn McShane

@Norman Albert Snr It is downright creepy. People are supposed to trust the justice system.

“Very few of the common people realize that the political and legal systems have been corrupted by decades of corporate lobbying.”
― Steven Magee

David Amos

@Norman Albert Snr Methinks if you wish to see how low things can go Google my name and Federal Court then when you find the text to the lawsuit read Statement # 83 real slow Truth is stranger than fiction N'esy Pas?

Fred Brewer

@Norman Albert Snr
Hold on a second. Don't blame the justice system yet. The Crown and the Defendant hammered out this deal without court involvement. But the deal needs court approval and that is what we are waiting for.

Norman Albert Snr

@Fred Brewer Who does the Crown represent/ Wait..... let me rephrase that. Who is the crown suppose to represent in our justice system?

David Amos

@Norman Albert Snr "Who is the crown suppose to represent in our justice system?"

Methinks its supposed to be we of peoplekind N'esy Pas?

David Amos

@Fred Brewer "The Crown and the Defendant hammered out this deal without court involvement. "

Who does the Crown represent?

 
Shawn McShane

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others

David Amos

@Shawn McShane Methinks George Orwell explained that to us a long time ago N'esy Pas?

Shawn McShane

@David Amos Animal Farm was essential reading when I was in school. Today kids have never heard of it.

David Amos

@Shawn McShane Methinks you should ask yourself why my one and only comment thus far went "Poof" after it had been liked several times N'esy Pas/.

 
Jack Forester

Conflict of interest = a situation in which a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity.

Megalomania = obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others.

If the shoe fits, wear it. The Irving control & madness never ends.

David Amos

@Jack Forester Amazing ain't it?

 
Jack Forester

Ya Mr. Irving, bring back the salmon that you have killed with effluents and/or fished out of your private pools so you will once again have plenty to catch with your rich buddies (govt etc), and have something to point to that was for the environment. Nothing you will ever do will erase, or make up for the damages, both financial and environmental, which your companies have caused directly or indirectly all over this once "Picture Province" and elsewhere.

David Amos

@Jack Forester Methinks the ghost of old KC and his Clan quite simply don't care N'esy Pas?

 

Norman Albert Snr

If Irving wants to donate some on the billions it extracts from NB back into the community great. They should do so. The fines for criminal activities is quite another matter. Pay the fines on all charges to the courts and clean up your messes.

David Amos

@Norman Albert Snr Methinks you must be old enough to know that justice is a myth N'esy Pas?

  

Colin Seeley

Nothing wrong with this. At least it appears more open and honest than moving revenue numbers from Sunday to Sunday.

David Amos

@Colin Seeley Methinks its not rocket science figuring out who you work for N'esy Pas?

Colin Seeley

@David Amos

I’m a nurse. KMA.

Samuel Porter

@Colin Seeley Where is KMA?

David Amos

@Samuel Porter Methinks he wants me to kiss the fat thing he has that is just like what the Crown and the Irvings have just shown us N'esy Pas?

Samuel Porter

@David Amos baahaaaa yeah

David Amos 

 @Samuel Porter "In response to concerns about the proposal to direct Irving Pulp and Paper fine money to the Miramichi CAST project, JDI spokesperson, Mary Keith said the research will bring widespread benefits."

FYI I spoke to Madame Keith a couple of years ago about other issues between her bosses and I. The first question I asked the lady was whether or not we were related byway of the Keiths in New Brunswick. She said no that her Clan is in Ontario. For the record she did seem quite nice and very clever as well. Methinks the Irving Clan were wise to pick such a lady as their spokesperson N'esy Pas?

 

Samuel Porter

I saw the big ad in the TJ where cast was complaining about inaction on the salmon file. Didn't realize Irving was the chair. What a farce. Deforestation has to be A major reason why the salmon are disappearing. Guess I won't be paying any more attention to that outfit. The chair wanting nbers to complain to the politicians about not allowing cast to fix the problem that the chair was a major cause of.

David Amos

@Samuel Porter Methinks I should be very disappointed but I was not surprised to see an old friend is apparently supporting this malicious madness No doubt Trudeau The Younger and his Tax Man would agree that money can ruin the best of peoplekind N'esy Pas?

 
Reid Gilker

WOW!! Put the fox in charge of the hen house, and then allow him to make the decisions as to what is going to get paid and how much and then dictate to where the monies will be directed to. Now never mind that these people have been polluting that river for over the past 50 years, and have been fined about 1/16 of what they should been fined for it, and then they play games after. The justice system in N.B. when dealing with the Irving's has absolutely No Back Bone !! Shame on you!!, SHAME!!, SHAME!!!, SHAME!!!!

David Amos

@Reid Gilker Methinks folks should ask Premier Gallant and the Feds how much money the Irving Clan has received from NB Power Trust that Trump's old buddy Wilbur Ross and many other Yankees have considered it to be corporate welfare Truth is stranger than fiction N'esy Pas?

Roy Kirk

Regarding tax-deductability of the the fine, a google search yielded this:

"1.4 Section 67.6 prohibits the deduction of any amount that is a fine or penalty imposed under a federal, provincial, municipal or foreign law by any person or public body that has authority to impose the fine or penalty. Generally, an amount must be characterized as a fine or penalty in the relevant legislation in order for section 67.6 to apply. The legislation imposing the fine or penalty will therefore determine whether an amount is a fine or penalty that may be precluded from deduction by section 67.6." https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/technical-information/income-tax/income-tax-folios-index/series-4-businesses/series-4-businesses-folio-2-deducting-business-expenses/income-tax-folio-s4-f2-c1-deductibility-fines-penalties.html?wbdisable=true#N10591

So this begs the question, under the plea agreement is the portion of the fine paid to the private company still a fine?, or is it a contribution to a charity?, or is it a 'normal' business expense?

David Amos
@Roy Kirk Methinks the obvious answer is that the awful truth the fact the Irving Clan has far more clever lawyers that the CRA has so the Feds will lose any argument they may have to the contrary. Furthemoe many of the aforsaid lawyers The Irving Clan has employed in the past are now judges in many courts.

Trust that the Feds and the Irving Clan know that I encountered one of Irving's former General Counsels in Federal Court on January 11th 2016. After we had quite a hoedown he decided in my favour. To everyone's surprise i appealed a decision I won because of the conflict of interest. Rather hard to believe N'esy Pas?









 
Richard Riel

Pay the fine and throw out the judge who disagrees who disagrees with that decision.

David Amos

@Richard Riel Methinks many would agree that we certainly should throw out a judge who disagrees with a decision that he has yet to make He would as crazy as my politcal foes claim that I am N'esy Pas?

 
Richard Riel

Instead of a fine, a prison term would have been preferable.

David Amos

@Richard Riel Now you are talking

Rosco holt

@Richard Riel
Why not both?

David Amos

@Rosco holt Methinks the Feds, the Irving Clan and a bunch of their buddies are pitching fits about now but Prof. Tommi Linnansaari, a CAST partner at UNB did say let the chips fall as they may N'esy Pas?

 
June Arnott

Irving has and continues to poison New Brunswick. This fine proves it. This is why the fish are dying. Pretty simple to figure that out. And the poisoning will continue because Irving owns NB.

David Amos

@June Arnott Methinks we should be fair. Even though I have no respect for the Irving Clan whatsoever I must maintain my own sense of ethics. It should be obvious that there are many reasons the salmon population is dying off and it not all could be the Irving's fault. For instance checkout the Salmon issues in BC and overseas. The Irvings are not everywhere yet N'esy Pas?

 
Norman Albert Snr

Where are all those "Irving is great" supporters today? Cannabis stores?
The Income from pot cannot replace what we loose from corporate interests not ponying up their fair share. People may feel better under the cloud though.

David Amos

@Norman Albert Snr Methinks the government is making quite score on the potheads in the long lines today paying too much money for something that can grow like a weed for free in their backyard or on Crown land. I heard on CBC just now that pot could overtake beer in sales in short order. I bet the Tax Man will love that N'esy Pas?

Colin Seeley

Amazing things happen to countries when Corporations have low tax rates and pro business incentives.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailysignal.com/2018/05/14/ireland-lower-its-corporate-tax-rate-heres-what-happened/amp/

If NB were to tax the Irving’s away the trolls on this site might be very happy but the people of NB would soon be in poverty.

The answer to Irving is lower corporate taxes and an influx of other major corporations.

David Amos

@Colin Seeley So says Mr Trump's and The Irving Clan's #1 local fanboy N'esy Pas?

Norman Albert Snr

@Colin Seeley THE PEOPLE IN THIS PROVINCE ARE IN POVERTY.
With out Irving predatory tactics and special considerations our doors would be open to a more diverse economy. Irving owns NB and everyone knows it!!! That is why we have the lowest house hold income in the country and the highest poverty rate along with high cancer rates. We are the only province in the country to see a declining population rate even with foreign migration. The NUMBERS do not lie.
Irving is going no where even with higher taxes imposed. They no a good thing when they see it, but if they do decide to vacate I would be first in line to help them pack.

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David Amos

@Colin Seeley First you reply to me with a simple KMA insult which i found rather comical from a person who does not know how to argue. However now you imply that I am troll who knows nothing of corporate taxation. If that were even remotely true how do you explain my suing 3 US Treasury Agents about covering up the fact that money was stolen from my family's trust and given to a charitable organization?

Methinks you should study the file then look at Page 134 very closely and then Google Cardinal Bernard Law N'esy Pas?

https://www.scribd.com/document/2619437/CROSS-BORDER

David Amos

@Norman Albert Snr "The NUMBERS do not lie."

Too bad you did not get to view my reply

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David Amos 

@Norman Albert Snr "Irving is going no where even with higher taxes imposed. They no a good thing when they see it"

FYI The battles between the Irving Clan and mine began back in the sixties when my Father Max Amos was the supervisor of taxation for New Brunswick until he died in the early eighties. I recall him sending the Sheriff to put the a chain on the gates of the Irving Refinery in order to make old KC pay his property taxes. Clearly one of my Father's sons is still battling the Irving Clan and their many cohorts to this very day N'esy Pas?

Proposed Irving plea deal would put money into Irving-controlled salmon group

James Irving of JDI is chair of CAST, a non-profit trying to bring back wild salmon

Connell Smith · CBC News · Posted: Oct 17, 2018 6:00 AM AT

J.D. Irving Ltd. agreed to a joint recommendation which would see Irving Pulp and Paper Ltd. plead guilty to three charges related to 15 instances of effluent discharges from its Saint John pulp mill. (Roger Cosman/CBC)


A plea deal awaiting approval by a Saint John judge would allow J.D. Irving Ltd. to pay part of its fine for pollution in the St. John River to CAST, an Atlantic salmon conservation company it controls.

The Crown and lawyers for JDI are jointly recommending the plea deal, which would see Irving Pulp and Paper Ltd. plead guilty to three charges related to 15 instances of effluent discharges from its Saint John pulp mill.

CAST, which stands for Collaboration for Atlantic Salmon Tomorrow, is a New Brunswick-registered company chaired by James Irving, the co-CEO of JDI, with Glenn Cooke of Cooke Aquaculture and Saint John businessman Brian Moore listed as fellow directors.

It just doesn't pass the sniff test for me.- Matthew Abbott, Fundy  baykeeper

Under the terms of the proposed deal, $2.3 million would be paid by Irving to the federal Environmental Damages Fund and a further $1.1 million would be directed to CAST, which wants to restock the Miramichi River this fall with more than 1,000 wild salmon raised in a hatchery.

CAST's executive director, Andrew Willett, a JDI Woodlands manager, said it is a non-profit corporation.

The proposal to direct the money to a Miramichi River project far away from the St. John River, where the pollution occurred, is galling to Fundy baykeeper Matthew Abbott.

Matthew Abbott, the Fundy baykeeper, said the fine arrangement is problematic. (CBC)

"It just doesn't pass the sniff test for me," Abbott said. "The proposal is that Irving would give $1.1 million through the courts to a project that Jim Irving himself chairs, as a deterrent for polluting the St. John River."

Non-profit challenges DFO

CAST is already mired in a very public dispute with scientists at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans over the Miramichi project.

The company took out a full page ad in Saturday's Telegraph-Journal urging readers to lobby the department's Moncton office, their members of Parliament and MLAs in favour of CAST's plans for the Miramichi River.

• Irving Pulp and Paper pleads guilty to pollution charges, faces $3.5M penalty  
• JDI, Crown reach deal to reduce 15 pollution charges against Saint John mill

"We are witnessing the extinction of the Atlantic Salmon from the Miramichi River in slow motion as bureaucrats in the Moncton Office of the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) Gulf Region do little to address the issue facing the salmon," says the open letter.

"We don't need more study, more talk or more of the status-quo — we need immediate action — or it will soon be too late."

In 2015, three-year-old wild Atlantic salmon smolt from the Miramichi were captured and raised in a hatchery.

CAST slow to consult First Nations

They were to be released into the river this fall in the same place they were originally captured in order to spawn, but the Fisheries Department is refusing to issue the necessary permit, arguing the release could weaken the wild fish population.

"Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a responsibility to consider the benefits of this type of scientific experiment along with the risks to wild Atlantic salmon populations and level of support from partners, including Indigenous communities who access these salmon populations for food," Frank Stanek, manager of media relations for the department, said in an email.

• Wild Atlantic salmon numbers drop 15 per cent ​
• Mi'kmaq chiefs blast both sides in Miramichi salmon-stocking controversy

Eel Ground Chief George Ginnish said the CAST plan to place adult salmon in the river began two years before local First Nations along the Miramichi Valley were even consulted.

"We were brought into the project late and from our perspective, as a primary user of the resource in our traditional territory, to say it was an insult would be an understatement," Ginnish said. "You are talking about a food that has deep cultural significance."

Suggests leaving river alone

Ginnish said CAST's newspaper ad on Saturday did not reflect First Nations concerns raised in the past. The organization, he said, "hit the panic button hard."

"You know we've suggested if everyone feels that the salmon is truly at risk on this river, then shut the whole river down to everyone. Give it a couple of years to see what happens, let Mother Nature do the work. Not a scientific experiment on a system that still has a viable population."

CAST, an Atlantic salmon conservation, wants to restock the Miramichi River this fall. (Shutterstock)

CAST executive director Andrew Willett said the federal department had the responsibility to create a steering committee to include First Nations but failed to put it together. He said concerns raised by the department in scientific review have all been addressed.

"We agreed to all of the mitigation measures that were suggested in that report," said Willett. "We thought that we had met all the conditions that DFO had laid out for the science.

"We're very surprised that now they're saying that they still have concerns about the science."
Willett says early stages of the project - including capturing the salmon smolts - had the blessing of DFO.

Concerns about mingling

The Atlantic Salmon Federation, a major North American conservation group, also has serious concerns that re-introducing the hatchery fish could weaken the wild fish population overall.

Fish of the same age that have remained in the wild have already survived a 5,000-kilometre ocean journey before returning to the river system.

Eel Ground First Nation Chief George Ginnish said CAST should leave the river alone. (CBC)

Neville Crabbe, a federation spokesperson, said CAST does valuable work in the field of salmon conservation but the adult-stocking problem poses too many risks and should be reserved for river systems where wild salmon are either extinct or on the very brink.

"I would say that the broad consensus within the scientific community on this question would lean strongly against this type of an activity," said Crabbe.

Both sides have supporters

Several partners are lined up with CAST, including the Miramichi Salmon Association, which has seen a $2 million upgrade of its South Esk hatchery to accommodate the larger adult fish, scientists with the Canadian Rivers Institute at the University of New Brunswick, and several lodge owners, fishing clubs and the river communities of Upper Miramichi, Blackville and Doaktown.

"We believe that the Miramichi salmon population is really in trouble. We believe that the numbers are going down at a rate that is not sustainable … salmon population recovery becomes very much more difficult when you go to your last legs," said Prof. Tommi Linnansaari, a CAST partner at UNB.

He said steps are being taken to ensure that strong adult fish are placed in the river and that they and their offspring are carefully monitored afterward to discover how the process can be improved.

He said the three-year-old smolts collected in the wild have already survived a difficult natural selection process.

"We're keeping the winners that nature has selected, and we're borrowing them from nature for a little bit so they don't go back to the ocean — because that's where currently the high mortality is happening — and as the fish mature, then we just put them back where they came from. Now we let the chips fall as they may."

Sees benefits for other rivers

In response to concerns about the proposal to direct Irving Pulp and Paper fine money to the Miramichi CAST project, JDI spokesperson, Mary Keith said the research will bring widespread benefits.

"My understanding of CAST is that their research work will deliver models of conservation that can be adapted to other rivers, including the St. John," she said. "ARIS technology, the database, cold water refugia, as well as smolt to adult supplementation are all examples of this.

"The intent is to transfer learnings from the Miramichi to other rivers in New Brunswick."

Judge David Walker is expected to issue a decision on the proposed plea deal on Nov. 5.

About the Author

 

Connell Smith

Reporter

Connell Smith is a reporter with CBC in Saint John. He can be reached at 632-7726 Connell.smith@cbc.ca