Miramichi Fishing Update and Big News on DFO Lawsuit

Photo by Darrell Warren of Moore’s Pool looking up towards Muzzeroll, Cains River

Fishing Friends – 

This blog has an important announcement about Save Miramichi Salmon’s lawsuit against the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.  Before we get to that, though, let’s talk about some other very timely news, the weather and the state of the Miramichi salmon fall run.  

The Miramichi system has been as low or lower than any living person that I know has ever seen.  I’ve received numerous photos of well-known salmon pools that are hardly more than puddles rimmed with rocks.  Some of the physically larger pools with deep sections like Black Brook, Mouth of Bartholomew and some of the Rapids pools have, though, held enough water that they are still holding fish plus some fresh salmon have also arrived in them.  One of Country Haven’s anglers caught two in Blackville a couple of evenings ago.  Some of the fish appear quite fresh and others are darker than dark.  As I write this it is raining hard in Falmouth, Maine and tonight 30-40MM are forecast by Environment Canada to fall over most of the Miramichi watershed. That will bring the river up substantially and put all the pools back into play.  The trap numbers through September 15 were very low, but the lack of rain is probably largely to blame.  There could be a decent run pent up.  I’m headed back to camp tomorrow, and plan to spend the rest of the season on the SW Miramichi and Cains Rivers.  I’ll be making entries in my Salmon Reports every day.  If you got a link to this blog from a friend, you can sign up to receive your own notices of new blog entries on the home page of my website.  Just go to the Salmon Reports link and arrow back to the home page.  

It is not too late to get in on this action.  Country Haven, The Ledges, Black Brook Salmon Club, Wilsons on the Miramichi, Sutter’s Salmon Club, Oxbow Outfitters and others I’ve unintentionally forgotten may all have open slots.  Right now is the time to go.

Secondly, I sent the subscribers to this blog an e-mail asking for donations to Dr. Kurt Samway’s salmon egg research that is critical to the future of the Miramichi salmon hatchery.  We’ve gotten a good response but have receieved only a little over half the $20K in donations that we need.  Please e-mail me at bigbass@maine.rr.com if you want any more information about the research.   I gave $500, some have given more, some less.  It is all very welcome and needed.  When the dust settles I will post an honor roll naming all those who donated.  The amounts donated will not be published.  Here is the information on how to send in your donation. 

For Canadian donors please follow these instructions:
By mail:
Make all cheques payable to Miramichi Salmon Association and send to 485 Route 420, South Esk, NB, E1V 4L9. Please specify this specific program – “Genetic Analysis of Eggs”
To make a Canadian donation over the phone with a credit card:
Call our office at (506) 622-4000.
To make a donation online:
https://miramichisalmon.ca/donate-cad/
Please specify this specific program – “Genetic Analysis of Eggs”

For American donors please follow these instructions:
By Mail – for US donations:
Make all cheques payable to Miramichi Salmon Association (US) and send to Box 10986 Portland, ME 04104
Please specify this specific program – “Genetic Analysis of Eggs”
To make a donation online:
https://miramichisalmon.ca/donate-usd/
Please specify this specific program – “Genetic Analysis of Eggs”

The MSA is a tax deductible charity in Canada or America.  You will be sent a receipt for your donation.

Now here is the press release we released regarding the lawsuit:

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING SAVE MIRAMICHI SALMON’S LAWSUIT AGAINST DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS

Save Miramichi Salmon Inc. (SMS) is announcing a major advance in its efforts to stop DFO’s destructive mismanagement of Miramichi River Atlantic salmon.  On September 23, 2025, Federal Court Justice William F. Pentney denied attempts by government lawyers representing DFO to quietly dismiss SMS’s lawsuit and instead directed that an in-person hearing be held in Fredericton on December 10, 2025, to determine the court’s jurisdiction to decide the issues.

This victory marks the second gatepost that SMS has passed on its path towards a full trial.  An earlier Crown attempt at an administrative dismissal, without a hearing, was denied.  More recently, the Court rejected the Crown’s request for a Zoom hearing to be ordered as opposed to the oral, Courtroom arguments that have now been scheduled.

Save Miramichi Salmon’s Alex Mills said that the recent development amounts to a tacit recognition by the courts that SMS has put forward a case with merit.  SMS lawyer Ian Knapp added that the in-person hearing, which can also be viewed by the public on zoom, shows that the court recognizes the great importance of this issue to the public.   At this hearing on the Crown’s motion for dismissal, the court will hear arguments from SMS’ lawyers Ian Knapp and Katherine Bellett explaining why the Court has jurisdiction to address the great harm done by DFO to the salmon resource of the Miramichi with resulting damage to individuals, businesses and communities that depend on this fishery.  DFO will have the opportunity to respond SMS’ allegations.

Save Miramichi Salmon alleges that DFO has overprotected the striped bass resource compared to other fisheries so that the striped bass population has grown out of proportion to the salmon, gaspereau, smelt and sea run brook trout of the Miramichi.  Among the remedies that SMS seeks are for DFO to offer commercial and recreational fishing opportunities for harvesting the bass that will bring the population back to levels that allow other fish to also flourish, and to pay for hatchery supplementation programs to recover the salmon numbers to the levels of 2010 and prior.  Striped bass are now close to eliminating the historical population of salmon in the Miramichi River that supported 40% of all Gulf of Saint Lawrence salmon just 15 years ago.

A copy of Justice Pentney’s order is included below:

 

A friend just sent me an advance weather forecast for later next week that had some input from the tropics.  It’s too early to count on it, but some experts think we are in for a very good rain that could set us up well for the rest of the year.  It’s going to be turning much cooler mid-week too.  It could soon be time for some flies like these October Killers.  These flies are old-fashioned I know, but the design has withstood the test of time.  Don’t forget to try fishing them with an intermediate or slow sink poly leader.

Thanks for reading.  Brad Burns