Annual Report 2011
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20 15 20 The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation 15 ANNUAL REPORT 2011 10 15 10 20 10 10 10 15 Table of Contents Annual Report 2011 . 1 Message from the Chairman . .. 3 Executive Director’s Report . 4 Foundation Objectives 2011 . .. 5 Project Profiles Quebec . 7 Newfoundland & Labrador . 6 New Brunswick . 8 Nova Scotia . 9 Prince Edward Island . 10 Interprovincial . 11 Grants & Status . 12 Summary of Project Audits . 21 Reports & Statements Auditors’ Report . 22 Statement of Financial Position . 23 Statement of Operations & Changes in Fund Balances . 24 Statement of Cash Flows . 25 Notes to the Financial Statements . 26 Schedule of Investments . 27 Statement of Remuneration . 27 ASCF Volunteers & Personnel Officers, Directors & Board Committees . 28 Advisory Committees . 29 ASCF Structural Model . 30 Conservation Partners . 30 The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation • Annual Report 2011 Annual Report 2011 Smart, Sustainable Conservation! Introduction zations working on a range of wild Atlantic salmon habitat, The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation is a non-profit, enhancement, monitoring and conservation initiatives . charitable organization dedicated to improving and strength- In accordance with the mandate conferred by the ASEF, The ening the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon and its habitat Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation created an organi- in Atlantic Canada and Quebec . zation that would: The Foundation is a volunteer-based organization that opened 1. Be managed at arms-length from DFO by an incorpo- its doors in February 2007 . The Board of Directors of the Foun- rated organization; dation are volunteers, along with all of the volunteer experts on its advisory committee who have come together to ensure the 2. Be a charitable organization; wise use of the trust fund for the conservation purposes for 3. Invest appropriated funds and hold them in trust; which it is intended . 4. Draw on contributions from other public and private The Foundation has the dual mandate of prudently investing sources . the trust funds to generate income while preserving capital, 5. Deliver the program from interest raised on the principal and ensuring that the organization is well managed so it can amount . provide funding to eligible salmon conservation initiatives in 6. Facilitate partnership with the provinces, Aboriginal Atlantic Canada and Quebec, in perpetuity . groups and community volunteer organizations . The most significant feature of the Foundation model is the in- These are the key, basic characteristics that helped shape our clusion of volunteer experts drawn from conservation groups, organization as it assumed responsibility for the ASEF trust . Aboriginal organizations and federal and provincial govern- The Foundation operates in the large and complex geographic, ments in all of its advisory processes . The Board of Directors political and stock status environment of Atlantic Canada and of the Foundation actively relies on advice and recommenda- Québec . In order to address these complexities the Foundation tions forthcoming from the six technical-advisory committees has implemented its federal mandate to become what has proven to guide the work of the Foundation . It is a model of partner- to be a very successful approach to business founded in large ship and inclusiveness that is unique in the conservation world . measure upon an inclusive, expert volunteer-based structure . It’s structure and accompanying processes are unique in many This annual report reflects the Foundation’s fifth year of op- ways but especially in ensuring all processes are transparent, eration . In 2011 the Foundation began to build on the suc- accountable, and open to broad and meaningful involvement . cessful operational structure it put in place over the first four years, and started to explore development activities that would augment its ability to support and extend salmon conservation initiatives . The year also witnessed completion of the Founda- tion’s fourth round of salmon conservation funding proposals and the launch of a call for proposals for 2012 . Background The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (the Founda- tion) was formed by a group of volunteers who incorporated a non-profit organization in 2005 to prepare a proposal to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to accept responsibility for the Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund (ASEF) Program . The ASEF was created by the Government of Canada as a perma- nent source of funding to help conserve, restore and protect wild Atlantic salmon and their habitat in Atlantic Canada and in Quebec . The ASEF reflected the calls of conservation organizations, Aboriginal groups and government officials for a permanent Measuring juvenile salmon. Photo: ASCF source of funding to help watershed and community organi- The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation • Annual Report 2011 1 Annual Report 2011 Smart, Sustainable Conservation! Technical Advisory Committees Number of completed projects 2010/2011 The Foundation has implemented a voluntary technical-advisory 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 committee structure as a strategic direction that promotes inclu- Contribute to a siveness and partnership, while assuring excellent advice in being watershed plan responsive to the unique salmon conservation imperatives among Protection and the five provinces . There are six advisory committees comprised of Restoration of habitat a Central Advisory Committee and five Provincial Advisory Com- Rebuilding Atlantic mittees . All nominations to these committees are volunteers pro- Salmon stocks posed by stakeholder groups and governments . The advisory com- Restoration of access mittees have proven to be a very successful way to assure volunteer to habitat inclusivity and transparency in the granting process . Education/Awareness program The Central Advisory Committee is a committee of technical ex- perts with the mandate to assist the Board of Directors design ef- 2010 2011 fective tools and processes, adopt conservation goals and to help monitor Foundation progress and performance . This committee For the foreseeable future the Foundation intends to offer one also reviews and recommends inter-provincial project grants . annual round of calls for funding proposals received between April and December . Proposals for funding are reviewed by The five Provincial Advisory Committees are responsible for iden- the advisory committees in the period February –March . Each tifying the salmon conservation priorities unique to each province; advisory committee follows standard proposal assessment reviewing proposals for conservation funding and making recom- and scoring procedures designed by the Central Advisory mendations on which projects should be approved for funding . Committee . Recommended proposals are considered by the They also participate actively in monitoring approved projects to Board in April to enable all final approvals to be given before help ensure they are progressing as intended . These committees the opening of the conservation field season . meet twice annually to carry-out their responsibilities . Foundation Mission Statement and Goals The Granting Process The mission statement of the Foundation is “To promote The Foundation is interested in funding innovative projects enhanced community partnerships in the conservation of wild that will have a high probability of success with measurable Atlantic salmon and its habitat in Atlantic Canada and Quebec” . results for on-the-ground conservation of wild Atlantic salmon Four goals flow from this statement: and its habitat . • To be an effective source of funding for community vol- The Foundation considers eligible projects related to the unteer organizations in conserving, restoring and pro- following categories: tecting wild Atlantic salmon and its habitat . • Development of salmon and salmon habitat conserva- • To enhance cooperation and partnership among govern- tion plans for a watershed or sub-watershed (watershed ments, Aboriginal organizations, community volunteer planning) groups and others in the interests of conserving, restor- • Conservation, rebuilding and restoration of wild Atlantic ing and protecting wild Atlantic salmon and its habitat . salmon and salmon habitat • To promote and improve conservation planning and • Restoring access of wild Atlantic salmon to salmon habitat management at the watershed level as the basis for en- suring effective use of and accountability for funds made • Public education and awareness of the importance of con- available for wild Atlantic salmon conservation initiatives . servation of wild Atlantic salmon and its habitat . • To improve public awareness, education and research Emphasis is placed on improved conservation planning and respecting the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon and management at the watershed level, as an ecological and salmon habitat . geographic unit, as a way to promote most effective use of, and accountability for project funds . The Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation • Annual Report 2011 2 Message from the Chairman Meeting the challenges! As we stand on the edge of our sixth year of existence, it’s good to look back on our many successes while looking for- “Patience, ward to addressing the challenges that lay before us . We are, very much, both smart and sustainable as a force in realizing persistence and our goals of improving conservation of Canadian wild Atlantic salmon populations . perspiration make We are smart because we have assembled many, highly