The North Atlantic Salmon Fund, NASF, is a coalition of voluntary conservation groups who have come together to restore stocks of wild Atlantic salmon to their historic abundance. For over a decade, in order to counter a widespread decline in wild Atlantic salmon stocks, the North Atlantic Salmon Fund (NASF) has pioneered environmental agreements that are based on commercial principles. These agreements depend on the voluntary co-operation of commercial salmon fishermen.

They agree to stop fishing in return for fair financial compensation and the introduction of new types of employment in the form of new and sustainable sea fisheries or as workers in a revived angling tourism industry. These measures have provided real support for wild salmon stocks on both sides of the Atlantic.

The first commercial agreements were with long-liners in the Faroe Islands and netsmen in Greenland, followed by the Canadian Government financing similar agreements with its fishermen in the coastal waters of their eastern seaboard.

The second phase of NASF's plan resulted in the completion of agreements in Iceland, Wales, South West England, the North Sea and in the Northern Ireland Conservancy area.

These agreements have stopped the decline in wild salmon stocks and we are beginning to see improvements in a number of regions, particularly in the reappearance of the bigger salmon that after more than one winter's feeding in the sea return to spawn with the largest numbers of eggs.

The NASF now hopes to launch its third and final phase to provide safety for the salmon by extending its protection to the migration routes the fish take as they return from their oceanic feeding grounds. There is little point in protecting the salmon on their oceanic feeding grounds if they are then to be intercepted by nets along the coasts of Scotland, Ireland and in Norwegian fjords. If stocks are to rebuild they must be given the chance to return to their native rivers and spawn. Mutually-acceptable agreements and new and sustainable employment for fishermen will open the way for this to be done.

Partnership agreements would have huge potential for the development of tourist angling in these regions. In financing its agreements, NASF seeks to encourage the free-market profit motive. A pilot scheme is being prepared in Norway and most of the drift-net and draft-net men in Ireland have indicated willingness to negotiate.

The NASF has led the way by raising very considerable private funds. But it also expects the public sector to play its part by contributing a fair share of the money needed to remedy the damage that ineffective management has inflicted on salmon stocks in the past.

Rod anglers can also play their part by exercising restraint in the number of salmon they take and by working to improve the habitat in their rivers. We may then be surprised at the speed with which the wild salmon re-establishes itself in all our rivers.

For more information contact
NASF headquarters in Reykjavík

Tel: +354 568 6277
Fax: +354 588 4758
e-mail: nasf@vortex.is