Canada adds CAD 10 million to Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation, boosting endowment established in 2007

Canadian Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced on November 12, 2026, a CAD 10 million (about USD 6.9 million, EUR 6.1 million) allocation to the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation (FCAS) to support wild Atlantic salmon conservation.

The funds will be used to replenish the Atlantic Salmon Endowment Fund. The fund was established in 2007 through a CAD 30 million (about USD 20.8 million, EUR 18.5 million) government investment. According to the information released, since its establishment the fund has supported the restoration of 7.5 million meters of habitat and increased habitat available to Atlantic salmon by nearly 200 square kilometers.

In a press release, Thompson said wild Atlantic salmon are critical to the ecological, social, cultural and economic fabric of eastern Canada and Quebec, and that the Atlantic Salmon Conservation Foundation has for years brought together partners from a wide range of communities and organizations to advance actions to restore and conserve Atlantic salmon; the funding announced will ensure this work continues and moves wild Atlantic salmon toward a sustainable future.

According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the latest investment will enable FCAS to expand actions at the watershed level, including habitat restoration, fish passage and connectivity improvements, population monitoring, climate adaptation measures and applied scientific research.

FCAS Executive Director Charline McCoy said this additional investment in the foundation's endowment fund will significantly strengthen its capacity to support long-term conservation of wild Atlantic salmon. She said the additional funds will allow it to increase funding for community-led conservation actions, strengthen partnerships with government, Indigenous organizations and local conservation groups, and advance collaborative watershed planning and management; as part of a permanent endowment, the investment will have a lasting impact, helping to protect and restore wild Atlantic salmon and their habitat across eastern Canada and Quebec.

The allocation aligns with Canada's 2025 Atlantic salmon conservation strategy for the eastern provinces, which guides Fisheries and Oceans Canada in protecting the species.