February 13, 2014 - Edmonton, Alberta
David Burden, Regional Director General, on behalf of the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, presented the Northern Lights Fly Tyers with a 2013 National Recreational Fisheries Award on February 12, 2014.
Formed in 1978, the Northern Lights Fly Tyers has an excellent track record in support of conserving Alberta’s fisheries and promoting involvement in recreational angling. This organization has become the “go-to” club regarding conservation education and is the face of sport fishing in Edmonton and many other parts of Alberta. Each year, the Club looks for new ways to promote fly tying and fly fishing to youth and others, in the belief that anglers are the best custodians of the resource.
Club members are continually looking for ways to conserve fisheries in Alberta through hands-on labour, advocacy and teaching. Countless volunteer hours and resources contribute to protecting and enhancing fisheries in the lakes and streams of the province. These volunteers also promote recreational fishing at major fishing shows and during their annual seminar, they teach kids to tie flies, provide funding for equipment for “Casting for Life” to help breast cancer survivors, and for “Healing Waters” to help disabled military personnel.
A recent major project for the club was to collect and analyze data on Arctic grayling distribution, abundance and habitat in the Upper Pembina River watershed where, in the past, streams provided high-quality sport fishing for residents of Central Alberta. Today, many grayling populations have been extirpated and those that remain are in a precarious state. The main objective of the project is to provide a foundation for long-term contributions to conservation of recreational fisheries in this watershed, by identifying opportunities to conserve the remaining stocks and to restore former populations.
Kevin Hill
Regional Director Communications
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
204-983-3776
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