Effective Monday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has announced that a number of salmon fishing pools will be closed to fishing due to high water temperature and low water levels.

Keith Wilson, owner of Wilson’s Sporting Camps, a Miramichi fly-fishing and cottage rental service, says the closures occur for a number of reasons.

“When the river gets warm like it is now and the water gets down fairly low, all the Atlantic salmon seeks refuge in cold water holding areas. They all get in a big bunch, and then if you’re fishing over those fish, they become stressed very easily,” says Wilson, adding that the DFO was “wise” to close the warm pools, an opinion he believes is widespread among local fishing businesses like his own.

“It (the closure) is good for the fish. It’s not so good for outfitters and guides, but we all support conservation first and foremost. We want to protect our fish first so we support these closures,” he says.

“It has to be supported.”

Wilson says fishers and business-owners won’t be that devastated by the temporary closures, which he says happen on occasion whenever the weather gets too warm.

“The hot, dry weather, the lack of rain and the hot and sunny days; that’s what will cause it,” he says.

“Places that are closed are just a small fraction of the entire watershed. There’s still opportunity to fish in hundreds of more miles of river. You may not catch a fish but at least you can still go fishing.”

None of Wilson’s pools have been affected by the government-issued closures, but he says he will be placing his own restrictions on a number of his pools.

“I’ve got two cold water areas that I do voluntary restrictions on; the government hasn’t stepped in but I’ll be putting restrictions on my own,” says Wilson, adding that the full list of his closures can be found on his website, wilsonscamps.nb.ca.

Mark Hambrook, president of the Miramichi Salmon Association, says the closures are not only for conservation purposes, but for the safety of the salmon.

“The closures are done also because they (the salmon) are so crowded there; there’s more opportunity for foul hooking, which is when your hook sinks and you accidentally hook one of the salmon in the back, so it’s a safety issue as well,” says Hambrook, whose association controls the Miramichi Salmon Conservation Centre.

Hambrook says the pools that have been closed were chosen based on the amount of salmon gathering in them.

“They’re targeting the pools that have the most salmon congregating, ones where they’re most vulnerable,” he says.

Hambrook says the closures tend to happen every summer, and are totally dependent on the weather.

“They (the pools) should only be closed during the warm periods. If we get a big rain and the water comes up a foot or so or we get a really cool temperature, then (the pools) should reopen again, I would hope,” he says.

“You look forward at the forecast; if it’s calling for hot and humid weather you’ll know it will be in place for a while. Of course, you can never trust the weather.”

Hambrook adds that all pool-operators tend to support the closures when the water is too warm, and says that notification of their reopening will be available on the DFO’s website.

A representative of the DFO was not available for comment.

The closures are as follows:

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced that the following salmon fishing pools will be closed to fishing due to high water temperature and low water levels:

• Confluence of Salmon Brook and Cains River, and the waters of Salmon Brook upstream from its Confluence with the Cains River to South Cains River Road;

• Confluence of Otter Brook and Cains River;

• Confluence of Sutherland Brook and Northwest Miramichi River, and Sutherland Brook upstream to the Highway 420;

• Confluence of Butty’s Brook and Renous River, and the waters of Butty’s Brook from its confluence with the Renous River to South Renous Road;

• Waters of the Southwest Miramichi River in Quarryville, 300 metres upstream and 300 m downstream of the Quarryville Bridge, including Indian Town Brook from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River, upstream to Highway 108 bridge;

• Confluence of Wilson Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, including the waters of Wilson Brook upstream 100 m of its mouth;

• Waters of the Southwest Miramichi River surrounding the pump house located at N 46.86483, W 65.67698 (WGS 84);

• Confluence of Gray Rapids Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, and the waters of Gray Rapids upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Route 118;

• Confluence of Morse Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, and the waters of Morse Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Howard Road;

• Confluence of Black Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, and the waters of Black Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to South Cains River Road;

• Confluence of Donnelly Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, and the waters of Donnelly Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to the South Road Bridge;

• Confluence of Betts Mills Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, and the waters of Betts Mills Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Highway 8;

• Confluence of Porcupine Brook and Southwest Miramichi River, and the waters of Porcupine Brook upstream from its confluence with the Southwest Miramichi River to Story Town Road;

• Confluence of Big Hole Brook and Southwest Miramichi River;

• Confluence of Mill Brook and Southwest Miramichi River.