St. Mary's river association

HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION

In the late 1970's a few individuals who were interested in the betterment of the St. Mary's River started an informal committee. Membership quickly grew from the few individuals to a few hundred, and the committee was formally incorporated under the Societies Act on November 9, 1979, as the St. Mary's River Association (SMRA).

From the beginning, the Association wanted to be more than just an angling group and wished to encompass objectives that would be dedicated to the preservation and wise use of the St. Mary's River as the community's most important resource.

To meet these objectives, over the last three decades, the Association has conducted its own research, monitoring and management initiatives, as well as collaborating with government and non-governmental agencies.

Through the 1980's, the SMRA evaluated salmon enhancement methods and participated in the St. Mary's River Forestry/Wildlife Project, assisted in a St. Mary's River Management Plan, and funded a dependency survey of the local communities on the St. Mary's River. Between 1990 and 2000 the Association developed a community- based management plan for the salmon fishery, began habitat enhancement within the basin, and assisted with fish and environment monitoring in the watershed. Since 2000 we have been active with habitat restoration, land protection and stewardship and continued monitoring and participating in management of the fisheries of the river.

The SMRA felt that in order to educate the public about the history and problems faced by the river, a facility to house artifacts and educational information should be built. The St. Mary's River Association Education and Interpretive Centre was constructed in 2001 to serve this need.

The SMRA has had a long and productive involvement in the St. Mary's River and surrounding community. Today, the SMRA has a membership of 255 individuals drawing from local residents as well as members outside of Northern Nova Scotia and Canada.