Nile Creek Press Conference a Success!

Over 25 people attended the Nile Creek press conference on Tuesday September 22nd in support of the Qualicum Bay Enhancement Project, one of Trout Unlimited Canada's national conservation projects. Trout Unlimited Canada was the proud recipient of a $75,000 Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) Blue Water Leadership Grant. Working in partnership with the Nile Creek Enhancement Society and Vancouver Island University, the Blue Water Leadership Grant funds will be used in support of a comprehensive 5-year plan to restore and enhance cutthroat habitat to a number of watersheds entering Qualicum Bay such as Nile Creek. Qualicum Bay is located just North of Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island.

Attendees included representatives from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, The Nature Conservancy, B.C. Wildlife Federation, B.C. Federation of Fly Fishers, local area fly clubs and local merchants. In addition, 2 local papers and an A-Channel television crew were on hand to record the event and interview key attendees. National Biologist Jack Imhof spoke to the group on behalf of Trout Unlimited Canada. Ken Kirkby, artist, ardent conservationist, and president of the Nile Creek Enhancement Society also addressed the crowd along with Frank Dalziel from Vancouver Island University and Mark Lovick from the Royal Bank of Canada. Mark Lovick also presented the partnership members with a beautiful print celebrating the award. As the press conference concluded a lone pink salmon forged its way up past the group from the estuary into Nile Creek, driving home the critical importance of this project.

The Nile Creek Enhancement Society has completed an incredible amount of restoration work already on Nile Creek. Their first project was the construction and operation of a successful pink salmon hatchery that provides an outstanding recreational fishery in the Nile Creek area during July and August. This year's pink salmon return was phenomenal with over 100,000 fish returning to their native waters.

Above Image: Mark Lovick (right) and Allison Morgan (2nd from right) from the Royal Bank of Canada present Jack Imhof, our National Biologist (centre) with a cheque for $75,000 towards the Qualicum Bay Enhancement project as Nile Creek Enhancement Society president Ken Kirkby (left) and Frank Dalziel (2nd from left) from Vancouver Island University look on.