OTTAWA - The Honourable Robert G. Thibault, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced this year's winners of the Recreational Fisheries Awards. Minister Thibault will present the awards on June 2, 2003 at the Lord Elgin Hotel in Ottawa. Four individuals and one organization were chosen for their exemplary work in the cause of enhancing Canada's recreational fisheries and their habitat.

"I wish to congratulate this year's winners for volunteering so much of their personal time and experience towards conserving and improving public awareness of Canada's recreational fisheries," said Minister Thibault.

The winners for 2003 are:

* Jennifer Atchison, Burnaby, British Columbia. Volunteer organizer, educator, and field-worker, Jennifer Atchison has spent the past seven years helping to rehabilitate the Stoney Creek Watershed, often tending personally to the creek's wildlife, vegetation, and water for more than 50 hours a week.

* The Big Rideau Lake Association, Portland, Ontario. This volunteer organization has conducted provincially and nationally significant bass and lake trout research on Rideau Lake. The association has a very successful lead exchange program, encouraging anglers to substitute their lead sinkers for non-lead products.

* Bill Chinnick, Sechelt, British Columbia (awarded posthumously). Mr. Chinnick was a leader, an organizer, and a true friend of the environment who single-handedly started the first salmon hatchery on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast and was responsible for the release of more than 1.5 million fish.

* Bill Otway, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Mr. Otway has spent half a century working to improve the recreational fishery. He participated as a leading member of many organizations devoted to protecting British Columbia's fish and habitat, including the Port Coquitlam & District Hunting and Fishing Club, the B.C. Wildlife Federation and the Outdoor Writers of Canada.

* Elmer Rudolph, New Westminster, British Columbia. Mr. Rudolph has been working to rehabilitate the Brunette River since 1984. He has served this cause through varied projects such as removing garbage from the river, lobbying local government, and investigating the pollutants being dumped into the river through stormwater/sewer pipe systems. Mr. Rudolph has also led community education efforts to attain community attention to the state of the River.

Created in 1989 by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the awards are presented annually in recognition of outstanding work undertaken to improve or protect the recreational fishery.

Any individual, group, business or association is eligible for the award, and can be nominated at any time during the year by an individual or organization, and a co-sponsor. Projects upon which nominations are based must be:

* Undertaken in Canada, independently of government agencies, by Canadian citizens or landed immigrants; and

* Supported by documentation.

For more information on the Recreational Fisheries Awards you can visit the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website at: www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/rfa-ppr/awards-prix_e.htm.

For nomination forms or more information, contact:

The Recreational Fisheries Awards Program
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
200 Kent Street
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0E6
Telephone: (613) 993-6695
Fax: (613) 990-9691
E-mail: XNCRAwards@dfo-mpo.gc.ca  

Contacts:

Sophie Galarneau
Manager, Media Relations
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa
(613) 998-1530

Caroline Quinn
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ottawa
(613) 992-3474