FROM:
BILL TAYLOR
DATE:
JULY 12, 2018
RE:
PASSING OF NATHANIEL P. REED
It is with profound sadness that I inform you of the passing of our dear friend
and Honorary Director of ASF (US) Nathaniel P. Reed. Nat had an accident the
evening of July 3rd while fishing his beloved Grand Cascapedia River
with long-time friends and Lorne Cottage guides Conrad and Bryce
LeGouffe. He had just released a 16 pound salmon at Mrs. Guest’s Pool with Conrad and Bryce and was walking along the
shore when he fell and hit his head. The wonderful staff of Lorne Cottage were
able to get him to a Quebec City hospital the next morning where he received
excellent care but could not recover. Nat passed away peacefully
yesterday afternoon, July 11th, surrounded by his family.
Nat had been an
Honorary Director of ASF (US) for 7 years following 15 years as a very active
and involved Director. Nat served on various ASF (US) committees and
provided sage advice and counsel on some critical salmon conservation, research
and advocacy activities. For his tireless
efforts on behalf of wild Atlantic salmon and ASF he received the Lee Wulff
Award in 2008 and was honored at the New York dinner in 2013.
I received regular phone calls, emails and letters from Nat offering advice and
inquiring about salmon runs, river conditions and fishing. He was always
steadfast in his support. He was passionate about wild Atlantic salmon,
conserving them, fishing for them and most importantly the vital work of
ASF. I have many fond memories of fishing with Nat on the Cascapedia,
Moisie, Restigouche and Miramichi. He was great company on and off the river.
Nat began his career in the family real estate business in Jupiter Island,
Florida. He had deep passion and concern for the natural world which steered
him toward public life. He served six Florida governors and two
presidents in numerous senior positions including Assistant Secretary of the US
Department of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Nat made many significant contributions to
conservation and the environment while in public service including co-authoring
the Endangered Species Act. He helped found 1000 Friends of Florida, serving both
as president and chairman of the board. Along with ASF, Nat served on the
boards of many environmental and conservation organizations, including
Everglades Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Yellowstone National
Park and National Geographic Society.
Nat is survived by his loving wife Alita, their sons
Nat Jr. and Adrian, and their daughter Lia, and five grandchildren. ASF has
established a memorial fund in Nathaniel’s honor that will
be dedicated to helping fund something he believed was
critical to salmon conservation, the suspension of Greenland’s commercial salmon fishery. All gifts received in Nat’s honor will be dedicated to fulfilling ASF’s financial obligation to this major conservation
victory, one that Nat was so proud of and one that will help wild Atlantic
salmon populations on his beloved Grande Cascapedia and other salmon rivers
throughout eastern Canada and abroad.
Bill Taylor
President, Atlantic Salmon Federation
