TSX: ERF.UN
    NYSE: ERF

    CALGARY, March 16 /CNW/ - Mr. Gordon J. Kerr, President & Chief Executive
Officer of Enerplus Resources Fund ("Enerplus") is pleased to announce the
appointment of Mr. Robert W.P. Symonds to the position of Vice President,
Canadian Operations. Mr. Symonds will be responsible for overseeing the
operations and development of our Canadian conventional asset base, reporting
to Garry A. Tanner, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
    Mr. Symonds has over 29 years of diverse experience in the Canadian oil
and gas industry, primarily with Shell Canada and most recently at a Canadian
mid-size independent producer. He has a strong background in exploration and
development and, while at Shell, was responsible for managing a division with
over 100,000 BOE/day of production and a capital budget of over $400 million.
He also brings to Enerplus experience in strategy development and merger and
acquisition activities as a prior Director of Corporate Strategies at Shell
Canada. Mr. Symonds holds a Masters of Petroleum Engineering degree from the
University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering
from the University of Edinburgh.
    We welcome Mr. Symonds to Enerplus. His experience and expertise will
further enhance our ability to pursue opportunities to capture even greater
value from our Canadian oil and gas assets and improve our operating metrics.

    Gordon J. Kerr
    President & Chief Executive Officer
    Enerplus Resources Fund

    Except for the historical and present factual information contained
herein, the matters set forth in this news release, including words such as
"expects", "projects", "plans" and similar expressions, are forward-looking
information that represents management of Enerplus' internal projections,
expectations or beliefs concerning, among other things, future operating
results and various components thereof or the economic performance of
Enerplus. The projections, estimates and beliefs contained in such
forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, which may cause Enerplus' actual performance and financial
results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future
performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking
statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, those
described in Enerplus' filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities
authorities. Accordingly, holders of Enerplus Trust Units and potential
investors are cautioned that events or circumstances could cause results to
differ materially from those predicted.

    %CIK: 0001126874