Page 17 - 2021PSF-ResilientCoastsForSalmon-NewLogo-Primer-Web

Photo by: Eiko Jones

Diminishing Returns
In recent years, we have seen historically low rated this as one of the top environmental concerns
salmon runs . In 2020, the catch of Pacific salmon was (Insights West 2021) . Some of the main factors
the lowest it has been since 1982 (Government of impacting Pacific salmon include overharvesting,
Canada 2021) . While not all species and populations habitat loss/degradation and climate change .
of Pacific salmon are in decline, many populations In particular, BC residents seem to be concerned
of southern Chinook, Coho and Fraser River Sockeye about and perceive the biggest threats to
are in significant decline (Grant et al . 2018, DFO Pacific Salmon populations to be issues related to
2016, DFO 2018) . Around the Salish Sea, both open-net pen aquaculture (24% of respondents),
Puget Sound Chinook salmon and Steelhead trout climate change (18%), and overfishing (18%) .
are listed as threatened under the United States The threats to salmon are complex, but we are
Endangered Species Act while many populations seeing policies put in place to help alleviate
of Chinook, Coho, and Steelhead in the Strait of some of these impacts .
Georgia basin are listed as Species at Risk in Canada . For example, to help reduce the impacts of harvest
The low numbers of salmon in these populations on these vulnerable populations of Pacific salmon,
means that they are vulnerable to changes in their the Government of Canada has imposed new
environment, such as warmer ocean temperatures closures for commercial salmon fisheries and First
caused by climate change . This will have far reaching Nations Communal Commercial fisheries for the
implications throughout the ecosystem, since 2021-2022 season (Government of Canada 2021) .
it is widely believed that diminishing Chinook In response to research and public push-back
salmon populations specifically have contributed against open-net pen aquaculture, the Government
to declines in endangered Southern Resident killer of Canada has ordered that all open-net pens
whales (Hanson et al . 2021) . transition to closed-containment pens by 2025
In a recent survey from Insights West, the Pacific (Government of Canada 2020) . Similarly, all farms
Salmon Foundation, and Wild First, it was revealed in the Discovery Islands are to be free of fish by
that 86% of BC residents polled are extremely June 30th, 2022 (Government of Canada 2020) .
concerned about declining salmon stocks, and

BOTTOM LINE:

Our precious Pacific salmon are counting on us to appreciate the value of

shorelines and to treat them accordingly. We need to take action and recognize

the linkages between healthy shorelines, Pacific salmon, and our coastal ways of life.

16