The PSF Blog
Statement of Pacific Salmon Foundation President and CEO Dr. Brian Riddell
Salmon in the News
Monday, 18 March 2013 08:23
March 18,2013
Commenting on Royal Assent Making Pacific Salmon an Official B.C. Emblem
VANCOUVER - Brian Riddell, president and CEO of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, made the following statement following news that Royal Assent has been given to the designation of Pacific salmon as an official provincial emblem. The proposed designation was included in Bill 8, the Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act of 2013.
Dr. Riddell said: “Naming Pacific salmon as a provincial emblem is much more than a symbolic act. It is a reminder to us all of the tremendous values associated with Pacific salmon in B.C. and that we all have responsibility for conserving and restoring this incredibly important natural resource. As the head of a foundation that is singularly focused on Pacific salmon restoration, I commend the provincial government, especially Environment Minister Terry Lake, for its leadership and for the $22 million that the provincial government has invested in Pacific salmon conservation since 2006.”
Since 2006, the provincial government has invested $22 million through the B.C. Living Rivers Trust, which has funded more than 330 projects to support habitat restoration, increased capacity for management and First Nations, and localized watershed planning. Funds directed to the Fraser River basin were partially matched by the Government of Canada to support Pacific Salmon conservation in an area that encompasses roughly one-third of the province. The Pacific Salmon Foundation partnered with two other environmental organizations, the Fraser Basin Council and Living Rivers Georgia Basin/Vancouver Island, to implement the mandate of the Living Rivers Trust, as well as to call for the designation of Pacific salmon as an official B.C. symbol.
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Contact: Elayne Sun, Pacific Salmon Foundation, (604) 664-7664 X 123, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Kyuquot Sound Lodge Honors Memory of Angler James Fenney
Multimedia
Thursday, 14 March 2013 08:59
Kyuquot Sound Lodge has made a donation to the Pacific Salmon Foundation in memory of one of the lodge’s long-time partners, James Fenney of North Vancouver. The Foundation joins our friends at Kyuquot Sound Lodge in honouring James Fenney’s memory and wishing sympathy to his family, friends and fishing buddies. Tight Lines, James.
James was remembered by his family here in his Vancouver Sun obituary
PSF, Genome B.C. and Fisheries and Oceans Canada launch historic, large-scale Salmon Health Initiative
PSF in the News
Monday, 11 March 2013 08:55
The Pacific Salmon Foundation has announced it will partner with Genome B.C. and Fisheries and Oceans Canada to launch a new Salmon Health Initiative. This initiative will provide the largest evaluation of the distribution and impact of potential disease agents ever conducted on B.C. salmon.
Read the news release announcing the Salmon Health Initiative
Globe and Mail article from Saturday, March 9, 2013
Mark Hume column in Globe and Mail from Monday, March 11, 2013
Kyuquot Sound Lodge Honors Memory of Angler James Fenney
Kyuquot Sound Lodge has made a donation to the Pacific Salmon Foundation in memory of one of the lodge’s long-time partners, James Fenney of North Vancouver. The Foundation joins our friends at Kyuquot Sound Lodge in honouring James Fenney’s memory and wishing sympathy to his family, friends and fishing buddies. Tight Lines, James.
James was remembered by his family here in his Vancouver Sun obituary
In Memory of Judge Alfred Scow
Salmon in the News
Friday, 08 March 2013 10:19
The Pacific Salmon Foundation would like to acknowledge with great sadness the passing of our former board member Judge (Alfred) Scow. Scow was a pioneer in the First Nations community through many inspirational “firsts.” He was the first First Nations to graduate from UBC Law, to be appointed in BC as a legally trained judge and to sit on the Foundation board.
Scow nurtured his love of fishing in his hometown of Alert Bay. Born the eldest of 16 children to then-Kwicksutaineuk chief William Scow and his wife Alice, Scow began fishing with his father at the age of six. By 15 he was fishing for salmon with his own boat and later financed his university education as a crewman on halibut and salmon boats. His education lead to a prolific career focused on advancing the position of aboriginal people in Canada, that was recognized by a gamut of commendations including the Order of Canada. He will be greatly missed by the many that benefited from his service, and several of the Foundation’s current board members who counted him as a close friend.
In respect to the Scow family’s request, the Foundation is pleased to make a donation to the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society in lieu of flowers. Please take a moment to read more about Judges Scow’s remarkable life and accomplishments on the UBC alumni page or view a great photo of Scow with his wife Joan.
In Memory of Judge Alfred Scow
Salmon in the News
Friday, 08 March 2013 10:19
The Pacific Salmon Foundation would like to acknowledge with great sadness the passing of our former board member Judge (Alfred) Scow. Scow was a pioneer in the First Nations community through many inspirational “firsts.” He was the first First Nations to graduate from UBC Law, to be appointed in BC as a legally trained judge and to sit on the Foundation board.
Scow nurtured his love of fishing in his hometown of Alert Bay. Born the eldest of 16 children to then-Kwicksutaineuk chief William Scow and his wife Alice, Scow began fishing with his father at the age of six. By 15 he was fishing for salmon with his own boat and later financed his university education as a crewman on halibut and salmon boats. His education lead to a prolific career focused on advancing the position of aboriginal people in Canada, that was recognized by a gamut of commendations including the Order of Canada. He will be greatly missed by the many that benefited from his service, and several of the Foundation’s current board members who counted him as a close friend.
In respect to the Scow family’s request, the Foundation is pleased to make a donation to the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society in lieu of flowers. Please take a moment to read more about Judges Scow’s remarkable life and accomplishments on the UBC alumni page or view a great photo of Scow with his wife Joan.
Support youth education this year-end!
Multimedia
Tuesday, 18 December 2012 10:18
Teenage Artist Inspired by Foundation-Funded Classroom Program
Multimedia
Thursday, 13 December 2012 14:25
Support Youth Education Programs this Year-End!
Multimedia
Wednesday, 12 December 2012 16:04
Make a tax-deductible year-end donation today and your contribution will be matched from our $20,000 challenge grant! Please click here to support programs that engage youth in salmon conservation.
Click below to watch Foundation-funded West Vancouver Streamkeepers work with eager young salmon stewards to protect local salmon streams.
West Vancouver Streamkeepers mark storm drains with students to remind the public that all drains lead to fish.
Year End Appeal Supports Youth
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 28 November 2012 12:29
Make a tax-deductible year-end donation today and your contribution will be matched from our $20,000 challenge grant! Please click here to support programs that engage youth in salmon conservation.
To learn how the Pacific Salmon Foundation is investing in the next generation click on our newest edition of the Salmon Steward.
Returning Champion Wins Art Stamp Competition
PSF in the News
Monday, 19 November 2012 11:56
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Mrs. Munsie with Foundation president Dr. Brian Riddell holds Bill Munsie's winning painting "River Run." Munsie was unable to attend the competition this year.
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Bill Munsie with his second place win from last year's art competition for the Salmon Stamp. |
Vancouver wildlife artist Bill Munsie has won the honor of having his painting “displayed on the 2013/2014 Recreational Fisheries Conservation stamp known as the “Salmon Stamp.”
Munsie’s “River Run” was selected at the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s annual art competition by a panel of eleven artists and conservationists. This year will mark Munsie’s sixth time winning the competition and a step-up from his second place win last year. Tofino-based Mark Hobson placed second and Vancouver’s Tak Shoji placed third. The event was also highlighted by the fourth place finish of teenage wildlife artist Jimmy Ke who is the youngest artist ever to enter the competition.
The “Salmon Stamp”, is a $6.00 postage-stamp sized decal that must be purchased annually by anglers if they wish to keep Pacific salmon caught in saltwater off Canada’s west coast. Since 1989, proceeds from the stamp have provided $6.45 million for 1,363 volunteer-driven salmon projects in British Columbia.
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| Mark Hobson's second place painting. | Tak Shoji stands with his third place entry. |
From left: Foundation chair Terry Lanigan, fourth place artist Jimmy Ke, Stream of Dreams executive director Louise Towell, Foundation president Dr. Brian Riddell. Ke was introduced to salmon and the Foundation's stamp competition through work on a watershed-themed community art project with Towell's community group. |
Be a Salmon Hero! Join the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup on September 22nd!
PSF in the News
Monday, 10 September 2012 09:19
Join the Pacific Salmon Foundation in cleaning up B.C.’s shores on Saturday, September 22 at English Bay!
Why should we do our part to clear our coastline of debris? During last year’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, 26,298 plastic bags, 47,148 food wrappers and containers, and 185,906 cigarettes and cigarette filters as well as cigar tips were found on B.C.’s coastline. Of the most common items found last year, the cigarette butt is the most plentiful as well as the most toxic to fish like the Pacific salmon.
Help us do our part in protecting Pacific salmon by joining us at this year’s Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup at English Bay! Be part of our team along with our supporter and site cleanup sponsor Goldcorp on Saturday, September 22. We will be cleaning the shoreline so everyone, including our wild salmon, will have a better time along our coast. Join us on that day and you’ll receive a free Pacific Salmon Foundation cap! Please register by giving us a ring at 604-664-7664 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so we’ll know to see you there.
Read more: Be a Salmon Hero! Join the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup on September 22nd!
Jim Hart's tribute to wild Pacific salmon - A Haida masterpiece being born
PSF in the News
Monday, 16 July 2012 14:13
Last week, the Pacific Salmon Foundation team had the privilege of being invited to the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art to see renowned Haida master artist Jim Hart and his four assistants at work carving a magnificent, 16 foot by 11 foot red cedar screen celebrating wild Pacific salmon and the salmon people. Jim has dedicated the screen to telling salmon stories and features crest figures from his family. We were able to have a good chat with the artist himself! He gave us an inside scoop of what his creation will look like and what it represents to him, his family, and the salmon people.
Jim’s assistants working on the Salmon Screen. Photo by Bill Pusztai.
Check out our blog post on the Vancouver Is Awesome website to learn more, and be sure to drop by the Bill Reid Gallery to see the artist and the sculpture itself! Please call ahead to 604.682.3455 to ensure that Jim and his team will be at the gallery during your visit.
The Province Newspaper: OCEANS
PSF in the News
Thursday, 28 June 2012 09:43
BECOME A STREAMKEEPING VOLUNTEER
Pacific Salmon Foundation's Dr. Brian Riddell was quoted in The Province's special insert about ocean sustainability today. "Salmon: The bloodline of the west coast" talks of Pacific wild salmon being the foundational, keystone species of western Canada. Click the image below for the full insert.
Join us for the Campbell River Pink Salmon Festival on July 28th!
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 27 June 2012 08:36
Thank you for attending the 2012 Pink Salmon Barbeque!
PSF in the News
Monday, 25 June 2012 09:15
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel yesterday to celebrate Pacific salmon with us at the Pink Salmon Barbeque! A special thanks to the Delta Vancouver Airport team for putting on such a great event!
We also want to spend a special thank you to the young, charismatic volunteers at the event!
Pacific Salmon Foundation and Delta Vancouver Airport Staff announcing raffle winners at the 2012 Pink Salmon Barbeque
Rocky Mountaineer joins the Pacific Salmon Foundation for coho juvenille salmon release
PSF in the News
Friday, 22 June 2012 14:11
From left to right: Salmon Hero Elmer Rudolph (Sapperton Fish & Game Club), Rocky Mountaineer's Randy Powell, Angela Koh, Jeff Pelletier, and Andrea Dodd.
Salmon Hero and streamkeeper extraordinaire Elmer Rudolph of the Sapperton Fish and Game Club led Randy Powell (president and CEO of Rocky Mountaineer) and his team in releasing coho fry into the Brunette River at Hume Park, New Westminster on Wednesday, June 13th. Photographer Claudette Carracedo was on hand to capture the exciting action - you have view the Rocky Mountaineer team hard at work against the picturesque backdrop of Hume Park and Brunette River by visiting her blog.
Randy is no stranger to fry releases - in 2010, he was involved in retrieving salmon fry from a protected rearing pond in Abbotsford so the juvenille fish could be acclimated to being in river conditions before the fish were released further downstream.
Elmer, who has had over 35 years of streamkeeping experience, gave a passionate talk to the Rocky Mountaineer team before guiding them into releasing the coho fry into the Brunette River. The fish, provided by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, were one of the last batches to be released into the tributaries of the Fraser River this year.
Rocky Mountaineer has been a tremendous supporter of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, supporting our flagship grant-making program, Community Salmon Program, and also funding the Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program's Salmon Heroes award, an honour bestowed upon streamkeepers who have made a lasting contribution to the preservation, enhancement and improvement of the Fraser River watershed and its Pacific salmon populations.
Elmer Rudolph was among the few recipients who received the award in 2011. Elmer was honoured for his decades of outstanding streamkeeping work along the Brunette River. He has been instrumental in the success of the Craig Street Hatchery, which enhances struggling Pacific salmon stocks. He has also led a campaign to reduce the use of chloramine in drinking water, which harms fish. Elmer has chosen to donate the $2,500 award to the Sapperton Fish & Game Club, which he now calls his streamkeeping home.
Join us for the 2012 Pink Salmon Barbeque
PSF in the News
Friday, 22 June 2012 09:04
Join us for a fun-filled barbeque this Sunday, June 24th from 12:00pm - 3:00pm at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel (3500 Cessna Drive, Richmond, B.C.) to support the Pacific Salmon Foundation!
The Foundation, in partnership with the Delta Vancouver Airport, BC's Family Fishing Weekend and Sport Fishing Institute of BC, is hosting a Pink Salmon Barbeque this Sunday, June 24th. Join them for delicious and sustainable barbequed pink salmon (donated by Canfisco), games & exhibits, 50/50, an open swimming pool, and beer (for those aged 19+)! There's also lots of prizes to be won, including a chartered fishing adventure for six people courtesy of STS Guiding Service!
Why eat pink salmon, you ask? Pink salmon are a nutritious food source that has been traditionally overlooked by the culinary public. In the Pacific Ocean, pinks are the most abundant and sustainable salmon species - returning in very large numbers, so they can be sustainably harvested without damage to the overall resilience of the population. Also, purchasing pink salmon can help support B.C. fishers who have struggled during the last decade with low salmon returns.
To RSVP for the event, please join the Facebook event page!
Celebrate World Oceans Day: June 8th, 2012
PSF in the News
Thursday, 07 June 2012 16:35
Join us in celebrating World Oceans Day!
June 8th is World Oceans Day, a day to consider the state of our oceans. The Pacific Ocean and Strait of Georgia are home to all seven species of Pacific salmon. Some species of Pacific salmon, such as sockeye, make very long ocean migrations. Other species, like pink and chum, head directly to sea from the freshwater where they were born. For all salmon species, the ocean is a place of growth and preparation for the journey home to freshwater where they will spawn and die, providing a critical contribution to bears, eagles, trees and all of the biodiversity that depend on salmon for survival.
World Oceans Day should also be a source of inspiration to take action. For some local inspiration, here are some Salmon Heroes who have made a difference in their local watersheds! Rocky Mountaineer's Hub Wat explains why volunteerism in the salmon community makes a huge difference to us all:
Please join these Salmon Heroes in making a difference in your local watersheds by volunteering at your local streamkeeping group (a list can be found at http://www.pskf.ca/ ) or continue your support of the Pacific Salmon Foundation!
Beat My Fish Photo – And Win!
PSF in the News
Friday, 01 June 2012 12:22
Beat My Fish Photo – And Win!
From Sonora Morin, Pacific Salmon Foundation
I caught this magnificent Tyee last year off of Hoiss Point in Nootka Sound. The morning bite was non-existent, and after a good cup of chowder from Critter Cove, I was determined to get the big one. Of course the “boy” of the boat was all in panic that we hadn’t caught anything; myself, I decided to break the golden bait rule. Tired and rejected, I quickly pulled up my gear and threw on my good old white hootchie and dropped depth. Snickers and “you’ll be sorry” comments lasted about seven minutes, and then I brought this beauty on board…who said girls can’t fish?
From now until September 4th, send your favourite fish photo and a short story (100 words or less) to me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and you could have the chance to win one of the following prizes:
First: Return to Freshwater - Coho framed print by Mark Hobson
Second: PSF Fleece Jacket
Third: PSF Hat and Pin
All entries will automatically receive one of our yellow salmon-shaped PSF decals that are perfect for your boat or bumper, so remember to send me your mailing address as well!
Good luck and tight lines!
*Three finalists will be selected by members of the Pacific Salmon Foundation staff and board, and all participants agree that the Pacific Salmon Foundation can use submitted photos on the Internet, printed and social media.
Dr. Brian Riddell Receives Worthy Coelacanth Award
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 22 May 2012 14:58
Our esteemed boss, Dr. Brian Riddell, received the Worthy Coelacanth Award from the Washington-British Columbia chapter of the American Fisheries Society on Thursday, May 17th. Brian received the award for his distinguished career of outstanding contributions in creating a sustainable future for wild Pacific salmon and their habitats.
First presented in 1984, the Worthy Coelacanth Award goes to a seniro emmber (over 55 years young) of the Washington-British Columbia Chapter of the American Fisheries Society who has made an outstanding contribution to fisheries management and science. For more information on the award or the Society, please visit the American Fisheries Society: Washington-British Columbia Chapter's website.
You're invited to join our Silver Anniversary celebration!
PSF in the News
Friday, 27 April 2012 10:02
This year marks the Pacific Salmon Foundation's 25th anniversary, and to celebrate this momentous occasion, we'd like to invite you to join us at our Vancouver Gala Dinner and Auction on Wednesday, May 2nd, at the Vancouver Trade & Convention Centre!
*UPDATE: Thanks to our wonderful supporters, our 25th anniversary gala is officially sold out! But if you still want to attend and haven’t purchased a ticket, don’t worry! You can be put on our waiting list by calling Brenda McIntyre, Director of Major Events at 604-790-7920.
We're currently putting together the final touches on the event! For a sneak peek at the wonderful live auction items donated by our generous supporters, scroll down to read more!
Read more: You're invited to join our Silver Anniversary celebration!
'Like' the Pacific Salmon Foundation for a chance to win a trip for two to Dolphins Resort!
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 11 April 2012 08:26
Win a chance to escape to a world of authentic charm and old-fashioned hospitality! Dolphins Resort and the Pacific Salmon Foundation are giving you the chance to win a two nights stay and a three course dinner get away located on beautiful Vancouver Island. The winner will experience breath taking views overlooking Discovery Passage, majestic firs, and lush gardens which makes a great get away for outdoor enthusiasts, a romantic interlude or just kick back and relax.
2012 Shearwater Marine & Resorts Trips
PSF in the News
Monday, 26 March 2012 11:44
Vancouver International Boat Show - Free Draw Winner!
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 29 February 2012 11:04
Congratulations to Timothy Granger of North Vancouver for winning the Foundation's draw of a Rapala rod and reel and PSF Fleece at the 2012 Vancouver International Boat Show!
Sustaining Canada's Marine Biodiversity
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 14:37
Sustaining Canada's Marine Biodiversity
Report from the Royal Society of Canada
We are thrilled to announce that our president and CEO, Dr. Brian Riddell, was part of the panel of experts at the Royal Society of Canada selected to assess the state of Canadian marine biodiversity, a project that has been ongoing since June 2010. The essential message of the report is:
“Canada is an ocean nation. Our motto, A Mari Usque Ad Mare, means “from sea to sea.” Eight of ten provinces and all three territories — home to 86% of the Canadian population — are adjacent to salt water. Our coastline is more than 200,000 kilometres long, said to be the longest in the world. Our oceans cover some seven million square kilometres, seven-tenths the size of our landmass. We are an ocean nation. But we are failing our oceans.”
The report entitled “Sustaining Canada’s Marine Biodiversity, Responding to the Challenges Faced by Climate Change, Fisheries and Aquaculture” is a comprehensive review of our oceans and what we currently know about the biological diversity under our care. Given the vast area of our oceans, no one will be surprised that we don’t know enough yet, but you may be surprised by the conclusion of the report.
Thank you for supporting the Pacific Salmon Foundation in 2011!
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 04 January 2012 11:29
Thank you for supporting the Pacific Salmon Foundation in 2011!
Happy New Year!
The board and staff of the Pacific Salmon Foundation would like to thank everyone who has supported the Foundation in 2011!
With your help and the help of an anonymous matching donor, the Foundation has raised a total of $58,522 in our 2011 year-end appeal, making this the most successful year-end fundraising appeal to date! The contributions are helping us close the gap between the qualified projects we would like to fund, and the qualified projects we are able to fund.
We look forward to the impact these contributions will make on wild Pacific salmon sustainability and conservation.
If you've missed the year-end appeal but would still like to contribute to Pacific salmon conservation, please click here or press the orange "Donate Now" button on the top right hand corner of this page.
Thank you for your continued support of the Pacific Salmon Foundation!
Don’t forget to flash your fishing license when you check in at any Accent Inn in B.C. and the hotel will make a donation to Pacific Salmon Foundation. For more information, please click here.
Volunteers: The Backbone of the Pacific Salmon Foundation
PSF in the News
Thursday, 15 December 2011 14:10
Year-End Appeal to Support Pacific Salmon Conservation
$20,000 Donation Match Until December 31, 2011
To help the Pacific Salmon Foundation tackle the challenges facing Pacific salmon in 2012, an anonymous donor has pledged up to $20,000 in matching funds for donations made by December 31, 2011. Click here to donate on-line.
Take a look at this short video narrated by CBC’s Tony Parsons about the Foundation’s impact through volunteerism. Watch Video. On average, volunteers take every $1 invested by the Pacific Salmon Foundation and raise another $6 at the community level.
During the last 24 years, Pacific Salmon Foundation has raised and invested $9 million in more than 1,300 salmon projects and 35,000 volunteers who do the heavy lifting for Pacific salmon conservation. None of this would have been possible without the help of donors like you.
How to make a tax-deductible donation:
Online: psf.ca
Cheque: 300-1682 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 4S6
Phone: (604) 664-7664 extension 108 (Michelle Lam)
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
In Memory of Jesse Jones
PSF in the News
Monday, 12 December 2011 15:40
Thank you to Barry Stewart of Igloo Building Supplies who has pledged $50,000 to the Pacific Salmon Foundation in memory of Jesse 'Kain' Jones. Jesse was an accomplished Haida artist and worked for our friends at West Coast Resorts. Today (December 12) is Jesse’s birthday and we are honoured to accept Barry Stewart's generous support for Pacific salmon conservation in Jesse's memory.
To learn more about Jesse Jones and the Jesse Jones Charitable Fund visit: http://jessejonesmemorialfund.ca
Make a year-end donation to the Pacific Salmon Foundation today!
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 06 December 2011 15:14
Year-End Appeal to Support Pacific Salmon Conservation
$20,000 Donation Match Until December 31, 2011
To help the Pacific Salmon Foundation tackle the challenges facing Pacific salmon in 2012, an anonymous donor has pledged up to $20,000 in matching funds for donations made by December 31, 2011. Click here to donate on-line.
Take a look at this short video about the Foundation’s impact through Pacific salmon habitat renewal. Watch Video The $100,000 that we invested along with other partners resulted in a new wetland, floodplain, salmon hatchery and an upland second-growth forest with walking and equestrian trails along the Oyster River on Vancouver Island. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors.
Your donation will help ensure a sustainable future for our iconic Pacific salmon. With more than 130 species dependent on Pacific salmon abundance for survival, there is no doubt their existence is critical to the health and future of our environment and your financial support is critical to their long-term recovery and regeneration.
How to make a tax-deductible donation:
Online: psf.ca (Click on the orange "Donate Now" button on the top right hand corner)
Cheque: 300-1682 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V6J 4S6 (earmarked "2011 Year-End Appeal")
Phone: (604) 664-7664 extension 108 (Michelle Lam)
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The Victoria Foundation's 75-Hour Challenge was a success!
PSF in the News
Friday, 18 November 2011 13:55
The Victoria Foundation's 75-Hour Challenge is officially over!
Have a Salmon-Safe Thanksgiving!
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 04 October 2011 13:30
Salmon-Safe B.C. is officially launched!
In light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, Robert Belcham, executive chef and proprietor of Campagnolo Restaurant and Refuel Neighbourhood Restaurant & Bar helped the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the Fraser Basin Council promote the Salmon-Safe eco-certification label by showing us his culinary prowess in this video of him cooking a Thanksgiving dish using Salmon-Safe-certified farms' products!
The Salmon-Safe-certified products featured in this video are from:
Want to learn more about our certified farms and where to buy their products? Check out new resources on www.salmonsafe.ca
Salmon-Safe B.C. Launch - Wednesday, October 5th
PSF in the News
Monday, 03 October 2011 09:37
Backgrounder - Salmon in B.C.
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 14 September 2011 09:06
BACKGROUNDER
Salmon in BC
Salmon are at the heart of British Columbia's culture, economy and environment. The well-being of our salmon is a direct reflection of how we are doing as stewards of our environment.
Cultural, economic and ecological value
People and salmon have maintained a complex relationship in the Pacific Northwest for at least 10,000 years. B.C. First Nations have a deep spiritual relationship with salmon dating back thousands of years, and many First Nations communities are founded on traditional fishing grounds.
Salmon are a critical part of B.C. commercial fishing, with about 28 million salmon caught annually. BC sport fishing and wilderness tourism attract more than $1 billion in spending annually.
Salmon have evolved over eons to be interdependent with all elements of their environment. Pacific salmon carry nutrients from the sea back to our freshwater streams, fertilizing B.C.'s forest ecosystems and supporting about 137 species (plants, insects, birds, mammals, other fish, etc).
Management
Fisheries management seeks to conserve salmon diversity and sustain fisheries, fulfill First Nations' rights to food, social and ceremonial fishing, and distribute fishing opportunities amongst all users.
Many environmental problems affect salmon. These include climate conditions that change flows and temperatures of streams, and changes that impact Nature's cycles (e.g., Mountain Pine Beetle outbreak and invasive species).
Salmon habitat can be lost due to pressures from development. Some forestry, agriculture and mining industry practices can destroy salmon habitat, as can urban development.
Managers deal with inherently variable environments, including ocean conditions that remain largely unexplained but directly contribute to declines in salmon production.
Our salmon community and BC's Living Rivers Trust Fund
In many BC communities, stewardship groups largely staffed by volunteers work to reduce the impact of human behaviours on the well-being of salmon. Operating in the Fraser Basin, Georgia Basin, Vancouver Island and the Skeena Watershed for the past six years, the Living Rivers Trust Fund has enabled community-led work by funding projects and strategically fostering collaboration, innovation, capacity and leadership. Living Rivers projects have
restored critical salmon habitat in key areas of the province,
improved the information and methods available for fisheries management,
increased the engagement of First Nations in watershed and fisheries stewardship,
convened diverse and even contentious perspectives to address common interests in watersheds and fisheries,
improved management of water quality and quantity and
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engaged strategic audiences with action for and improved understanding of their watersheds.
Examples of the several hundred projects supported to date include
the Count on Salmon initiative, that applied innovative methods to improve in-season assessments about numbers and types of salmon as they migrate through the lower Fraser River
enhanced steelhead monitoring and management planning on the Skeena River
the single largest habitat restoration project on Vancouver Island at Stoltz Bluff on the Cowichan River
the Millstone River falls bypass fishway in Nanaimo
Salmon-Safe BC, an eco-certification program linking land management practices in agricultural and urban watersheds with the protection of salmon in their local streams
the Chehalis trail to resolve longstanding conflicts between First Nations and sport fishers over river access
Catalyst Paper's efforts to build a new $2 Million saddle dam at Robertson Creek to benefit salmon sustainability in the Somass watershed
peer-to-peer education and services for the agricultural sector on maintaining riparian land
improved catch monitoring data for First Nations fisheries through software introduction and training
conversion of sludge from sewage treatment into fertilizer pellets for treating low productivity salmon streams
watershed management planning for the Bonaparte, Capilano-Seymour, Chilko, Coquitlam, Cowichan, Englishman, Horsefly, Nicola, Salmon, Skeena, Somass and Theodosia Rivers and Cultus and Shuswap Lakes,
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bringing together government and industry to build a framework for collaborative watershed governance in BC.
Salmon journey
Pacific salmon in BC include seven species: sockeye, pink, chum, coho and Chinook, steelhead and cutthroat trout.
The vast majority of Pacific salmon are anadromous: born in freshwater steams ("home stream"), spend some or all of their adult lives in the ocean, return to their home stream to spawn, and then die soon after spawning to support the next generation of salmon.
Chinook salmon are known to travel more than 16,000 kilometres to and from the Pacific Ocean.
During ocean migration, salmon travel distances as great as 56 kilometres per day, using coastal currents to propel them forward.
An estimated 10 billion salmon smolts enter the Gulf of Alaska from surrounding North American rivers each year.
Pacific salmon utilize streams throughout approximately three-quarters of British Columbia.
Salmon as a symbol of BC
In the minds of many people, salmon are already a symbol of our great province. Salmon images are favoured by our artists and tourism organizations because they have come to define how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. However, we have no official fish.
Six other BC emblems have been designated over the past 60 years:
dogwood as official flower, 1956
jade as official mineral, 1968
BC tartan as official tartan, 1974
Steller's jay as official bird, 1987
western red cedar as official tree, 1988
spirit bear as official mammal, 2006
Lattimer Gallery Event
PSF in the News
Monday, 12 September 2011 13:26
Pacific Salmon Foundation remembers our dear friends, James "Jim" Eugene Jose and John Michael "Mike" Nicell
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 07 September 2011 09:28
Pacific Salmon Foundation is proud to support thousands of volunteers who do the heavy lifting of Pacific salmon conservation, restoration and enhancement. Among these volunteers are many leaders who are deeply passionate and committed about organizing salmon projects in their communities.
The community of Maple Ridge recently lost one of these leaders, Jim Jose, whose boyhood memories of fishing inspired him to help develop a fish hatchery program in his community. The Pacific Salmon Foundation honours Jim’s commitment and extends sincere sympathy to his family and friends. Obituary of Jim Jose: http://www.mapleridgefuneral.ca/obits/obituary.php?id=109232
Mike Nicell was also a leader in salmon conservation. Throughout his years in Greater Vancouver as well as Union Bay, he was very active in the salmon community by participating in many salmon enhancement projects and acting as the president of the Hart Washer Creek Society. The Pacific Salmon Foundation would like to honour Mike's hard work and dedication to salmon conservation, and express our sympathies to his family and friends. Obituary of Mike Nicell: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/can-vancouver/obituary.aspx?n=john-michael-nicell-mike&pid=153300479
2011 Pink Salmon Festival - Raffle Winners
PSF in the News
Thursday, 01 September 2011 13:07
Field Visit: Whonnock Lake Habitat Monitoring
PSF in the News
Thursday, 01 September 2011 08:21
Whonnock Lake Habitat Monitoring
(August 30, 2011)
Dianne Ramage, Jim Shinkewski, Sanjit Purewal and Michelle Lam of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, along with Lindsay Gardner of the Fraser Basin Council, drove out to Whonnock Lake (in the District of Maple Ridge) to act as a third-party assessment team to monitor the compensation habitat (to compensate for the destruction of fish habitat) that was built in July of 2008.
Whonnock Lake, August 30, 2011
Thank you for coming to the Pink Salmon Festival!
PSF in the News
Monday, 29 August 2011 09:03
A huge thank you for everyone who came out to the 2011 Pink Salmon Festival! Because of you, the event was a great success!
A special thanks to our brilliant chefs:
Robert Clark Garrett Schack Ron "Rockin' Ronnie" Shewchuk
And our sponsors:
If you would like to have recipes from our three chefs, please click here. You can also see them busy at the grills in this video.
If you have any great pink salmon recipes, please share them with us online by posting it on our Facebook page or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !
Please feel free to provide us any feedback on the festival! We welcome your comments! Please call us at 604.664.7664 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !
See you at the next Pink Salmon Festival!
2011 Pink Salmon Festival: TODAY at Vanier/Hadden Park from Noon to 5 p.m.!
PSF in the News
Saturday, 27 August 2011 20:29
Follow the pink salmon Flogos to find us at Vanier/Hadden Park today from noon to 5 p.m. for some delicious pink salmon, entertainment, and much more!
Pink Salmon Recipes
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 24 August 2011 13:10
As the 2011 Pink Salmon Festival is approaching, we would like to share with you some pink salmon recipes from the festival's culinary pros: Robert Clark (Executive Chef, C Restaurant), Garrett Schack (Executive Chef, Chateau Victoria & Vista 18 Restaurant), and Ron "Rockin' Ronnie" Shewchuk (Rockin' Ronnie's Butt Shredders)! Click "Read More" at the bottom!
If you have any great pink salmon recipes, please share them with us online by posting it on our Facebook page or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !
Please remember to save the date for this year's 2011 Pink Salmon Festival on Sunday, August 28th at Vanier/Hadden Park from noon to 5pm for food, entertainment and fun!
Click here to join the event Facebook page, see past year's pictures, and more! RSVP, then share the event with your family and friends!
2011 Pink Salmon Festival in the news!
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 24 August 2011 12:58
Check out Mia Stainsby's article "Cooking up support for an 'ugly duckling'" in the Vancouver Sun's Food section today or view the article online along with Robert Clark (C Restaurant)'s recipes for cooking pink salmon by clicking here!
If you have any great pink salmon recipes, please share them with us online by posting it on our Facebook page or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it !
Please remember to save the date for this year's 2011 Pink Salmon Festival on Sunday, August 28th at Vanier/Hadden Park from noon to 5pm for food, entertainment and fun!
Click here to join the event Facebook page, see past year's pictures, and more! RSVP, then share the event with your family and friends!
Watch Pinks Fly!
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 23 August 2011 11:19
When will consumers realize what’s missing in their salmon diet?
When Pinks fly!
Watch for pink salmon in the Vancouver skies during Sunday August 28th Pink Salmon Festival
Click here to join the event Facebook page, see past year's pictures, and more! RSVP, then share the event with your family and friends!
The Vancouver Sun's Food section has covered the event. Click here to read the article!
Culinary Pros Headline Pink Salmon Festival
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 16 August 2011 16:43
Three culinary pros have signed on to prepare complimentary pink salmon at the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Pink Salmon Festival - Noon to 5:00 p.m on August 28th at Vancouver’s Vanier/Hadden Park. Two local chefs will reprise the roles they played at the Foundation’s inaugural Pink Salmon Festival in 2009: Sustainable food advocate Robert Clark, executive chef of C Restaurant, and Ron "Rockin' Ronnie" Shewchuk, Canada's leading proponent of traditional southern-style barbecue. They will be joined by Garrett Schack, executive chef at the Chateau Victoria and Vista 18 Restaurant, and leader of a group of chefs working to promote a sustainable local food system on Vancouver Island.
Each chef will bring their own special flare and talents to the preparation of 3,500 pounds of pink salmon donated by Gold Seal – Canfisco. Additional sponsors include Port Metro Vancouver, HSBC, Vancouver Courier and Rebel Communications.
More about the chefs:
Robert Clark, Executive Chef, C Restaurant
Born in Montreal and raised on the Gaspe Peninsula, Clark’s passion for cooking and the environment was formed at a young age. He grew up cooking in his grandmother’s kitchen and angling along the salmon-rich York River. Through indulging in these childhood pastimes, he learned to appreciate the value of fresh fish and the their delicate ecosystems.
Today he is a part of a growing legion of chefs who believe restaurants have a unique opportunity to help contribute to the environment by educating people about their food choices.
Clark has been instrumental in the creation of Ocean Wise and the annual Spotted Prawn Festival in Vancouver. He was also a founding board member of the B.C. Chefs’ Table Society. In March 2011, Clark was awarded the Seafood Champion Award from SeaWeb for his oceans advocacy work.
Garrett Schack, Executive Chef, Chateau Victoria and Vista 18 Restaurant
Garrettt Schack was born in Pedder Bay, BC, but also lived in New Brunswick, witnessing first-hand the collapse of the cod industry. “With the cod industry it was a case of being reactive rather than proactive” said Schack. “If we don’t focus on Pacific salmon sustainability now they could easily face the same devastation in the future.”
Also a sport fisherman, Schack became interested in salmon conservation through his work in the restaurant industry. In 2009, Schack took initiative following the collapse of the Fraser river sockeye fishery by offering pink salmon on the Vista 18 menu.
Thanks to his leadership, $1.00 from every salmon entrée sold is donated to the Pacific Salmon Foundation. Schack is also a leader within the Island Chefs Collaborative, a group of chef's and industry professionals from Southern Vancouver Island who are working to promote a sustainable local food system.
Ron "Rockin' Ronnie" Shewchuk
Ron Shewchuk was born in Edmonton, Alberta, trained as a journalist at Carleton University in Ottawa and now lives with his wife Kate and children, Zoe and Jake, in North Vancouver, British Columbia. When he isn't in his back yard tending something on the grill, he's a speechwriter and communications consultant.
Ron is never far away from a grill or a smoker, whether he's teaching cooking classes, appearing as a guest chef on TV, writing articles for food publications, or barbecuing up a storm on the competitive circuit.
Ron isn't just a barbecue enthusiast - he's Canada's leading proponent of traditional, southern-style barbecue. As chief cook of Rockin' Ronnie's Butt Shredders, he's led his team to more competition victories than any Canadian team in the history of championship barbecue.
RSVP for the 2011 Pink Salmon Festival
PSF in the News
Friday, 12 August 2011 13:50
Click here to join the event Facebook page, see past year's pictures, and more! RSVP, then share the event with your family and friends!
A FREE FESTIVAL IN THE HEART OF VANCOUVER TO CELEBRATE THE RETURN OF PINK SALMON
PSF in the News
Thursday, 28 July 2011 15:55
Click here to RSVP on the Facebook event page.
Premier Vancouver chefs serve up pink salmon to the public at
the Foundation's inaugural Pink Salmon Festival in 2009.
Executive Chef Robert Clark (C Restaurant) teams up with the Pacific Salmon Foundation to celebrate pink salmon as one of B.C.’s most sustainable seafoods!
With returns of 17.5 million pink salmon projected to return to the Fraser River in August, the second biennial Pink Salmon Festival will serve up delicious complimentary pink salmon to the public and promote pink salmon as a sustainable seafood choice. The event is scheduled to be held at Vanier/ Hadden Park on Sunday, August 28 from noon to 5:00 p.m. Members of the public will be treated to barbecued pink salmon donated by Goldseal - Canfisco and prepared by premier Vancouver chefs.Pink salmon are a nutritious food source that has been traditionally overlooked by the culinary public. In the Pacific, pinks are the most abundant and sustainable salmon species - returning in very large numbers, so they can be sustainably harvested without damage to the overall resilience of the population. Also, purchasing pink salmon can help support B.C. fishers who have struggled over the last decade with low salmon returns.
Long-time seafood sustainability advocate and executive chef Robert Clark, will prepare the menu to showcase pink salmon as a delicious and sustainable alternative to other salmon species.
Born in Montreal and raised on the Gaspe Peninsula, Clark’s passion for cooking and the environment was formed at a young age. He grew up cooking in his grandmother’s kitchen and angling along the salmon-rich York River. Through indulging in these childhood pastimes, he learned to appreciate the value of fresh fish and the delicate ecosystem that supports it. Today he is a part of a growing legion of chefs that believe that restaurants have a unique opportunity to help contribute to the environment by educating people about their food choices.Clark has been instrumental in the creation of the annual Spotted Prawn festival in Vancouver, assisting the Vancouver Aquarium in developing and launching the Ocean Wise program, and has sat on the board of the B.C. Chefs’ Table Society since its beginning. In March 2011, Clark was awarded the Seafood Champion Award from SeaWeb for his oceans advocacy work.
“Our message to the public is that we as consumers have the power to ensure that salmon have a future for us to enjoy,” said Dr. Brian Riddell, president & CEO of the Foundation. “Salmon are a keystone species in British Columbia from a cultural, environmental and economic perspective. Pink salmon, which are expected to be particularly abundant this year in the Fraser River, have the ability to serve as an abundant human food source while also adequately supporting ecosystems that depend on them for survival. Pink salmon can truly be a sustainable seafood in practice and not just words.”
Volunteer Spotlight: Watership Stewardship Award Recognizes Jim Torry and Victor Elderton
Salmon in the News
Tuesday, 12 July 2011 11:05
(Above) Coho Society Co-Chair, Tom Boppart, presenting The Watershed Stewardship Award to Jim Torry.
The Pacific Salmon Foundation would like to join the Coho Society in recognizing Jim Torry of West Vancouver Streamkeepers and Victor Elderton of North Vancouver Outdoor School for thier contributions to salmon enhancement.
From time to time the Coho Society recognizes individuals who make a special contribution to North Shore’s salmonid enhancement cause.The two men were recipients of the 2011 Watershed Stewardship Awards presented at the Coho Society of the North Shore's 2011 Annual General Meeting on June 27, 2011.
Read more: Volunteer Spotlight: Watership Stewardship Award Recognizes Jim Torry and Victor Elderton
Win a Whistler Getaway and Raise Money for Salmon
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 05 July 2011 08:30
You can help us raise $10,000 for Pacific salmon just by entering to win a summer getaway to Whistler! Kokanee will donate $1 to the Pacific Salmon Foundation up to $10,000 for every contest entry. No purchase necessary. One contest entry per day per person. Please help us reach our goal by forwarding this message to family and friends.
Win one of three trips to Whistler, including two nights hotel accommodation and $250 spending money. Visit www.kokaneemobile.ca or enter by mail.
To enter by mail, send statement "I am of legal drinking age or older and a resident of British Columbia" along with your signature to:
Kokanee ‘BCLDB Whistler Summer Getaway’ contest
179 John Street, 6th floor
Toronto Ontario, Canada M5T 1X4.
You must be a B.C. resident and of legal drinking age to enter.
Contest ends 11:59 p.m., July 31, 2011
Wild Pink Salmon Cakes
PSF in the News
Monday, 27 June 2011 14:00
Sustainable Wild Pink Salmon Cakes
Victoria based restaurant Vista 18 in the Chateau Victoria recently announced a new corporate commitment to wild salmon sustainability. The restaruant will donate $1 to the Pacific Salmon Foundation for every wild pink salmon dish sold. Wild pink salmon are a very sustainable seafood choice for several reasons:
- In the North Pacific pinks are the most abundant and sustainable salmon species.
- Pink salmon also return in very large numbers, so they can be sustainably harvested without damage to the overall resilience of the population.
- Buying local pink salmon could be also be great way to support our local fishers who have struggled with salmon returns in recent years.
Here is a simple way to turn impress your family and friends with this easy to make wild pink salmon cakes recipe courtesy of Vista 18 executive chef Garrett Schack. For a video of Schack preparing another one of his delectable wild pink salmon dishes click here.
VANCOUVER SALMON VOLUNTEER GROUPS RECEIVE $112,000 IN GRANTS
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 22 June 2011 11:58
Bowen Island group to restore local salmon spawning habitat with gravel project
VANCOUVER – Fourteen volunteer groups in the Metro Vancouver area have received $112,687 to support the conservation and recovery of Pacific salmon populations and habitat in British Columbia. The grants were provided through the 2011 spring funding round of the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Community Salmon Program.
One group, Bowen Island Fish & Wildlife Club has received $8,260 to improve popular coho and chum spawning habitat near the outflow of Terminal and Killarney Creeks into the Howe Sound. Over the past decade gravel has migrated downstream depleting gravel levels, and some silt has settled in the spawning bed. Fish need gravel to build their egg nests (redds). Gravel is an ideal material because it is porous and allows oxygen-rich water to flow over eggs. Whereas other materials like silt cover and choke eggs, cutting off the oxygen supply. The project will increase the number of coho and chum spawning in the area by raising the level of gravel, re-shaping the gravel bed and removing silt.
Read more: VANCOUVER SALMON VOLUNTEER GROUPS RECEIVE $112,000 IN GRANTS
70 pound salmon caught off coast of Queen Charlotte Islands
Salmon in the News
Monday, 06 June 2011 11:45
One lucky angler, Steve Fancsy from Ontario, Canada hooked a 70.8 pound salmon over the weekend at Englefield Bay Lodge on the West side of Queen Charlotte Islands, taking home a $115,000 cash prize. Caught on the first day of the Annual Salmon Masters Tournament, the king salmon was the largest ever caught in the nine years the tournament has been running.
The tournament was run by West Coast Resorts and operates from June 2-4 at three of thier B.C. lodges: The Lodge at Hippa Island, The Lodge at Englefield Bay and The Lodge at Whale Channel on the central coastline of British Columbia just north of Bella Bella.
Read more: 70 pound salmon caught off coast of Queen Charlotte Islands
Two Farms First to Earn “Salmon-Safe” Distinction in Canada
PSF in the News
Monday, 06 June 2011 09:31
The Pacific Salmon Foundation has announced that two lower mainland based organic farms have received their Salmon-Safe certification - the first farms to receive the distinction in British Columbia and Canada. Salmon-Safe is an eco-certification label that provides landowners and farmers guidelines to help improve land management practices that impact salmon habitat.
Klippers Organic Acres in Vancouver and The Bees Knees Christmas Trees in Chilliwack were the first two farms to become certified as Salmon-Safe. Klippers Organic Acres is a near 40 acre operation including an organic orchard and market garden in the Similkameen Valley. The Bees Knees Christmas Trees is a family-owned organic tree business growing on two farms in the Columbia Valley without the use of chemicals of any kind.
Read more: Two Farms First to Earn “Salmon-Safe” Distinction in Canada
Vista 18 Announces New Commitment to Pacific Salmon
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 01 June 2011 12:42
Vista 18 Restaurant and the Pacific Salmon Foundation are teaming up to raise money to support salmon restoration and regeneration in British Columbia. The restaurant recently announced that it will launch a charitable pink salmon menu promotion and host a public salmon art easel to benefit the Pacific Salmon Foundation.
Beginning on April 27, the charitable menu promotion will feature a wild pink salmon preserved lemon and fennel salad on the Vista 18 lunch menu and signature wild pink salmon dish for dinner. One dollar from each item will be donated to the Foundation to support volunteer projects that support restoration and regeneration of Pacific salmon across the province. (Click here to watch Schack prepare one of his signature dishes.)
Read more: Vista 18 Announces New Commitment to Pacific Salmon
Show your fishing license this weekend and support salmon
Salmon in the News
Thursday, 19 May 2011 12:46
If you are hitting the road this weekend, you should know about a great way to support the Pacific Salmon Foundation. When you check in at any Accent Inn in B.C. and show your fishing license, you will trigger a donation to Pacific salmon restoration. The Foundation’s Mike Meneer sat down this week with Accent Inn’s John Espley to talk about ‘Fish for the Future”.
The Strait of Georgia: A neglected jewel in our own backyards
Salmon in the News
Thursday, 12 May 2011 11:43
An article in the May 5 online edition of Scientific American, discusses a recent theory that suggests salmon leukemia may be a major culprit for declines in returning Fraser sockeye populations. According to a quote from Foundation president Dr. Brian Riddell, “changing the environmental quality in the Strait of Georgia” could provide a major solution to the problem.
The article “Upstream Battle: What Is Killing Off the Fraser River's Sockeye Salmon?” is based on a study by a team of scientists led by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Lead study author was Kristi Miller-Saunders, a molecular geneticist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada.Read more: The Strait of Georgia: A neglected jewel in our own backyards
Bear Creek Nature Park Unveiled
Salmon in the News
Thursday, 05 May 2011 13:13
This February, the Pacific Salmon Foundation granted $100,000 to Ducks Unlimited for a 161 acre protected wildlife land purchase on the Oyster River called Bear Creek Nature Park. Land title was jointly registered under Ducks Unlimited and the Comox Valley Regional District. The Oyster River Enhancement Society will be working closely with the district to provide recreational and public education opportunities through operation of their volunteer-run hatchery located in the park. The society provides opportunities for involvement through events, volunteerism, sponsorship and educational programs.
Foundation salmon director honored for volunteerism
Salmon in the News
Wednesday, 27 April 2011 15:49
Volunteer Streamkeepers are truly the backbone of Pacific Salmon Foundation programs and its ability to make an impact for Pacific salmon in British Columbia. These volunteers toil for countless hours in B.C. streams and creeks – ensuring that Pacific salmon have a clean place to return to and spawn. Needless to say, the Foundation was very proud to learn that one of its own was honored through the Coquitlam 2011 Volunteer Recognition Awards. Last week , director of salmon programs Dianne Ramage was mentioned in an article “Port Coquitlam honors its volunteers,” for her thousands of hours of volunteerism dedicated to environment protection and enhancement.
Read more: Foundation salmon director honored for volunteerism
Salmon Leukemia: Key to Salmon Declines?
Salmon in the News
Wednesday, 20 April 2011 09:12
Devastating Pacific salmon losses over the last decade have provoked wide-spread public concern, and more recently the Cohen Commission to investigate possible causes. As a "keystone species" in British Columbia, Pacific salmon support more than 130 other species as a vital nutrient source. To the people of British Columbia, they are an economic driver creating more than two billion dollars in recreational fishing spin-offs and serving as cultural cornerstones to the First Nations and many fishing communities that dot the West Coast. Their disappearance would cause a negative cascading effect for our environment, economy and culture.
Now a new theory has emerged hypothesizing that wild salmon are suffering from a viral infection that could be linked to genes associated with leukemia and lymphoma. Foundation CEO and president Dr. Brian Riddell commented in an article in the March 20 edition of the province "Leukemia-type virus may be killing Fraser River salmon: Dead fish swimming' up river after infected in open Pacific." that discusses the new theory.
Outstanding Volunteer May Get Named Building
Salmon in the News
Monday, 18 April 2011 09:14
Last week the Burnaby Newsleader ran a story about Jennifer Atchison, an extraordinary volunteer and streamkeeper that the Foundation had the honor of getting to know through her years of dedication with the Stoney Creek Streamkeeper Group. According to the story “Building could be named for Jennifer Atchison,” a portable located on the grounds of Stoney Creek Community School is being considered for a name change in recognition of her legacy of dedication to protecting and improving the salmon resource.
Atchison passed away after a brave battle with cancer on August 20, 2010 leaving behind many friends, family, admirers and a legacy of accomplishments. The Foundation had the honor of awarding Atchison’s service to salmon conservation in British Columbia at the Vancouver Dinner last year. The award was named for the Foundation’s first chairman George Hungerford, and was created to recognize an outstanding community volunteer with a long record of service to B.C. salmon conservation. As part of the award, Atchison was able to direct a $10,000 grant to her streamkeeping group for future projects.
Japan Trajedy Raises Salmon Concerns
PSF in the News
Monday, 11 April 2011 13:29
Foundation CEO and president Dr. Brian Riddell joined host Marc Montgomery on The Link yesterday to talk about the risk to Pacific salmon of radiation from the Japanese nuclear disaster. Concern has been raised that radioactive water reaching Canadian shores could contaminate our Pacific salmon populations. To learn more and listen to the podcast go to The Link's top stories at: http://www.rcinet.ca/english/column/the-link-s-top-stories/15-55_2011-04-07-will-japanese-radiation-contaminate-canada-s-pacific-salmonr/
Salmon in the News
Salmon in the News
Thursday, 31 March 2011 12:26
Foundation CEO and president Dr. Brian Riddell lent his support and commentary in an article on CBC News on March 31. The article Strong salmon hearts may hedge against climate change, discusses a unique adaptation of sockeye salmon and underlines the mystery still surrounding them.
The article comes at at time when public interest regarding Fraser sockeye has been fueled by two consecutive years of vastly polarized returns and the current Cohen commission. The article also discusses the survival of sockeye from Chilko Lake. Last year, the Pacific Salmon Foundation in partnership with Rocky Mountaineer Vacations spearheaded a groundbreaking study to determine where and when Chilko Lake Fraser sockeye were dying along the migration route.
Salmon Are In Everything
Salmon in the News
Friday, 25 March 2011 12:45
Excellent article on the front page of the Vancouver Sun today called "Salmon play hidden role in forest growth, researchers find."
Did you know that more than 130 species depend on salmon? That's why supporting the Pacific Salmon Foundation is supporting the overall environment. You can show support for Pacific salmon and the environment today with a secure online donation.
One of the most important things Pacific salmon do is die. When they return to spawn, salmon become a conveyor belt of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, protein and fat. As the bodies of spawning salmon break down, nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients become available to streamside vegetation. According to Dr. Tom Reimchen of the University of Victoria, the nitrogen in salmon carcasses is a critical tree fertilizer and trees on the banks of salmon-rich rivers grow faster than their counterparts.
Last Chance: Watch Hockey for Salmon!
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 16 March 2011 11:53
Don't forget! Victoria Salmon Kings face the Utah Grizzlies this Saturday, March 19 for a charitable hockey game.
$3 from each advance ticket sold by Thursday, March 17 will be donated to the Pacific Salmon Foundation. Tickets can be bought online or in person at Island Outfitters.
Additionally, all Chuck-a-Puck proceeds from the evening will be donated to the Foundation. The Chuck-a-Puck promotion will give fans the chance to hit as many as three prize targets on the ice: a getaway fishing package for two to the Queen Charlotte Islands courtesy of West Coast Resorts valued at over $5,000, a Rocky Mountaineer trip to Whistler, and a prize package that includes a low-flow toilet and rain barrel.
Salmon and Climate Change
Salmon in the News
Wednesday, 09 March 2011 16:48
Pacific salmon are a “keystone” species in British Columbia that need to be protected. Their homes stretch from mountain streams to the middle of the ocean and more than 130 species are dependent on salmon abundance for survival. This is why organizations like the Pacific Salmon Foundation are necessary to galvanize support for this invaluable resource and continue educating people and organizations on what needs to be done for their continued survival. We often speak of the threats of overfishing, commercial development and disease to salmon survival. But an article in the Vancouver Sun yesterday Shrinking ice threatens to disrupt Artic ecosystem, reminded us about one seldom discussed but equally dangerous threat – climate change.
Sandbar Artshow Tonight!
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 02 March 2011 08:50
Conservation artist Bill Munsie and the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Reg Tupper were guests today on Shaw Cable’s Studio 4 to discuss tonight‘s salmon art show and charity auction at the Sandbar Restaurant. Take a look at the video clip here and get a sense of what will happen at tonight's event. They were also featured on the Global BC Morning News this morning at 7:55 a.m.
Salmon in the News
Salmon in the News
Friday, 25 February 2011 16:14
We thought you might be interested in our perspective on articles in the February 24 editions of the Vancouver Sun and Globe and Mail respectively called, Eagles haunt the dump after chum run fails and Starving eagles 'falling out of the sky'.
Our thoughts…
Chum salmon are typically a low economic value salmon species with little government investment being committed to their management or assessment. But, we think yesterday's articles showed that salmon provide vital contributions that are often more difficult to measure and sometimes overlooked – namely cultural and environmental.Bugs and Fish Return to Tsolum River
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 12:34
Partnerships are at the heart of Pacific Salmon Foundation’s strategic approach to salmon restoration and regeneration in British Columbia. The Foundation works with provincial and local governments, businesses and volunteers to fund volunteer-driven projects across the province. One partnership we are particularly proud of contributing to is the Tsolum River Partnership.
Forty years of toxic runoff from an abandoned copper mine nearly decimated the salmon populations in the Tsolum River. Now the return of aquatic bugs are a promise of renewal for vital fish habitat. The insects are an important food source for salmon and trout, and according to recent returns the fish are benefitting.
Salmon in the News
Salmon in the News
Tuesday, 15 February 2011 11:09
We thought you might be interested in our perspective on a front-page story from today’s Vancouver Sun, Fertilizers boost declining B.C. fish populations.
Our thoughts…
Streams, rivers and their ecosystems need healthy and abundant salmon populations to thrive and some community salmon projects supported by the Foundation have used fertilizers to augment the nutrients provided to their watersheds by salmon carcasses. We think today’s article in the Sun is certainly “good news” on this front because it highlights a new fertilizer made from recycled municipal waste that is more cost-efficient and cleaner to produce – less carbon emissions and fewer contaminants.
Salmon Art Charity Auction at Granville Island’s Sandbar Restaurant
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 08 February 2011 17:00
The Sandbar Restaurant on Granville Island and Pacific Salmon Foundation are teaming up to raise money to support salmon restoration and regeneration with a charitable “Salmon Art Show” on Wednesday, March 2.
The art show will provide an opportunity to purchase striking images of salmon in their natural B.C. habitat. For anyone who has bought a fishing licence in the last twenty five years the romantic images of silver fish, dynamic in their natural environment and pursuing their prey, will be very familiar. These images have appeared for the last 23 years on the Salmon Conservation Stamp that every angler must buy in order to keep salmon caught in B.C.’s tidal waters.
Read more: Salmon Art Charity Auction at Granville Island’s Sandbar Restaurant
85% Support Salmon to Become a BC Symbol
PSF in the News
Thursday, 20 January 2011 11:38
Vancouver, BC – Ninety-five per cent of British Columbians named Pacific salmon as B.C.’s most iconic fish, according to a recent poll commissioned by the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the Fraser Basin Council. Moreover, 85% of those surveyed said they support a proposal to designate wild Pacific salmon as an official symbol of the province. The telephone survey of 502 people across the province was conducted by the Mustel Group between October 5 and October 15, 2010 and the results are considered accurate within a ±4.4% margin of error.
New Fishing Lodge Supporter: Shearwater Resort and Marina
PSF in the News
Thursday, 06 January 2011 13:38
By: Elayne Sun ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
Wild Pacific salmon conservation will receive a new source of support from Shearwater Resort and Marina. Shawn Nagurney who manages sportfishing sales and marketing at Shearwater Resort and Marina, reached out to the Pacific Salmon Foundation with an offer to add an optional conservation surcharge to all of Shearwater Resort and Marina’s invoices.
Read more: New Fishing Lodge Supporter: Shearwater Resort and Marina
'Rivers' Photo Exhibition to Benefit PSF
PSF in the News
Friday, 03 December 2010 14:48
Vancouver Photographer Adrian O’Brien set to unveil “Rivers” Photographic Exhibition, on December 9th, 2010 in Vancouver British Columbia. “Rivers” has been a five-year project for O’Brien, which explores salmon bearing streams throughout British Columbia.
The widely varied collection of photographs range from traditional landscapes to abstract images that all relate to a solitary subject, “Rivers”. The series depicts the struggles faced by British Columbia’s once prolific salmon bearing streams, many of which have now either been reduced to a mere trickle, or are barely able to sustain a mere sampling of the salmon runs they once supported. The final collection consists of 25 photographs, and features a number of prolific Rivers including the Fraser River, Thompson River, Harrison River and Chilliwack River to name just a few.
2011/12 Salmon Conservation Stamp Art Competition Winner
PSF in the News
Friday, 19 November 2010 11:49
ONTARIO ARTIST WINS SALMON CONSERVATION ART CONTEST
(November 19, 2010) – An Ontario artist has won the honour of having his painting of a Chinook salmon appear on the federal fishing license decal required to keep Pacific salmon caught in saltwater off Canada's west coast. Known as the salmon conservation stamp, anglers must buy the $6.30 postage stamp sized decal annually, and each year a new image for the decal is selected through a contest run by the Vancouver-based Pacific Salmon Foundation.
Click here to see the winning painting and read the full story.
RBC Blue Water Speech in Prince George
PSF in the News
Friday, 19 November 2010 11:15
Pacific Salmon Foundation President and CEO Dr. Brian Riddell recently discussed the state of wild Pacific salmon at a luncheon sponsored by RBC Royal Bank in Prince George. Riddell was invited to Prince George to discuss the RBC Blue Water Project - an innovative, wide-ranging, 10-year global commitment to help protect the world's most precious natural resource: fresh water. It includes a $50 million philanthropic commitment to supporting organizations that protect watersheds and ensure access to clean drinking water. Since 2007, RBC has pledged over $24 million to more than 285 not-for-profit organizations worldwide that protect watersheds or ensure access to clean drinking water. The Pacific Salmon Foundation is one of 53 organizations in British Columbia that has received grants through the program.
Riddell also visited with the editorial board of the Prince George Free Press, which published an article on the visit. Read the article.
Learn more about the RBC Blue Water Project at bluewater.rbc.com
Vancouver Sun Online Op-Ed: A 'sea change' for wild Pacific salmon
PSF in the News
Monday, 25 October 2010 16:18
Appeared in the October 13 online edition of the Vancouver Sun
By: Dr. Brian Riddell
In the last month we saw the "good news" story about the historic return of wild Pacific sockeye salmon to the Fraser River. October will bring more good news when millions of these sockeye return to the Adams River to spawn and create the next generation. Thousands of visitors will make a pilgrimage to Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park to witness this natural phenomenon as the river becomes choked with crimson red sockeye.
This historic sockeye run is providing a wonderful "teachable moment" that should restore hope in the face of what has been a growing sense of disillusion about the future for wild salmon in British Columbia. It could also usher in a much-needed "sea change" in our appreciation of wild salmon and our willingness to invest in a better understanding of this resource. Dr. David Suzuki rightly summarized the 2010 sockeye return as "a gift we can't afford to take for granted."
Read more: Vancouver Sun Online Op-Ed: A 'sea change' for wild Pacific salmon
Adams River Salute to the Sockeye
PSF in the News
Tuesday, 28 September 2010 10:32
In the last month we have seen a “good news” story emerge about wild salmon with the historic return of Sockeye salmon in the Fraser River. (Sockeye is one of seven species of wild salmon that live in the waters of British Columbia, along with Coho, Chinook, Chum, and Pink salmon, and Cutthroat and Steelhead Trout).
October will add more good news when millions of those Sockeye salmon return to the Adams River to spawn and die, thus completing their two to three year life cycle. More than 100,000 visitors will make a pilgrimage to the Adams River and Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park to witness this natural phenomenon as the river becomes choked with dead rotting salmon. As these fish decompose, nutrients will leach back into the river, providing nourishment for some 190 species of plants and animals – from algae, fungi, and mosses to insects, birds and large mammals, as well as salmon offspring. As scavengers drag the rotting salmon into the forest the remains seep nitrogen into the forest floor, which acts as a natural fertilizer.
The Pacific Salmon Foundation will host a major educational display for visitors to the "Salute to the Sockey" celebration during Thanksgiving weekend - October 8-10 at Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, located mid-way between Chase and Sorrento. The display will include fun games for kids and a chance to win a free night's stay at any B.C. Accent Inn Hotel through the hotel's Fish for the Future program, which benefits the Foundation with a $1.00 donation anytime an Accent Inn guest shows their fishing license at check in. Click here to learn more.
Fish for the Future
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 01 September 2010 08:39
ANGLER'S LOVE OF SALMON BLOSSOMS INTO BUSINESS SUPPORT FOR PACIFIC SALMON FOUNDATION
Accent Inns Founder and Chairman Terry Farmer Launches New Conservation Program for Wild Fish
By Michael Meneer, Pacific Salmon Foundation
Last year, Accent Inns founder and chairman Terry Farmer attended a presentation about the state of wild Pacific salmon given by Pacific Salmon Foundation president Brian Riddell in Victoria. During the presentation, Riddell said that government alone should not be depended on to ensure abundant wild salmon for the future and called on everyone in attendance to personally support wild Pacific salmon conservation efforts. Not long after, Farmer, a long-time B.C. angler, sent the Foundation a personal donation and expressed an interest in having the Accent Inns hotel chain also support wild Pacific salmon conservation.
PSF Leverages Federal Support for Community Salmon Projects
PSF in the News
Monday, 30 August 2010 12:38
PSF Leverages Federal Support for Community Salmon Projects
Minister Chuck Strahl Announces Support for Pacific Salmon Foundation and BC's Fishery Sector
August 27, 2010
Pemberton, British Columbia
The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities and Member of Parliament for Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon, on behalf of the Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced Government of Canada support to help the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) strengthen economic opportunities in various British Columbia communities.
Read more: PSF Leverages Federal Support for Community Salmon Projects
PSF's Riddell on A Channel
PSF in the News
Monday, 16 August 2010 08:39
PSF Blog - August 16
PSF President on A Channel
"A Channel" did a very nice story about the campaign to make Pacfic salmon an official symbol in British Columbia. It's also a good news story about the return of Pink Salmon on mid Vancouver Island. Click here to watch the story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlgYxv0kf4M
Visit ThinkSalmon.com to learn more about the campaign to make Pacific Salmon an officially recognized provincial symbol.
Posted by Michael Meneer
Salmon as B.C. Symbol Campaign Reaction
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 04 August 2010 08:53
From the PSF Blog - Positive Reaction to Campaign to Make Salmon B.C. Symbol
Last week the Pacific Salmon Foundation and Fraser Basin Council launched a campaign to encourage the provincial government to make wild Pacific salmon British Columbia's official fish. (Actually, Vancouver Sun columnist Miro Cernetig got this rolling a year back and we're doing our part to help build support)
Even with the August holiday exodus upon us, we have received very favourable response from the public at http://www.thinksalmon.com/. (Please let us know what you think too!)
Pacific Salmon as an official BC symbol?: Call for public comment
PSF in the News
Thursday, 29 July 2010 09:11
Vancouver, BC (July 27, 2010)The Pacific Salmon Foundation, Fraser Basin Council and Living Rivers - Georgia Basin/Vancouver Island are inviting people from across British Columbia to express their views on a proposal to designate wild Pacific salmon as BC's provincial fish. The organizations are encouraging public comment, which can be submitted at www.thinksalmon.com. They will receive and post comments until September 30 and will relay all submissions to the Province of BC.
"Pacific salmon are part of the social, cultural, economic and environmental heritage of British Columbians," said Brian Riddell, President & CEO of the Pacific Salmon Foundation. "They have helped shape our history, and for First Nations, the relationship with salmon goes back thousands of years."
Read more: Pacific Salmon as an official BC symbol?: Call for public comment
TimberWest Renews Commitment to Salmon Conservation
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 21 July 2010 10:03
July 18, 2010
TimberWest Renews Commitment to Salmon Conservation
Forestry company pledges $400,000 in five-year agreement with the Pacific Salmon Foundation
VANCOUVER — TimberWest has extended its support for wild Pacific salmon conservation by committing to donate $400,000 to the Pacific Salmon Foundation during the next five years. This continues a nine-year relationship between TimberWest and the Pacific Salmon Foundation, which to date has seen $550,000 channeled into B.C. streamkeeping efforts in watersheds that run through TimberWest lands — an area twice the size of Metro Vancouver.
Read more: TimberWest Renews Commitment to Salmon Conservation
Brian Ridell Resigns from Cohen Commission Panel
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 07 July 2010 14:16
News ReleaseFor Immediate Release
July 7, 2010
STATEMENT OF PACIFIC SALMON FOUNDATION PRESIDENT BRIAN RIDDELLAnnounces Resignation from Cohen Commission
Vancouver – Dr. Brian Riddell, president and CEO of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, made the following statement today regarding his resignation from the Commission of Inquiry Into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River.
"Effective immediately, I have resigned from the Science Advisory Panel of the Commission of Inquiry Into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River. I have dedicated my professional life to studying wild Pacific salmon and to sustaining this remarkable natural resource. It was because of that commitment that I agreed to the Commission's invitation to serve on the panel, but with my initial understanding that panel members could also be called as witnesses. However, that understanding has now changed. The Commission policy is now that panel members cannot also be called as witnesses."
2010 Salmon Conservation Stamp Winner Announced
PSF in the News
Thursday, 26 November 2009 12:34
November 26th, 2009
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is pleased to announce the winner of the 2010/2011 Pacific Salmon Conservation Stamp Art Competition.
This year marks the 21st anniversary of the competition and, as in previous years, the judge's decision was made difficult by the quality of the entries. After three rounds of adjudication, "Surface Tension" by Mark Hobson was chosen as the winning entry. Mr. Hobson is professionally trained as a biologist and self-taught as an artist. Based in Clayoquot Sound, his award winning paintings are simultaneously accurate and sensitive depictions of the many moods of wilderness and rural landscapes.
The Boathouse Supports PSF
PSF in the News
Monday, 08 June 2009 12:20
The Boathouse Restaurants continues their generous support of Pacific Salmon Foundation through their exciting Running Wild Festival until the end of June.
PSF is proud to be associated with The Boathouse and their efforts to maintain and encourage sustainable and local eating to Vancouverites and visitors.
Since 2006, The Boathouse has donated $1 from each flight of Tyee Wines sold during their summer festivals to PSF. In addition, The Boathouse has been the official wine supplier to the PSF Vancouver Gala and Auction for the past 3 years.
We encourage everyone who loves great BC food and wine and loves BC salmon, to head to the Boathouse this June. You'll have a wonderful meal and supporting the future of salmon in BC at the same time!
Visit http://www.boathouserestaurants.ca/food/runningwildfest-dinner.php for a look at the menu and more detail from The Boathouse on their relationship with Pacific Salmon Foundation and the Vancouver Aquarium's OceanWise program.
BC Living Rivers Trust 2006-2009
Multimedia
Thursday, 19 March 2009 10:37
The British Columbia Living Rivers Trust Fund was created in 2006 by Premier Gordon Campellto fulfill the vision "to create a legacy for the province based on healthy watersheds, sustainable ecosystems and thriving communities."
Funding from the Living Rivers Trust Fund is administered by the Living Rivers Advisory Group, which supports and provides funding for two key watershed business plans in British Columbia:
The Fraser Salmon & Watersheds Program - www.fswp.ca & www.thinksalmon.com
Living Rivers Georgia Basin / Vancouver Island http://livingrivers.ca/gbvi/index.html
PSF Announces New Chief Executive Officer – Dr. Brian Riddell
PSF in the News
Wednesday, 03 December 2008 06:40
Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Brian Riddell as the incoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective February 1st 2009.
Dr. Riddell comes to PSF with a PhD from McGill University and as former Division Head, Salmon and Freshwater Ecosystems, Science Branch, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Pacific Biological Station based in Nanaimo, BC. Brian is one of Canada’s most respected and decorated salmon researchers and managers. His current committee appointments include:
Read more: PSF Announces New Chief Executive Officer – Dr. Brian Riddell
Economic Dimensions of Skeena Watershed Salmonid Fisheries Study Released
Salmon in the News
Wednesday, 03 December 2008 06:37
The Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) is pleased to release the Economic Dimensions of Skeena Watershed Salmonid Fisheries study – an associate report to the Skeena Independent Science Review Panel Report released in May 2008.
The Skeena River watershed is one of the most highly productive river systems on earth. Skeena River salmonids provide food, ceremonial and economic benefit to First Nations of the Skeena as well as provide significant, globally recognized opportunities for commercial fisheries and sport angling. There is considerable desire to maximize conservation goals for the Skeena salmonids while realizing potential economic benefits for Northern BC communities from improved fisheries management in the watershed.
Read more: Economic Dimensions of Skeena Watershed Salmonid Fisheries Study Released
Skeena Independent Science Review Panel Releases Salmon Management Recommendations
Salmon in the News
Monday, 20 October 2008 03:26
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is pleased to release the findings and recommendations of the Skeena Independent Science Review Panel (SISRP). The Panel used the best available data to review current scientific knowledge and management of salmon and steelhead in the Skeena River watershed, one of the most diverse and productive salmon-bearing ecosystems in the world. The Panel identified additional monitoring and data collection that would be needed to improve fisheries management and implement Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy (WSP).
Read more: Skeena Independent Science Review Panel Releases Salmon Management Recommendations
Rivers Inlet mystery: What happened to the sockeye?
Salmon in the News
Monday, 20 October 2008 03:25
Desiree Tommasi, Special to the Sun
Published: Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Imagine millions of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) coming back to spawn, sustaining first nations people and supporting a thriving fishing industry.
Welcome to Rivers Inlet in the 1920s, and what used to be the third-largest sockeye salmon run on the coast of British Columbia after the Skeena and the Fraser. More than a million fish are heading towards the head of the inlet, up the Wannock River and into Oweekeno Lake to spawn. Many canneries dot the inlet, employing people from all over the province and the world -- Chinese workers looking for jobs after the railway completion, Japanese fishermen, and even Scandinavians, after whom Scandinavia Bay in the inlet is named.
Read more: Rivers Inlet mystery: What happened to the sockeye?
Salmon River on at-risk list
Salmon in the News
Monday, 20 October 2008 03:24
The Salmon River has earned the dubious distinction of being named one of the most at-risk rivers in the province.
It scored 11th out of 13 rivers included in the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C.'s most endangered rivers for 2008.
The Recreation Council solicits nominations for its annual list from its member groups, which total 120,000 members, as well as from the general public and resource managers from across the province. Submissions are reviewed by a panel of some of B.C.'s best-known river conservationists.
Attention to Detail
Salmon in the News
Monday, 20 October 2008 03:23
TPaul J. Henderson, The Times
Published: Friday, January 18, 2008
For Laura Levitsky there are no broad strokes.From the folds of a frost-covered leaf to the tiny beak of a spring chickadee to the rusting metal of an abandoned truck, the Chilliwack artist's attention to detail gives her vivid nature paintings a lifelike, almost photographic quality.And for someone who has been painting seriously for less than 10 years, Levitsky's work is of a very high quality, and is captivating to anyone who has enjoyed nature. Her paintings of salmon are a particular hit with fishermen, and one of a chinook won second place in the 2007 Pacific Salmon Foundation National Stamp Competition."I've sold across Canada and the U.S.," she said. "I'm trying to make a name for myself, but it's really competitive."
Peter Donaldson's "Salmonpeople" Performance coming to Campbell River
PSF in the News
Monday, 20 October 2008 03:23
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is pleased to announce that it will be hosting a memorable performance by Peter Donaldson of his production, "Salmonpeople" at the Tidemark Theatre on September 27th to coincide with River’s Day celebrations in Campbell River.
Donaldson is well known throughout the Pacific Northwest for his spellbinding works of theatre. With good humour, good science and audacious storytelling, "Salmonpeople" is an astounding, head-scratching lesson in how the real world works. Writer, director and performer Peter Donaldson is a master storyteller and "Salmonpeople" reaches all ages. It is meant to inform and inspire action and it calls for cooperation and collaboration on community stewardship projects. It opens opportunities to transform the way we educate our youth about the behaviors of stewardship and the needs of watershed communities.
Read more: Peter Donaldson's "Salmonpeople" Performance coming to Campbell River
Province to clean up abandoned Vancouver Island copper mine
PSF in the News
Monday, 20 October 2008 03:22
An abandoned open pit copper mine near Courtenay will be cleaned up to support the recovery of Vancouver Island fish stocks, the B.C. government says.
"This is the best long-term solution to clean up toxic copper leachate that has been contaminating the headwaters of the Tsolum River for decades" Environment Minister Barry Penner said Monday.The cleanup effort is expected to bring an estimated $2.7 million annually to the community's economy and improve water quality and return fish to the local watershed, Penner said.The $4.5-million project is scheduled to be completed by 2010 and includes the installation of a thick roofing-like material that will cover the entire site.The Mount Washington mine operated for three years in the 1960s before it was abandoned.By the 1980s, toxic copper leaching from the site had virtually eliminated the salmon, trout and steelhead in the Tsolum River watershed.The B.C. government funded a cleanup effort of the mine between 1988 and 1991, but it wasn't successful enough to restore fish stocks.
Read more: Province to clean up abandoned Vancouver Island copper mine
Science to Inform Management of Skeena River Salmon and Steelhead Stocks
PSF in the News
Monday, 20 October 2008 03:21
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Province of British Columbia have asked the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) to lead a fully independent scientific review process designed to enhance the management and conservation of Skeena River salmon and steelhead populations, the Honourable Loyola Hearn, federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Honourable Barry Penner, British Columbia’s Minister of the Environment, announced today. This process is supported by the generous financial support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
Read more: Science to Inform Management of Skeena River Salmon and Steelhead Stocks
Almost Drowning to Land a Salmon
Multimedia
Monday, 20 October 2008 00:26
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