Salmon Recovery & Resiliency Conference

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2024 BC SALMON RECOVERY & RESILIENCE CONFERENCE

Thank you for joining us at the 2024 conference. We are excited to share conference keynotes and highlights below and keep you informed about future workshops and conferences.

2024 Conference Wrap Up

The Pacific Salmon Foundation hosted the inaugural BC Salmon Recovery & Resilience Conference in December, 2024 as an opportunity to bring more than 400 leaders together from the salmon community.

With half of wild salmon populations in decline and a growing network working to find solutions, this event was an opportunity to share, learn & connect through inspiring keynote speakers and breakout panel sessions, with the goal of advancing shared priorities for resilient salmon populations for generations to come.

We’ve compiled some of the highlights of the conference, including keynote presentations, and session summaries below.

Dr. Ann Willis Conference Keynote

The Power of Now: How Collaborating for Healthy Rivers Can Heal Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, and Environmental Injustice

Feature Keynotes and Presentations

The 2024 conference was filled with informative and inspiring talks from salmon experts from BC and the USA. You can view the full YouTube playlist of conference keynotes and plenary sessions here.

Dr. Jonathan Moore

Towards Climate Resilience: From Science to Stewardship of Salmon Futures

Murray Ned

A Vision for People Working Together at a Regional Level to Ensure Salmon Recovery and Resilience

Tom Rutherford

A Pathway to a Made-in-BC Salmon Recovery Model – What have we learned?

2024 Conference program

Click here to download the agenda (pdf)
Click here to view the video playlist

Land Welcome & Opening Remarks

Speakers

  • Michael Meneer, President & CEO at Pacific Salmon Foundation
  • Calvin Charlie-Dawson, Squamish Nation
  • Jordan Point, Musqueam Councillor
  • Stu Barnes, Executive Director at First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C.

The Power of Now: How Collaborating for Healthy Rivers Can Heal Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, and Environmental Injustice

Dr. Ann Willis, Ph.D., California Regional Director, American Rivers

Towards Climate Resilience: From Science to Stewardship of Salmon Futures

Dr. Jonathan Moore, Ph. D., Professor, Aquatic Ecology & Conservation, Liber Ero Chair of Coastal Science & Management

Keynote – A Vision for People Working Together at a Regional Level to Ensure Salmon Recovery and Resilience

Murray Ned, Executive Director at Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance

Breakout – Paths Out of a World of Cumulative Effects

Session Speakers

  • Dr. Jonathan Moore, Ph. D., Professor, Aquatic Ecology & Conservation at Liber Ero Chair of Coastal Science & Management
  • Emma Griggs, Master’s Student at SFU
  • Marta Ulaski, SFU at PhD Candidate
  • Bruce Muir, Senior Consultant at ERM: Environmental Resources Management
  • Oliver Brandes, University of Victoria
  • Lisa Helmer, Executive Director at Province of BC

Session Details

Across the migratory life-cycle of Pacific salmon, they are exposed to many different risks and harms from various human activities. There is usually no smoking gun, it is a death by a thousand cuts, it is a world of cumulative effects. This session will bring together thought leaders and experts on this wicked problem of cumulative effects. Talks could include new scientific approaches and decision-support tools, holistic Indigenous-led approaches such as IPCA and Salmon Parks, and paths forward for system transformation.

Breakout – Forward-thinking Perspectives on Salmon Hatcheries

Session Speakers

  • Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer at Pacific Salmon Foundation
  • Dave Willis, Biologist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Adam Silverstein, Regional Manager, Hatchery Reform and Modernization at Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Scott Hinch, Professor of Fisheries Conservation at UBC
  • Megan Moody, Board Member at Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Initiative
Session Details

Hatcheries play important roles in conservation of imperiled stocks and with supporting fisheries. Hatcheries in British Columbia release about 250 million juvenile salmon every year, and while this enhancement can yield positive impacts, there can also be risks introduced to wild salmon. This session will explore new thinking and ideas on how we can use hatcheries to contribute to conservation and management objectives.

Breakout – Collaborative Salmon Recovery: Success Stories

Session Speakers

  • Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer at Pacific Salmon Foundation
  • Karilyn Alex, Okanagan Nation Alliance
  • Jacob V. E. Katz, Ph.D, Lead Scientist at California Trout
  • Tim Kulchyski, Cowichan Tribes – Lulumexun

Session Details

Partnerships and collaboration have been at the core of successful salmon recovery issues. Working together, we can push beyond the status quo and toward a future of salmon recovery and resilience. This session will look at success stories for salmon – what were the key factors or ingredients for success?

Breakout – Future Fisheries: Transformation of salmon fisheries

Session Speakers

  • Scott Hinch, Professor of Fisheries Conservation at UBC
  • Amy Wakelin, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Sonia Strobel, Skipper Otto
  • Jeff Grout, Director – Salmon Management and Client Services · at Fisheries & Oceans Canada
  • Samantha Renshaw, Fisheries and Seafood Science Manager at Ocean Wise

A Pathway to a Made in BC Salmon Recovery Model – What have we learned? What are next steps for salmon?

Tom Rutherford, Director of Strategic Prior at Cowichan Water Board

A Pathway to a Made in BC Salmon Recovery Model – What have we learned? What are next steps for salmon?

Session Speakers:

  1. Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer at Pacific Salmon Foundation
  2. Stu Barnes, Executive Director at First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C.
  3. Tom Rutherford, Director of Strategic Prior at Cowichan Water Board
  4. James Mack, Government of BC
  5. Sarah Murdoch, Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative at Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  6. Brenda Gaertner, Mandell Pinder LLP

This panel was a part of the closing plenary session. The panel discussion begins at 1:05:00

Closing Remarks

Speakers

  • Michael Meneer, President & CEO at Pacific Salmon Foundation
  • Honourable Randene Neill, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship at Government of British Columbia

This video includes a Keynote from Tom Rutherford and Panel Discussion.

Presenting partners

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