New report highlights salmon recovery in some regions, but long-term declines persist

September 24, 2025

Vancouver, B.C. – Two-thirds of Pacific salmon populations in British Columbia and the Yukon are below their long-term average, finds a new ‘State of Salmon’ report from the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF).

This year’s unexpectedly high Fraser River sockeye returns have made headlines. While this return is good news in the short term, PSF’s State of Salmon report shows that salmon conservation remains a critical issue, with widespread declines over many decades compounded by the growing effects of climate change.

“Salmon are complex. The State of Salmon report helps to unpack that complexity by looking across all 10 major salmon-bearing regions in B.C. and the Yukon,” says Katrina Connors, a Senior Director with PSF. “The overall pattern is clear – the majority of salmon populations are in long-term decline. But there is also reason for hope, with some species increasing in some regions. It’s these wins that we need to celebrate, while turning our attention to those that need our support.”

Southern regions provide hope for salmon recovery

Initially launched by PSF in 2024, the State of Salmon Report has been updated this year with new data to provide improved findings and more robust analyses.

This year’s State of Salmon Report reveals that some species have increased in abundance, especially in southern regions. For example, Chinook salmon are 236 per cent above their long-term averages in the East Vancouver Island and Mainland Inlets, and 45 per cent above average in the Fraser.

Sockeye are also showing promise in some areas. In the Skeena, sockeye spawners are 29 per cent above their long-term average, with recent strong returns following years of limited fishing opportunities. Columbia sockeye, which faced near extinction less than three decades ago, are 187 per cent above their long-term average, making an astounding comeback. Just last year, more than 150,000 sockeye made it to spawn in the Canadian portion of the Columbia – one of the best years in recent decades.

Yet with two-thirds of salmon populations below their long-term averages, the data underscores persistent declines over many decades.

“Recent gains for some salmon species show that salmon can rebound when conditions are right,” says Connors. “But a few good runs in recent years don’t outweigh decades of decline. We can’t afford to lose sight of the urgency to prioritize salmon conservation and recovery.”

Declines in salmon and monitoring efforts

Salmon declines are especially prominent in central and northern regions. In the Yukon, for example, Chinook salmon are down 50 per cent and chum salmon are down 74 per cent compared to their long-term averages.

However, considerable data gaps make it difficult to know how severe declines are in regions like the Central Coast, Haida Gwaii, and the Northern Transboundary area.

Monitoring cuts in the Nass and Skeena Rivers made headlines earlier this year, contributing to a decades-long decline in salmon monitoring. Contracts have since been reinstated, but with reduced coverage, and concerns remain about further reductions in the future.

“In northern and central B.C., we’re seeing declines in both salmon populations and the monitoring needed to track them. These data gaps mean that we’re sometimes basing our assessments in vast regions like the Central Coast on just one or two populations, making it hard to understand the extent of decline,” says Steph Peacock, a Senior Analyst with PSF who led the State of Salmon assessment.

Short-lived fish thriving

This year, pink salmon are showing up in high numbers in the North Pacific, with impressive returns in the Fraser (14.4 million) and Skeena.

The State of Salmon provides wider context, indicating that pink salmon are 237 per cent above their long-term average in the Skeena and 110 per cent above in the Fraser. In the Nass, pinks are a whopping 564 per cent above their long-term average, and are also doing well in East Vancouver Island and Mainland Inlets.

Pink salmon are short-lived fish that appear to respond to warming ocean conditions better than other species. Furthermore, their two-year lifecycle is ocean-dominated, so they spend less time in freshwater, where climate change has pronounced effects on salmon habitat through low flows, depleted oxygen levels, and high water temperatures.

However, this pink wave is not universal. In the West Vancouver Island, Northern Transboundary area, Haida Gwaii, and the Central Coast, pink salmon are currently below their long-term averages, highlighting that salmon are complex and show divergent trends across their range.

More stories and data: stateofsalmon.ca

Media contact:

Braela Kwan

Communications Specialist, Pacific Salmon Foundation

604-664-7664 ext. 1025

bkwan@psf.ca

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