Thank you for being a Habitat Hero

Pacific salmon are facing increasing pressures year on year from development and climate change, plunging roughly half of Pacific salmon populations into various states of decline. Salmon need people like you now more than ever, so thank you for your commitment to protecting and restoring this incredibly important keystone species.

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Thanks for joining us as a Habitat Hero for salmon! Here you will find regular updates on the impact of your gift and exclusive content on projects that you are helping to support, as well as contests and invites to special events. Jump in, the water’s fine!

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Restoring Douglas Creek

As a monthly donor, you support so many important habitat restoration projects being carried out by passionate community groups across B.C. To give you a glimpse into the process and fantastic end results, I paid a visit this summer to Douglas Creek on Vancouver Island to learn more about an important stream restoration project that PSF helped fund.

In the 1960s, salmon were regular visitors to Douglas Creek as they came home to spawn. Since then, storm water surges washed away spawning gravel and eroded the creek banks. Also, without proper trail infrastructure, thousands of people and pets passed through the creek bed, causing further damage to salmon habitat. Watch the video to find out how the group has since transformed the area for salmon and people alike.

Thanks again for your help getting projects like this off the ground!

–Krysten Maier, Development Officer

Salmon School

How many distinct salmon populations are the in B.C.?
There are more than 9,000 salmon populations (species and stream combinations) in B.C., organized into about 450 conservation units applied in resource management.
How many eggs does a female salmon lay?
Females lay thousands of eggs, usually between 2,000 and 10,000 depending on their size and species. Unfortunately, at present less than one percent of these eggs survive to the next generation.
What is the biggest Pacific salmon species?
Chinook, also known as Tyee (meaning King), generally weigh between 30 and 40 lbs. They live the longest of Pacific salmon (up to eight years) and prefer larger river systems. Their size and splendour make them wonderful catches, but it also contributes to their scarcity relative to other Pacific salmon.
How long can a spawning salmon go without eating?
Once salmon return to freshwater from the marine environment to spawn, they do not eat. Adult spawners can go 6 months without eating, all the while transferring body fats into their gametes for reproduction.
What effect does warming water temperatures have on salmon?
As water temperatures rise, salmon can suffer from decreased swimming performance and early signs of stress and slow migration—it’s like trying to run a marathon in a sauna! With an increase of a couple more degrees, salmon are more prone to pre-spawn disease and even mortality.
How many Chinook salmon can an adult killer whale eat each day?
Chinook salmon makes up at least 80% of Southern Resident Orcas’ diet. An adult must consume between 18-25 salmon to meet its daily energy requirements. The whales’ ability to produce offspring is also highly dependent on salmon availability.

News & Updates

Survival at Sea

Blog, Salmon Steward

The future of Chinook salmon from the west coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI) hangs in the balance. They are currently threatened and at risk of becoming endangered, according to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. The…

Tagging salmon for catch and release study in British Columbia

Rethinking Release Strategies

Blog, Salmon Steward

Sturgeon Bank — a stretch of the Fraser River delta located off the west coast of Richmond, British Columbia — has lost at least 160 hectares of tidal marsh habitat over the last three decades due to dredging, dikes, and other human interventions.

River flows restored just in time for returning sockeye

Blog, Climate Adaptation Series, Salmon Steward

During the extreme flooding event in November 2021 that severely impacted the Fraser Valley, the right arm of Big Silver River was blocked by debris and disconnected from Harrison Lake when water levels dropped in the summer months.

Groundbreaking herring research begins in B.C.

Blog, Salmon Steward

A window of opportunity to prevent silent steelhead extinctions

Blog, Salmon Steward

Sturgeon Bank — a stretch of the Fraser River delta located off the west coast of Richmond, British Columbia — has lost at least 160 hectares of tidal marsh habitat over the last three decades due to dredging, dikes, and other human interventions.

The Mamalilikulla’s game plan to recover salmon populations

Blog, Community Salmon Program, Salmon Steward

Sturgeon Bank — a stretch of the Fraser River delta located off the west coast of Richmond, British Columbia — has lost at least 160 hectares of tidal marsh habitat over the last three decades due to dredging, dikes, and other human interventions.

Thank you for being a Habitat Hero

We made this monthly donor page just for you!

ENTER TO WIN!

Restoring Douglas Creek

Questions? Ask Krysten!

Salmon School

How many distinct salmon populations are the in B.C.?

How many eggs does a female salmon lay?

What is the biggest Pacific salmon species?

How long can a spawning salmon go without eating?

What effect does warming water temperatures have on salmon?

How many Chinook salmon can an adult killer whale eat each day?

News & Updates

Survival at Sea

Rethinking Release Strategies

River flows restored just in time for returning sockeye

Groundbreaking herring research begins in B.C.

A window of opportunity to prevent silent steelhead extinctions

The Mamalilikulla’s game plan to recover salmon populations

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