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More than 70 per cent of Pacific salmon in British Columbia and the Yukon are below their historical average abundance.

This number adds fuel to the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF)’s mission to advance salmon recovery and resilience. To succeed, we must take a strategic approach, fostering innovation, forming thoughtful partnerships, and challenging the status quo in salmon management.

Today’s challenges, ranging from climate change, pollution, and habitat loss, demand bold action. We need to transform the system of how we work together, which was designed more than 50 years ago during times of salmon abundance and stability. This dated system no longer serves today’s challenges. Instead, we need a new way of working together that supports coordinated efforts to scale up the broader movement to restore and save Pacific salmon.

This need for change resonates with British Columbians.

Polling reveals that 85 per cent of British Columbians are concerned about declining salmon, and nearly 70 per cent support government investment into salmon recovery.

PSF is taking action by strengthening relationships with partners. In February, PSF and the First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C. brought together Members of the Legislative Assembly representing communities across B.C. to discuss the need for coordinated salmon recovery planning and efforts to rebuild salmon and their habitats.

And this important on-the-ground work is already underway. At PSF’s Salmon Recovery and Resilience Conference in December of 2024, more than 450 salmon experts convened to share their work around restoration, science, and innovation. First Nations leaders, streamkeepers, biologists, technical practitioners, government representatives, and other experts came together at this conference to share knowledge and make connections, strengthening our collective efforts toward salmon recovery.

At the conference, we repeatedly heard about the value of coming together for salmon. In our eyes, the federal government’s recent decision to ban open-net pen salmon farms in B.C. by 2029 is a major win that illustrates this concept in action. During the last decade, more than 120 First Nations leaders, as well as researchers, called for the removal of open-net pens given the risks they present to wild Pacific salmon, proven by a growing body of research on pathogens and disease. This was made possible by years of science and collaborative partnerships in the salmon community (read more on page 10).

Progress is possible. Together, we are working to achieve positive results for Pacific salmon across British Columbia and the Yukon.

Sincerely,
Michael Meneer
President & CEO, Pacific Salmon Foundation