Salmon Recovery & Resiliency Conference

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.

KEYNOTE: Dr. Ann Willis, The Power of Now

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

KEYNOTE: Dr. Jonathan Moore, Towards Climate Resilience

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: Murray Ned, A Vision for People Working Together at a Regional Level

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

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

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

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

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

KEYNOTE: Tom Rutherford, A Pathway to a Made in BC Salmon Recovery Model

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

PANEL DISCUSSION: A Pathway to a Made in BC Salmon Recovery Model

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

Session Speakers:

Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer at Pacific Salmon Foundation
Stu Barnes, Executive Director at First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C.
Tom Rutherford, Director of Strategic Prior at Cowichan Water Board
James Mack, Government of BC
Sarah Murdoch, Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative at Fisheries and Oceans Canada
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.

2024 BC SALMON RECOVERY & RESILIENCE CONFERENCE

2024 Conference Wrap Up

Dr. Ann Willis Conference Keynote

Feature Keynotes and Presentations

Dr. Jonathan Moore

Murray Ned

Tom Rutherford

2024 Conference program

Land Welcome & Opening Remarks

Speakers

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

Towards Climate Resilience: From Science to Stewardship of Salmon Futures

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

Breakout – Paths Out of a World of Cumulative Effects

Session Speakers

Session Details

Breakout – Forward-thinking Perspectives on Salmon Hatcheries

Session Speakers

Session Details

Breakout – Collaborative Salmon Recovery: Success Stories

Session Speakers

Session Details

Breakout – Future Fisheries: Transformation of salmon fisheries

Session Speakers

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

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

Session Speakers:

Closing Remarks

Speakers

Presenting partners

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