Speaking up for salmon

The future of Pacific salmon is being shaped by decisions made far from the water, through policy, management, and investment. We work to ensure salmon have a voice at the table when these decisions are made.

We bring independent science to those decisions and engage directly in the policy, regulatory, and budget processes that affect salmon and their habitats, from the transition away from open-net pen aquaculture to protecting salmon estuaries and keeping contaminants out of salmon streams.

Acting independently and wholly focused on Pacific salmon keeps us unbiased and constructive. We provide objective, non-partisan advice, backed by decades of trusted partnerships. Guided by our goal to accelerate salmon recovery, we work toward a future where salmon, and the ecosystems and communities that depend on them, can thrive.

What We’re Focused On

Making the case for salmon 

Recovering salmon takes political will and public support. We advocate for salmon as governments set budgets, update regulations, and shape policy. We also share what our research reveals about how salmon are faring and the threats they face, so decision-makers and the public understand what is at stake.

Building a coordinated system for salmon recovery 

Where salmon are recovering in B.C., a coordinated plan typically supports it. Yet responsibility for salmon recovery remains fragmented across governments, jurisdictions, and programs. We are working with the First Nations Fisheries Council and partners to build a more streamlined approach that connects leadership, funding, and action at the provincial, regional, and watershed levels, so investments in recovery deliver better returns.

Advancing the transition away from open-net pens 

More than a decade of peer-reviewed research, led by PSF and partners, has shown that open-net pens pose risks to wild Pacific salmon. We continue to study these impacts, and we encourage the federal government to follow through on its commitment to ban open-net pens from B.C.’s coastal waters by 2029, supporting a transition to land-based closed containment that uplifts First Nations and coastal communities.

Removing log booms from salmon estuaries 

Salmon depend on healthy estuaries at both ends of their migration, yet log booms stored there can degrade habitat and give seals a perch to hunt from. Research led by Cowichan Tribes, with PSF support, found that booms in the Cowichan estuary reduce the survival of returning Chinook. We encourage industry and government to update log storage practices to protect critical salmon habitat.

Tackling tire contaminants

A chemical found in car tires, 6PPD-q, washes into streams and can be lethal to coho salmon. We fund and support the research needed to locate the hotspots where it’s harming salmon — and to inform solutions that keep it out of their habitat. In 2024, following a request from PSF and partners, the federal government made 6PPD-q a priority for assessment, an important first step toward regulating it.

A decade of science leads to policy action

In 2024, the Government of Canada committed to moving open-net pen salmon farming out of B.C.’s coastal waters — a decision informed by years of PSF and collaborator research linking these farms to risks for wild Pacific salmon.

Latest News and Stories

Wild BC Chum Salmon with Soy Wasabi Glaze

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Provided by: Karen Barnaby Executive Chef of The Fish House in Stanley Park Vancouver, BC Canada Soy Wasabi Glaze 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice 3 Tbsp soy sauce 1 Tbsp prepared wasabi 6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into…

Cedar Planked Wild BC Spring Salmon with Whiskey-Maple Glaze

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Provided by: Ron Shewchuk International Barbeque Champion and Cookbook Author North Vancouver, BC Canada Recipe adapted from PLANKING SECRETS – How To Grill With Wooden Planks For Unbeatable Barbeque Flavor 2006 by Ron Shewchuk, published…

Honey Mustard Basil Salmon

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By: Elna MacDonald 4 salmon steaks, about 1” (2.5 cm) thick 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp Honey Dijon mustard (or 1 Tbsp/ 15 mL Dijon mustard mixed with 1 Tsp/ 5 mL honey) 2 garlic cloves, minced ¼…