Science

At the forefront of research to help salmon survive and thrive.

Science

At the forefront of research to help salmon survive and thrive.

Finding answers for salmon

PSF is conducting independent research to inform recovery actions, conservation, and policy decisions.

Our scientists are working to unlock the mysteries of salmon survival in both marine and freshwater habitats and to inform actions that support their recovery.   

We study the factors impacting salmon survival at every level, from disease mechanisms to how shifting food-web dynamics affect entire populations. We develop and apply innovative technologies, including DNA analysis to assess fish health and drones and AI to monitor salmon and their habitats. We work closely with First Nations and community partners to build local monitoring capacity. 

We bring this information together and make it accessible through our State of Salmon Report and online tools like the Pacific Salmon Explorer. Our independent science contributes to a shared foundation of knowledge that benefits the entire salmon community: governments setting policy, First Nations and communities working within their local watersheds, and academic institutions and researchers advancing our collective understanding of salmon.

What We’re Focused On

Understanding the bottlenecks to salmon survival

Most salmon never return to their home rivers to spawn. Knowing where and why they’re lost is key to effective recovery planning. We track juvenile salmon from rivers through their first winter at sea and study how food sources like herring affect their survival.

Investigating salmon health and disease

Pathogens, disease, and environmental stressors such as warming water, low oxygen, and shifting salinity can weaken salmon and reduce their survival chances. We study how these pressures affect wild salmon, including the risks posed by open-net pen aquaculture and how conditions change once farms are removed. With First Nations and academic partners, we use genetic tools that link a salmon’s survival to the specific stressors it faces. 

Keeping watch on salmon and their habitats 

Salmon returns vary widely, and monitoring has declined in many regions, making it challenging to see where salmon are most at risk. We track salmon and habitat status and develop new ways to detect emerging pressures, from drought and forest disturbance to barriers that fragment watersheds. We also equip First Nations and community stewards to monitor stream temperature and flow, so they can mobilize if conditions deteriorate.

Building the digital infrastructure
for salmon recovery 

Good decisions depend on good information, but salmon data are too often scattered across jurisdictions and organizations. We standardize and centralize this information in open platforms like the Pacific Salmon Explorer, which tracks more than 400 salmon populations across B.C. and the Yukon. Behind the scenes, we build and maintain the systems that keep it accurate, secure, and up to date.

Salmon Program Teams

Meet the teams behind our salmon science, from field and lab research to data analysis.

  • Habitat & Ecosystem Science

    Uncovering why salmon decline and how they recover, from the food web to disease and survival at sea.

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  • Salmon Health

    Part of Habitat & Ecosystem Science

    Independent research on the pathogens, diseases, and environmental stressors affecting wild salmon.

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  • Data & Assessments

    Turning salmon and habitat data into clear, accessible tools that guide conservation and recovery.

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New eyes on the water

From AI-enabled cameras that count returning salmon to drones and tracking tags, new technology is helping us see what’s happening to salmon more often and in more places. With First Nations and research partners, we’re piloting AI-counting systems across B.C. — just one example of how we’re using tech to drive innovation in salmon science.

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“By combining new technology with strong partnerships, we are better equipped to monitor salmon and their habitats and to understand where and when we may need to intervene to support their conservation.”

Dr. Katrina Connors
Senior Director, Pacific Salmon Foundation

Latest News and Stories

A year in review: taking action for salmon in 2024

In 2024, the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) channelled all efforts and resources toward research, projects, and grants to rebuild salmon for generations to come.  Guided by our new 2024–2028 Strategic Plan, PSF sharpened its focus on…
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Survival at Sea

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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…
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Tagging salmon for catch and release study in British Columbia

Rethinking Release Strategies

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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.
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