Salmon Explorer

Pacific Salmon Explorer

The Pacific Salmon Explorer is a data-driven look at salmon populations and their habitats.

What kind of information can you find on the Pacific Salmon Explorer?

Overview of Salmon Conservation Units. We provide a snapshot of information for geographically, genetically, and ecologically distinct groups of wild salmon populations, called Conservation Units (CUs) under Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy.
Cumulative Risks to Freshwater Salmon Habitats. We evaluate the current extent and intensity of individual and cumulative pressures (e.g. road development, forest disturbance) on salmon spawning, rearing and migratory habitats.
Future Pressures on Freshwater Salmon Habitats. We identify the general locations of existing and proposed resource development projects (e.g. oil and gas pipelines, mining development) that may overlap with salmon habitat.
Population Data. We present data (eg. spawner abundance, harvest) for CUs over a 60+ year period.
Biological Status. We use different metrics to assess the biological status of salmon populations. For each CU, we use specific reference points, or benchmarks, to determine whether or not the CU falls in the green (good), amber (fair), and red (poor) status zones.
Access to Source Datasets. All of the data presented in the Pacific Salmon Explorer are freely available through our salmon data library at data.salmonwatersheds.ca

“The Pacific Salmon Explorer is a living tool, and the information and analyses are updated regularly as new data become available.“’

Improve our collective understanding of the current human and environmental pressures on freshwater salmon habitats.
Identifies future pressures on the landscape that may affect salmon populations and their freshwater habitats.
Highlights which salmon habitats face the highest risk of degradation due to cumulative pressures on the landscape.
Provides a snapshot of status and trends for the diverse CUs found throughout BC.
Assists resource managers in identifying where more detailed, on-the-ground monitoring and assessment efforts are needed.
Provides local First Nations communities with access to salmon-related datasets.
Informs siting of future resource development projects by identifying locations where development would likely contribute to the lowest cumulative risks to salmon habitatus.
Advance implementation of all aspects of Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy.