Where are the Salmon?

The Fraser Basin Council‘s latest State of the Fraser Basin Report indicates that several species of Fraser salmon are in a perilous decline. The report, entitled Sustainability Snapshot 4: The Many Faces of Sustainability, rates Fraser sockeye, coho, and chinook salmon stocks as “poor/getting worse.” Sockeye runs in 2007 and 2008 were “the lowest observed in 30 years.”

fbc-chart1

Among the reasons cited in the report for the salmon’s plight include poor ocean survival, climate change, mixed-stock fishing, habitat destruction, water quality, and lack of information to fish managers. Critics also point a finger at salmon farms for the potential transfer of lice and disease to wild stocks. … [read full article]

On the front page of today’s Vancouver Sun, columnist Miro Cernetig suggests that “we need a salmon strategy” so that British Columbians are continually reminded of salmon’s importance. 

Right now, British Columbia has a provincial flower, the dogwood. A provincial bird, the Steller’s jay. A provincial tree, the western red cedar and, more recently, a mammal, the Spirit Bear (the white kermode bear). But we have, for reasons that mystify me, no provincial fish.  I nominate the salmon — all five species — as our provincial fish. … [read full article]

Perhaps it’s time to revive the provincial fish program which was designed to encourage citizens to value, respect, and protect all of B.C.’s fishes.  The program had a near-start last year and would have seen the Vancouver Aquarium and the B.C. Youth Parliament working together with B.C. schools to elect a provincial fish.

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