Salmon

Dan Bouillon, environmental manager at Teck Trail, is heading out to sea and joining a team of scientists studying the effects of climate change on migrating salmon in the Gulf of Alaska. Photo: Submitted

Trail biologist sets sail on international salmon expedition

Scientists launch largest winter study of North Pacific salmon populations and climate change

Dan Bouillon, environmental manager at Teck Trail, is heading out to sea and joining a team of scientists studying the effects of climate change on migrating salmon in the Gulf of Alaska. Photo: Submitted
A B.C. aquaculture facility. Black Press file photo

Industry report: not renewing B.C. salmon farm licenses comes with $1.2 billion cost

Economic analysis says 4,700 jobs depend on 79 licenses set to expire at the end of June

A B.C. aquaculture facility. Black Press file photo
Spawning sockeye salmon, a species of pacific salmon, are seen making their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C., on Oct. 14, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Advocates say Canada can’t save struggling B.C. salmon stocks without Alaska’s help

Pacific Salmon Treaty failing to address harvest of B.C. fish by American fishers, observers say

Spawning sockeye salmon, a species of pacific salmon, are seen making their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C., on Oct. 14, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada closes recreational salmon fishing in the Skeena River watershed, including the Bulkley River. (Contributed Photo)

Northwest B.C. First Nations outraged by Alaskan interception of salmon

Gitxsan, Gitanyow, and Wet’suwet’en call on government to protect constitutional fishing rights

Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada closes recreational salmon fishing in the Skeena River watershed, including the Bulkley River. (Contributed Photo)
A king salmon is laid out for inspection by Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor officials during the Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 25, 2019. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)

New report suggests Alaskan fisheries are overharvesting plummeting B.C. salmon stocks

Alaska criticized report, calling it was an “unfair and biased attack on Alaska salmon fisheries

A king salmon is laid out for inspection by Alaska Department of Fish and Game at the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor officials during the Golden North Salmon Derby on Aug. 25, 2019. (Peter Segall / Juneau Empire)
Spawning sockeye salmon are seen making their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C., Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Logging in watersheds among stressors for declining Pacific salmon, experts say

Clear-cuts have disrupted the landscape’s natural mechanisms for mitigating floods and landslides

Spawning sockeye salmon are seen making their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C., Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
In Stonefly Creek in Glacier Bay, Alaska, glacier retreat in the late 1970s revealed salmon spawning habitat in the new stream that was colonized within 10 years by pink salmon that grew rapidly to more than 5,000 spawners. (Jonathan Moore)

Melting glaciers could create 1,000s of kms of salmon habitat around B.C., Alaska by 2100

Climate change is rapidly changing environments for animals and researchers are urging protection

In Stonefly Creek in Glacier Bay, Alaska, glacier retreat in the late 1970s revealed salmon spawning habitat in the new stream that was colonized within 10 years by pink salmon that grew rapidly to more than 5,000 spawners. (Jonathan Moore)
Jordan Froese, with son Mitchell, points to salmon swimming in flooded yard on Chilliwack River Road. (Prossy Froese photo)

B.C. researchers, advocates consider impacts of catastrophic flooding on Fraser River salmon

Stranded and trapped salmon seen swimming in yards, trapped on railway tracks, trails, in ditches

Jordan Froese, with son Mitchell, points to salmon swimming in flooded yard on Chilliwack River Road. (Prossy Froese photo)
The Indian River estuary, which connects the ocean inlet around North Vancouver, B.C., to the freshwater river, is shown in this undated aerial photo. A new study on salmon bones dating back thousands of years shows the Tsleil-Waututh Indigenous nation around North Vancouver targeted male salmon for their meat and to sustain the fishery. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Tsleil-Waututh Nation

B.C. study shows sustainable management of salmon fishery before colonization

Archeological evidence shows First Nations effort to focus harvest on males led to stable fishery

The Indian River estuary, which connects the ocean inlet around North Vancouver, B.C., to the freshwater river, is shown in this undated aerial photo. A new study on salmon bones dating back thousands of years shows the Tsleil-Waututh Indigenous nation around North Vancouver targeted male salmon for their meat and to sustain the fishery. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Tsleil-Waututh Nation
A salmon leaps out of the water while fighting a line in the Puntlege River in Courtenay. Photo by Terry Farrell

B.C. recreational chum salmon fisheries go catch-and-release due to low returns

DFO non-retention orders in effect for multiple recreational fisheries throughout southern B.C.

A salmon leaps out of the water while fighting a line in the Puntlege River in Courtenay. Photo by Terry Farrell
A salmon is reeled in by a fisherman along the shores of the Fraser River near Chilliwack, B.C., Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Fishers, experts await details on Ottawa’s latest plan to save Pacific salmon

Fisheries and Oceans said stocks are declining to ‘historic lows’ due to climate change, habitat loss

A salmon is reeled in by a fisherman along the shores of the Fraser River near Chilliwack, B.C., Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
“This is of particular importance in years of peak spawning, which occur every three years, and includes 2021,” advises biologist James Baxter. Photo: Submitted

Locals asked to report sightings of shoal spawning kokanee on Kootenay Lake

Call fish and wildlife at 250.354.6333 to report kokanee numbers and precise location on the lake

  • Sep 9, 2021
“This is of particular importance in years of peak spawning, which occur every three years, and includes 2021,” advises biologist James Baxter. Photo: Submitted
Stuart LePage, of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, sprints to place a salmon in a vessel to be lifted by a helicopter and transported up the Fraser River past a massive rock slide near Big Bar, west of Clinton, B.C., Wednesday July 24, 2019. Officials say thousands of migrating salmon are making their way past an area of British Columbia’s Fraser River that was the scene of waterway restructuring efforts following a massive rock slide more than two years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Salmon getting through Fraser River slide zone as officials ponder permanent fix

Protected fishway at the slide site is allowing salmon to make it upstream

Stuart LePage, of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, sprints to place a salmon in a vessel to be lifted by a helicopter and transported up the Fraser River past a massive rock slide near Big Bar, west of Clinton, B.C., Wednesday July 24, 2019. Officials say thousands of migrating salmon are making their way past an area of British Columbia’s Fraser River that was the scene of waterway restructuring efforts following a massive rock slide more than two years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Spawning sockeye salmon, a species of pacific salmon, are seen making their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C., Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Ottawa to close about 60 per cent of commercial salmon fisheries to conserve stocks

79 of 138 commercial and First Nations communal fisheries will be affected

Spawning sockeye salmon, a species of pacific salmon, are seen making their way up the Adams River in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park near Chase, B.C., Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Catches and returns of chinook salmon, pictured, are declining through parts of their range. Black Press Media file photo

Pacific salmon recovery report gives 32 recommendations to reverse salmon declines

Report caps an investigation into B.C.’s declining salmon populations

Catches and returns of chinook salmon, pictured, are declining through parts of their range. Black Press Media file photo
Rock scalers work at the site of a massive rock slide on the Fraser River near Big Bar, west of Clinton, B.C., on Wednesday July 24, 2019. Fisheries officials are forecasting more migrating salmon will successfully pass through a massive rock slide zone on British Columbia's Fraser River north of Lillooet this summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Improved fishway, lower flow raises salmon migration hopes at Big Bar rock slide

Thousands of migrating Fraser River salmon expected to be able to pass through the area

Rock scalers work at the site of a massive rock slide on the Fraser River near Big Bar, west of Clinton, B.C., on Wednesday July 24, 2019. Fisheries officials are forecasting more migrating salmon will successfully pass through a massive rock slide zone on British Columbia's Fraser River north of Lillooet this summer. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
An Atlantic salmon is seen during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward

Farmed salmon virus source, amplifies disease transmission in wild salmon: B.C. study

Mordecai said evidence is mounting that B.C. aquaculture operations pass the virus to wild salmon

An Atlantic salmon is seen during a Department of Fisheries and Oceans fish health audit at the Okisollo fish farm near Campbell River, B.C., Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS /Jonathan Hayward
For every male sockeye salmon that doesn’t make it back to its spawning grounds, at least two, sometimes three females die, says findings from a recent UBC study. (Courtesy Photo/MC Martin)

Study uncovers B.C. female salmon dying 2x the rate of males

Dr. Scott Hinch predicts the disparity will become more prominent in coming years, calls upon the DFO to help ease their migration journey

For every male sockeye salmon that doesn’t make it back to its spawning grounds, at least two, sometimes three females die, says findings from a recent UBC study. (Courtesy Photo/MC Martin)
Contents from a tailings pond is pictured going down the Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C. on Aug. 5, 2014. (Photo by Jonathan Hayward)

New map details potential environmental threats from B.C. mines

Map editors pressure province to move faster on regulation reforms

Contents from a tailings pond is pictured going down the Hazeltine Creek into Quesnel Lake near the town of Likely, B.C. on Aug. 5, 2014. (Photo by Jonathan Hayward)
A Pacific great blue heron preys on a juvenile salmon in Cowichan Bay. A new study out of UBC suggests the birds removed between three and six per cent of the young fish every year from the Salish Sea region. (Photo supplied by Robert Stenseth)

Blue herons identified as a significant predator of B.C.’s juvenile salmon

Surprising UBC findings may actually be beneficial to stability of salmon populations

A Pacific great blue heron preys on a juvenile salmon in Cowichan Bay. A new study out of UBC suggests the birds removed between three and six per cent of the young fish every year from the Salish Sea region. (Photo supplied by Robert Stenseth)