The Wild Salmon Advisory Council has submitted its final recommendations to develop a Made-in-B.C. Wild Salmon Strategy for the B.C. government’s review and consideration.

The council made 13 recommendations that include immediate and mid-term actions that have three goals:

• Increase the abundance of wild salmon;
• Protect and enhance the economic, social and cultural benefits that come to B.C. communities from wild salmon and other fisheries, placing emphasis on adjacent communities; and
• Develop mechanisms, processes, practices and structures to engage citizens and governments in the effective stewardship and management of B.C.’s wild salmon.

In its recommendations, the council called on government to focus on “tangible, achievable, near-term actions that can address the immediate needs of wild salmon and their habitat”, as well as establishing “long-term provincial engagement on this issue, recognizing that impact will require ongoing and significant effort.”

The recommendations include input and feedback received from community meetings and a public engagement process that welcomed British Columbians’ online participation. The engagement took place from fall 2018 to January 2019 and was based on an options paper the council prepared.

The Wild Salmon Advisory Council consists of 14 British Columbians who have a broad understanding of the role that salmon play within B.C.’s environment, for coastal and inland Indigenous communities, and local economies up and down the coast. The council is co-chaired by Chief Marilyn Slett of Heiltsuk Nation and Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan. Adam Olsen, MLA for Saanich North and the Islands, is also a council member.

The B.C. government is reviewing the recommendations as part of its commitment to support restoring healthy and abundant wild salmon stocks in B.C.

Learn More:

Report with recommendations for the Made-in-B.C. Wild Salmon Strategy: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/426/2019/03/Wild-Salmon-Advisory-Council-Report.pdf.

Summary of the public engagement: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/govtogetherbc/consultation/b-c-wild-salmon-strategy/