To mark B.C. Wild Salmon Day, government is providing more than $17 million for wild salmon restoration throughout the province to ensure present and future generations of British Columbians enjoy the benefits of this iconic species.
“Wild salmon are at the foundation of Indigenous culture and are integral to B.C.’s food security, ecosystems and economy,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “The $17.25 million we’re providing the First Nations Fisheries Council and the Pacific Salmon Foundation will support wild salmon recovery and Indigenous capacity in communities all around B.C. to protect our wild salmon populations.”
The bulk of the funding ($15 million) will be shared equally between the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the First Nations Fisheries Council (FNFC) to work to protect, conserve and restore the abundance of Pacific wild salmon in British Columbia. Science, Indigenous knowledge and data will be used to actively advance habitat restoration and climate adaptation. The remaining $2.25 million will go to the FNFC to support this work.
This funding for wild Pacific salmon recovery builds on a number of ongoing initiatives that directly and indirectly support wild salmon habitat protection and restoration in the province. This includes the B.C. government’s historic $100-million funding of the Watershed Security Strategy and Fund in March 2023 and the joint federal-provincial $285.7 million through Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund to restore abundant wild salmon populations.
Wild salmon rely on accessible rivers and streams for different life stages and are susceptible to the effects of major flood events. B.C.’s flood strategy will be in its next phase of implementation after public engagement early in 2023. It aims to build capacity throughout the province for flood resilience, thereby protecting wild salmon habitat and communities.
The Province also renewed its memorandum of understanding with the FNFC in January 2023, which continues an effective partnership related to fisheries and the aquatic environment, and honours the principles of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.
Learn More:
British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund project overviews:
https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fisheries-peches/initiatives/fish-fund-bc-fonds-peche-cb/projects-projets-eng.html
B.C.’s Climate Preparedness and Adaptation Strategy:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/climate-change/adaptation
A backgrounder follows.