British Columbia Wild Salmon Edging Towards Commercial Collapse; Fraser River Run Slashed By 30%

[hatrack]

Low returns of wild salmon in the Canadian province of British Columbia over the summer have those involved in B.C.'s commercial fishery concerned about its future. Wild salmon species failed to return in expected numbers in some rivers this year, most notably the Fraser River. And where there were reports of strong runs, a lack of commercial infrastructure limited the harvest.

According to the B.C. Salmon Marketing Council, wild salmon has contributed an average of 12.7 percent of the landed value of wild seafood in the province over the past decade, with a wholesale value ranging between CAD 150 million and CAD 250 million (USD 112 million and USD 186 million, EUR 108 million and 181 million) – the higher end of that range reported during years where dominant salmon runs were recorded. But in recent years, a combination of the effects of climate change, recent extreme weather events, eroding infrastructure, and fishery management issues contributed to losing Marine Stewardship Council certification for key species. Together, those issues have stakeholders fearing the industry may have reached a breaking point.

EDIT

In September 2022, the Fraser River Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission slashed its initial run estimate of 9.8 million sockeye by 30 percent for what has historically been Canada’s most-productive commercial wild salmon fishery. And a status report published by the commission in early October indicated a run of 6.8 million fish on the river. This year’s poor run, in what was expected to be a dominant year where sockeye return to spawn in large numbers, has observers questioning the health of the entire Fraser River watershed.

On Vancouver Island, strong returns were reported on the Somass River and further north, 2022 has produced a bumper run on the Skeena River – estimated at nearly four million fish, twice the average for the last decade, according to The Tyee. But even with the strong run on the Skeena – the nation’s second-largest salmon-producing region – a decline in processing capacity limited the industry’s ability to maximize returns.

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https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/supply-trade/bc-salmon-fishery-on-verge-of-commercial-collapse

[AllyCat]

1. Our refusal to care for the earth is going to starve us.

[cilla4progress]

2. Karma

...

[at140]

3. Obesity is higher in USA than

Any other major country in the world. Maybe the food inflation will save lot more in healthcare costs.

[AllyCat]

4. Perhaps. I just feel like the healthy food is what will suffer and we'll

end up eating more crap.

The salmon are integral to the First Nation people in these states. It's terrible what has happened to their entire way of life and now we are killing the food.

Trying to make myself feel better with the story of the Elwha River and the dam removal restoring their salmon populations.

Dams should be built by beaver. There is strong evidence that beaver returning to the west would improve water quality, stores, and the environment.

[at140]

5. I like to salmon flourish

They are amazing fish, who swim hundreds of miles back to where they were hatched, mate and then die. Greek tragedy.