$143 million from feds, B.C. to protect salmon
Open for business: Ideas wanted to save stocks from decline
The federal and provincial government have teamed up to commit $143 million over the next five years to protect and restore wild salmon stocks — some of which are in danger of collapse.
Proposals are being accepted to pay for salmon-related projects related to innovation, infrastructure and science, federal Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Premier John Horgan announced March 15.
“British Columbians are rightly concerned about the state of several wild salmon stocks,” Wilkinson said at Fisherman’s Wharf.
“Since the 1980s, wild Pacific salmon have faced challenges due to a multitude of stressors, including climate change.”
Horgan pointed to the youth who rallied in front of the nearby legislature to call for action on climate change.
“When it comes to wild salmon stocks, there is no better indicator of the challenges we face than rising water temperatures, low snowpack, rivers that aren’t full with enough water to sustain our salmon, and that’s where we need to intervene,” Horgan said.
The federal government is putting in $100 million and the province is contributing $42.85 million to the B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund, first announced late last year.
“The fund is now open for business,” Wilkinson said.
Another $5 million of federal money is going to the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund to support the Vancouver-based Pacific Salmon Foundation.
Indigenous groups, conservationists, commercial and recreational fishermen and their organizations, academia and universities and research agencies can all apply to the new fund.
Money will go to activities such as protecting healthy and diverse salmon stocks for the long term, rebuilding salmon populations, restoring habitat and attaining sustainable-fishing sectors.