Vancouver – The BC Wildlife Federation, through its’ Tidal Waters and Freshwaters Fisheries Committees, has thrown the full support of its’ 30,000 members behind the BC Salmon Forum Report released today.

The Forum, chaired by the Honourable John Fraser spent four years reviewing the state of the salmon stocks and the operations of our salmon aquaculture industry. Not surprisingly, they have come to the conclusion that habitat degradation poses the greatest threat to our wild salmon.

To counter this threat, caused primarily by human encroachment, and recently compounded by climate change, the Forum has proposed that all watersheds and marine environments be managed on an ecosystem basis. To accomplish this process the Forum is proposing an overall coordinating agency to make all decisions regarding any development proposals in any watershed in the province. The Hon. John Fraser made it clear that our salmon habitat is facing the death of a thousand cuts, as a result of independent resource use decisions that do not take into account the cumulative impacts of these decisions.

The BC Wildlife Federation also believes that the recommendations made by the Forum with regard to the salmon aquaculture industry are rational and workable.

BCWF Tidal Waters Fisheries Committee Chair Ken Franzen said he and his committee “were pleased to see the importance of freshwater habitat to our salmon resources recognized. Moreover the Forum’s recommendation for a coordinating agency is a firm beginning towards finding a solution to the habitat problems.” . Mr. Franzen also noted that, “those living on the NorthCoast area are pleased with the move to constrain expansion of salmon aquaculture until the existing problems are solved with the current operations in the South Coast areas.”

BCWF Freshwater Fisheries Chair Jon Pew noted that, “while the report is structured towards salmon concerns, the implementation of the recommendations would have nothing but positive benefits for the vast majority of our freshwater fisheries.” Pew went on to say that “we in the BCWF recognize the current and future negative impacts of climate change on our freshwater fish resources and habitats. Any action that will ameliorate those impacts are very welcome.”

“We see the B.C. Salmon Forum Report as a very positive step in the right direction”, Pew concluded.

For further information contact:

Bill Otway: 250-378-4489 or waycot@telus.net
Wayne Harling: 250-753-1864 or harling@island.net
Jon Pew: 250-494-7474 or jpew@telus.net
Patti MacAhonic, Executive Director of the BCWF at 604-291-9990 extension 230

Cc: BC Wildlife Federation Membership
Cc: BC MLA’s
Cc: MP’s

The BCWF is a province-wide voluntary conservation organization representing over 30,000 British Columbian members whose aims are to protect, enhance and promote the wise use of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations.The BC Wildlife Federation was incorporated under the BC Societies Act in 1951 and it became a registered charity in 1969. The Federation is British Columbia’s largest and oldest conservation organization.