Salmon provide food for a variety of wildlife, from bald eagles to killer whales to grizzly bears. Because salmon die after spawning, their carcasses also provide abundant food and nutrients to plants and animals, including tiny aquatic insects and other invertebrates that in turn provide food for other animals.

During their life cycle, salmon transfer energy and nutrients between the Pacific Ocean and freshwater and land habitats. In areas that have experienced dramatic declines in salmon, there is a measurable deficit of nutrients to help support the ecosystem.

Annual employment in commercial fishing industry is highly seasonal. In BC, employment related to commercial fishing was estimated at 2,100 in 2005 - the lowest number recorded in the past two decades - and peaked at 7,000 in 1989. The BC fish processing industry employed 3,700 people in 2005, and peaked at 6,000 in 2000.

In Washington, employment related to commercial and recreational fisheries (including harvesters, processors, distributors) was estimated at over 23,000 people in 2009.

In 2005, sport fishing in BC generated $248 million, plus an additional $46 million through associated activities.

Recreational salmon fisheries in the Salish Sea also play important economic and social roles for residents and visitors to the region. Chinook are among the most prized recreational fish. In 2005, sport fishing in BC generated $248 million, plus an additional $46 million through associated activities - such as shopping or visits to other attractions by visiting anglers. Sport fishing-related activities employed 7,700 in BC in 2005, making it the single largest employer in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

In Washington, recreational fishing in Puget Sound is conservatively valued at $57 million a year. In 2009, the number of jobs directly linked to recreational fisheries was estimated to be over 3,500 people - supporting over 200,000 resident and visiting anglers.

Chinook salmon populations are down 60% since the Pacific Salmon Commission began tracking data in 1984. So is every other species of salmon.

Why is it happening?

The steep decline in salmon is associated with three main factors:

Salmon Aquaculture – Solution or Nightmare?

As salmon stocks began to seriously decline in the 1950s fishermen, government, scientists, and entrepreneurs began looking for a way to create a steady and sustainable supply of the fish.

The first fish hatcheries developed in the province weren’t very successful, and were criticized for being little more than PR stunts aimed at placating a concerned public, but by the mid-70s they, and experimental fish farms, were beginning to produce results. By the mid-1980s aquaculture was an emerging industry that has since grown steadily.

Today, the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) represents 50 businesses and organizations throughout the value chain of finfish aquaculture in BC. BCSFA members operate an estimated 106 of the 109 licensed and tenured finfish aquaculture facilities, and harvested 78,000mT of salmon in 2016.

Today aquaculture produces half of all fish consumed by humans.

There is currently much controversy about the ecological and health impacts of intensive salmon aquaculture. There are particular concerns about the impacts on wild fish and other marine life and on the incomes of commercial salmon fishermen.

Closed Containment vs. Open Ocean

In the past 30 years, most fish farms have used open-net pens or cages submerged in the open water. Scientists and conservationists call this a high-risk method, because waste, chemicals, parasites and disease can move freely between the net and the ocean or fresh water. Sometimes non-native fish species escape and cross-breed with local populations. The farms also attract large predators, which can get tangled in the nets.

Closed containment systems offer one solution to these problems. Tanks can sit on land or in the water, and a solid wall barrier prevents any interaction between the fish and the natural environment. A recirculation system keeps the tank water fresh, while safely eliminating waste. Closed systems reduce pollution, escapes, diseases and wildlife damage – and can provide a sustainable way to farm fish including salmon, sturgeon, striped bass, and Arctic char.