Canada is failing in a decades-old pledge to monitor the health of Pacific salmon, according to new research from Simon Fraser University.
At a time when government policy is geared towards accelerating industrial development across sensitive B.C. watersheds, an SFU study published today in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences reports that monitoring of salmon spawning populations has dropped 32 per cent since Canada adopted its Wild Salmon Policy 20 years ago.
The decline in publicly-available data means that scientists are unable to assess the well-being of nearly half (44 per cent) of Canada's Pacific salmon populations.
Of the five species assessed (Chinook, chum, coho, pink and sockeye), sockeye salmon suffer most from a lack of monitoring, with 58 per cent of Conservation Units (genetically and geographically distinct salmon populations) lacking sufficient data.
"Canada committed to monitoring the health of wild salmon, yet our study shows that capacity to do so has eroded substantially," says Michael Price, lead author of the study and adjunct professor in SFU's Department of Biological Sciences.
"Without reliable monitoring, it becomes impossible for resource managers to decide when fisheries should open or close, assess whether conservation measures are needed, or detect when salmon populations are slipping toward extinction."
An accompanying article published today in the journal Science places these declines in the context of recent federal decisions to fast-track major industrial projects, while reducing environmental oversight.
"The decline in monitoring is particularly concerning as salmon are facing the dual threat of rapid environmental change and industrial projects that are set to be fast tracked by our federal government," says Price, lead author of the letter.
"When development accelerates while monitoring declines, decisions around development will be made without a clear picture of what is being put at risk - or what the damage may be once a project is completed."
In June, the government passed the One Canadian Economy Act (Bill C-5), enabling rapid approval of industrial projects deemed to be in the national interest.
At the same time, the most recent federal budget reduced funding to Fisheries and Oceans Canada by $544 million over four years, constraining the agency responsible for environmental monitoring and salmon conservation, according to Price.
"The Wild Salmon Policy promised a conservation-first approach grounded in science," adds Price.
"We need to see salmon monitoring prioritized, which means rebuilding monitoring programs, strengthening Indigenous-led and community-based data collection, and safeguarding baseline ecological information."
Available SFU Expert
MICHAEL PRICE, adjunct professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University. Director of science, SkeenaWild Conservation Trust.
