Why are they important? What is threatening them? What can you do?
• There are 5 species of pacific salmon in BC: Sockeye, Pink, Chum, Coho and Chinook
• Salmon are keystone species in BC, meaning that many other organisms along BC’s coast rely on salmon to sustain their populations, and therefore salmon are essential for maintaining BC’s biodiversity
• Salmon have been and continue to be an important part of the cultural identity, spirituality and way of life of Coast Salish First Nations
• Over 6000 people (fishers and crew) depend on the wild BC salmon industry for work
What is threatening BC salmon?
• There are many things threatening BC salmon, including:
– sea lice spreading due to fish farms
– warming average water temperatures and extreme weather events brought about by climate change
– Overfishing and bad aquaculture practices
• Another big threat to BC salmon that specifically impacts their life cycle and ability to reproduce is habitat destruction. Currently, during BC salmon’s spawning season, construction of the TMX pipeline is causing habitat destruction at the Coquihalla River. This construction is disrupting their spawning and higher than usual numbers of salmon are turning up dead in the river
What can you do?
• TMX representatives say that they will restore and “improve” the habitat when construction is done at the end of August, but by then the damage will already be done + once the pipeline is in full operation it will pose an ongoing threat to BC salmon and other coastal wildlife. We need to act fast.
• Call or email Minister of Fisheries and Oceans @joycemurraymp and tell her to order Trans Mountain to suspend its in-stream work at least until spawning season is over: 613-992-2430 + Joyce.murray@parl.gc.ca
• To support salmon and watershed conservation, follow @pacificsalmonfoundation @watershedwatchbc @raincoastconservation @rivershedbc
• To support efforts to stop big oil, follow @stoptmx @wcelaw @dogwoodbc @greenpeace_canada
