Commercial Pacific salmon closures
Pacific salmon are in a long-term decline, with many runs on the verge of collapse due to a complex combination of climate change, habitat degradation, and harvesting impacts. We are taking decisive steps under the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) to combat these steep declines and give salmon a fighting chance at survival by implementing extensive closures to commercial salmon fisheries in areas with significant stocks of conservation concern, beginning with the 2021 fishing season. Where commercial fishery closures are in place to conserve specific sockeye, pink and chum salmon stocks, recreational retention fisheries will also be restricted.
Based on the 2021 outlook that provides information regarding anticipated returns of salmon stocks, these closures will make the greatest impact on the most fragile stocks of concern. The remaining open fisheries may have sufficient abundance to proceed, while posing a low risk to stocks of concern, however actual returns from each in-season test fishery will determine whether they open. Factors that lessen the impacts of a fishery when it opens include fishing in areas where harvesters can avoid intercepting at-risk salmon stocks, and/or additional measures where it is possible to enhance selectivity of salmon stocks such as dates, shorter duration, and smaller geographic areas. We will consult further on long-term conservation measures with First Nations and commercial harvesters prior to the 2022 fishing season.
Understanding that stocks may need multiple generations to stabilize and rebuild, and that these closures will have an economic impact on harvesters, we will also be engaging with harvesters on a Pacific Salmon Commercial Licence Retirement Program. This salmon licence retirement program will provide harvesters with the option to retire their licences for fair market value and will facilitate the transition to a smaller commercial harvesting sector. Permanently removing fishing effort will support the economic viability of the fishery in the long run, while closures will protect salmon stocks in the short term and give them an opportunity to stabilize.
First Nations communal-commercial harvesters
We will meaningfully consult with First Nations communal-commercial harvesters on options to shift to more selective fishing gear or, where available, to other non-salmon species. These mitigation measures allow for continued economic opportunity agreements under the communal-commercial licence, while helping reduce interactions with at-risk stocks.
Commercial salmon closures
South Coast
South Coast British Columbia commercial salmon closures
Species | Target stock | Gear | Fleet | ClosureFootnote 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chum | Fraser chum | Gill net | FN Sale | PSSI |
Chinook | Fraser chinook (Summer 41) | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Chum | Fraser chum | Gill net | FN Sale | PSSI |
Chum | Fraser chum | Gill net | Area E | PSSI |
Chum | Johnstone Strait mixed stock | Gill net | Area D | PSSI |
Chum | Nitinat Hatchery | Gill net | Area E | PSSI |
Chum | Nitinat Hatchery | Seine | Area B | PSSI |
Chum | Mainland Inlet terminal stocks | Troll | Area H | IFMP |
Chum | Mainland Inlet terminal stocks | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Chum | Malaspina Inlet, Jervis Inlet | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Chum | Malaspina Inlet, Jervis Inlet | Troll | Area H | IFMP |
Chum | Puntledge, Little Qualicum, Big Qualicum Chum | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Chum | Puntledge, Little Qualicum, Big Qualicum Chum | Troll | Area H | IFMP |
Chum | Puntledge, Little Qualicum, Big Qualicum chum | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Chum | Bute Inlet Chum | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Chum | Mainland Inlet terminal stocks | Gill net | Area D | IFMP |
Chum | Malaspina Inlet, Jervis Inlet | Gill net | Area D | IFMP |
Chum | Barkley Wild | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Chum | Barkley Wild | Gill net | Area D | IFMP |
Chum | Clayoquot Wild | Gill net | Area D | IFMP |
Chum | Clayoquot Wild | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Troll | Area H | IFMP |
Pink | Quinsam | Troll | Area H | IFMP |
Pink | Quinsam | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Pink | Fraser pink | Troll | FN Sale | IFMP |
Pink | Mainland Inlet terminal stocks | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Pink | Mainland Inlet terminal stocks | Troll | Area H | IFMP |
Pink | Mainland Inlet terminal stocks | Gill net | Area D | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Seine | Area B | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Troll | Area H | IFMP |
Sockeye | Okanagan sockeye | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Gill net | Area E | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Troll | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Henderson | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Gill net | Area D | IFMP |
Sockeye | Fraser sockeye | Troll | Area G | IFMP |
North Coast
North Coast British Columbia commercial salmon closures
Species | Target stock | Gear | Fleet | ClosureFootnote 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chum | Area 8 major streams (incl. Bella Coola) | Gill net | FN Sale | PSSI |
Chum | Area 8 major streams (incl. Bella Coola) | Seine | Area A | PSSI |
Chum | Area 8 major streams (incl. Bella Coola) | Gill net | Area C | PSSI |
Sockeye | Nass | Gill net | Area C | PSSI |
Sockeye | Nass | Gill net | FN Sale | PSSI |
Chinook | Nass | Gill net | FN Sale | PSSI |
Coho | North Coast mixed stock | Troll | Area F | PSSI |
Chum | Kitimat Hatchery | Gill net | Area C | IFMP |
Coho | Nass | Other | FN Sale | IFMP |
Coho | Central Coast | Troll | Area F | IFMP |
Sockeye | Nass | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Chinook | Skeena | Gill net | Area C | IFMP |
Sockeye | Smith Inlet | Gill net | Area C | IFMP |
Sockeye | Rivers Inlet | Gill net | Area C | IFMP |
Pink | Haida Gwaii | Gill net | Area C | IFMP |
Chum | Haida Gwaii | Gill net | Area C | IFMP |
Chum | Area 7 major streams | Gill net | FN Sale | IFMP |
Chum | Area 7 major streams | Seine | Area A | IFMP |
Chum | Area 7 major streams | Gill net | Area C | IFMP |
Transboundary
Transboundary commercial salmon closures
Species | Target stock | Gear | Fleet | ClosureFootnote 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chinook | Stikine Chinook | Gill net | Stikine | IFMP |
Chinook | Alsek chinook | Gill net | Alsek | IFMP |
Sockeye | Stikine sockeye (Wild - Tahltan, Mainstem) - Lower River | Gill net | Stikine | IFMP |
Sockeye | Alsek sockeye | Gill net | Alsek | IFMP |
Chinook | Taku chinook | Gill net | Taku | IFMP |
Coho | Alsek coho | Gill net | Alsek | IFMP |
Yukon
Yukon commercial salmon closures
Species | Target stock | Gear | Fleet | ClosureFootnote 1 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chum | Yukon chum (Mainstem) | Gill net | Yukon | PSSI |
Chinook | Yukon chinook | Gill net | Yukon | IFMP |
Chinook | Porcupine River chinook | Gill net | Porcupine | IFMP |
Chum | Porcupine River chum | Gill net | Porcupine | IFMP |
Coho | Porcupine River coho | Gill net | Porcupine | IFMP |
Related links
- Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative
- Pacific Salmon Commercial Licence Retirement Program
- Pacific salmon integrated fisheries management plans
- Date modified: