Pacific Salmon Commercial Licence Retirement Program

The Pacific Salmon Commercial Licence Retirement Program is a voluntary program that allows commercial salmon licence eligibility holders to retire their licence eligibilities permanently for market value through reverse auction.

Declining Pacific salmon returns have made economic viability in the commercial Pacific salmon industry a significant challenge. In addition to providing an opportunity for commercial salmon licence eligibility holders to exit the industry, this program will transition the fisheries to a smaller commercial harvesting sector, improving their long-term sustainability and financial viability.

This program builds on a comprehensive series of consultations and engagement sessions with commercial and First Nations harvesters, which introduced the main elements of the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative and sought feedback to inform future decision-making.

All commercial salmon licence eligibility holders are eligible to apply for this program provided they own a vessel that holds one or more salmon seine, gill net or troll licences in a valid or renewal status. In some cases, commercial salmon licence eligibility holders can separate licences and retire all or only some of them. Indigenous organizations that hold communal commercial salmon or Category N licence eligibilities are not eligible to apply for this program, but may be eligible to apply for the Pacific Salmon Indigenous Communal Commercial Alternation Program.