Frameworks and operational planning guidelines

Pacific salmon enhancement decisions and actions are made in a way that minimizes risk to wild populations. This is done by following enhancement frameworks and operational and planning guidelines. Our guidance documents have been created with the best available science.

Key frameworks give broad direction on enhancement activities, and provide consistency and transparency in key considerations for enhancement. They include:

• An Interim Pacific Salmon Enhancement Policy Framework
• SEP Production Planning: A Framework
• Salmonid Enhancement Program Biological Assessment Framework
• Biological Risk Management Framework

The Interim Pacific Salmon Enhancement Policy Framework guides the work of all enhancement activities at a high level. It outlines the vision, mission, core values and key principles of salmon enhancement in Pacific Canada. The Production Planning Framework outlines the process for deciding how many fish are to be produced from each enhancement facility. The Biological Assessment Framework outlines how to measure the contribution of enhancement to fisheries and rebuilding of populations; fish production levels; the effectiveness of enhancement strategies; and effects of hatchery salmon on wild populations. Finally, the Biological Risk Management Framework outlines the framework for identifying and managing biological risks of enhancement production to wild Pacific salmon populations, including genetic, disease and ecological interaction risks and mitigation measures.

These broader frameworks are supported by operational and planning guidelines to provide guidance on undertaking enhancement activities at facilities. These are broken into the Community Involvement Program Best Management Practices Guide and the Compilation of Operational and Planning Guidelines. The community Involvement Program Best Management Practices Guide sets out approaches to maximize the health of stocks while minimizing or preventing environmental impacts.

The Compilation of Operational and Planning Guidelines are internal guidelines to support operations.