Historical Abundance of Skeena Salmon: Road to Recovery

The rich ecological and cultural legacy of Canada’s Pacific coast is shaped, if not defined, by wild Pacific salmon; thus, these fish form a vital component of its future. The Skeena River watershed is Canada’s second largest salmon producing system. While the Skeena is considered relatively pristine, industrial fishing over the last 140 years has contributed to the decline in abundance of most salmon species. Historical run-reconstruction analysis of Skeena chum salmon has revealed an order of magnitude decline in abundance since the early rise of commercial fishing. Wild Skeena sockeye have similarly declined, though this trend is largely obscured by the recent enhanced production of sockeye at spawning channels. Declines in abundance of several populations (conservation units) of chum and sockeye have initiated recovery strategies throughout the watershed. To be effective, recovery planning for Skeena salmon must address the rebuilding of life history characteristics and abundance, and safeguard against future stressors, such as habitat degradation from industrial development projects and climate warming.