Assessing Salmon Habitat Vulnerability in the Skeena Estuary

The Skeena River estuary is used by all five species of Pacific salmon (Chinook, chum, coho, pink and sockeye), which are valued for their ecological, cultural and economic importance. The estuary is also the site of both current and proposed industrial projects (e.g., multiple LNG, potash, shipping and railway expansions), which each pose their own unique set of pressures on the ecological system. To address uncertainties about the status of the Skeena estuarine salmon habitat and its vulnerability to the cumulative impacts from various current and potential future stressors, we are conducting a comprehensive habitat assessment of the Skeena estuary. Using existing information, we have documented habitat characteristics and developed a Skeena-specific conceptual model of the salmon supporting ecosystem. Informed by a review of other estuary assessments, we have identified habitat indicators and benchmarks. Using existing data, we are evaluating the relative vulnerability of the estuarine habitat to threats and pressures in order to identify the areas of high value and high risk. This assessment brings together multiple sources of information to provide a common understanding about the status and vulnerability of salmon habitat in the Skeena estuary and will inform decision-making for Provincial, Federal and First Nation managers.