Climate change

We use a comprehensive approach to inform actions that benefit salmon ecosystems in a changing climate.

Photo by Fernando Tessa.

Climate change is causing severe hydrological shifts in salmon streams through long-term reductions in snowpack, earlier spring melts, increased frequency of heat waves, atmospheric rivers and flood events, and increased drought frequency. These impacts create conditions unsuitable for wild salmon to recover and thrive.

Juvenile salmon in a fish viewfinder. — Photo by Alex Harris / Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

School of coho in a river. — Photo by Fernando Lessa.

Unsustainable land use is compounding the impacts of climate change

Unsustainable land use occurring throughout the province is making these conditions even worse. Clear-cut logging, mining, and water withdrawal for industry and agriculture alter salmon habitat, reduce streamflow, and increase water temperatures. Stream-type Chinook and coho salmon that spend a year in freshwater before migrating to the ocean are particularly vulnerable to degraded freshwater habitat caused by logged forests, fires, droughts, and floods.

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Forestry degrades salmon habitat

Logging can alter the delivery and storage of water, nutrients, wood, and sediment in streams. This results in changes to the habitat, growth, and survival of juvenile salmon. Clear-cut logging can increase turbidity in salmon-bearing streams affecting survival of eggs and fry, while the conversion of old growth forest into plantation monocultures can lower summer stream flow and increase temperatures. The legacies of antiquated forest management that prioritizes harvestable timber above all other values confounds the effects of climate change on freshwater habitat quality and quantity for salmon.

A rivers running through the forest right next to a large clearcut area.

Four small salmon swimming near the bottom of the water. — Photo by Fernando Lessa.

Wildfires impact salmon

Recent wildfires in BC have brought climate-change related effects into focus: wildfires are getting larger, more intense, and more frequent. The suppression of wildfires can increase fuel load and the corresponding severity of wildfires, particularly in the drier and hotter regions of the province.

The loss of vegetation and alteration of soil properties from hot wildfires can dramatically change the way rainfall permeates soil, and can cause increased runoff, sedimentation, and landslides that can smother incubating salmon eggs. Additionally, fire retardants used to suppress fires contain compounds that are toxic to aquatic life and can increase fish mortality, particularly for young Chinook salmon.

Floods impacting salmon

The forest management paradigm of British Columbia has increased the magnitude of and frequency of the biggest floods. In snow-dominant watersheds, such as those of the BC interior, reduced forest cover from logging leads to faster snowmelt and larger floods. Increased flood risk can degrade water quality through increased sedimentation and contaminants, and can kill incubating salmon eggs from riverbed scouring.

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Underwater image of salmon swimming. — Photo by Fernando Lessa.

Coho salmon swimming in a river. — Photo by Fernando Lessa.

Engaging with decision-makers

Now is the time to improve federal and provincial land-use policies for the health and climate resiliency of ecosystems and to advance the recovery of at-risk salmon populations. These policies must support freshwater security at the community level and uplift the rights and priorities of Indigenous peoples.

Raincoast is engaging with decision-makers at all levels of government to advocate for science-based policy solutions that ensure wild salmon are resilient in a changing climate.

Recent reports

Forests, fire, and fish: Policy pathways to manage forests for wildfire resilience, salmon recovery, and watershed security

Environmental flow needs assessment for salmonids in the Coldwater River

Nature-based Solutions for addressing climate risks and fostering biodiversity in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia

Floodwater contaminants report

Rights of Nature: Pathways to legal personhood for the Fraser River Estuary

Toward a vision for salmon habitat in the Lower Fraser River

Recent articles

Fir tree with cones with the blue ocean in the background.

The Green and Blue Carbon Stewardship opportunity in BC’s forested and marine ecosystems: Synthesis of key workshop takeaways

On March 17, 2021, Transition Salt Spring, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, and Brinkman Earth Systems hosted a virtual workshop exploring opportunities for blue and green carbon projects to help finance Indigenous-led stewardship of the Coastal Douglas-fir and marine forests that sustain the Salish Sea.

Lia Chalifour walks through the tall grass of the Fraser Estuary hauling her equipment for the salmon ear bone study.

Unpacking new research on the Fraser Estuary’s importance to Chinook salmon

A new paper, “Chinook salmon exhibit long-term rearing and early marine growth in the Fraser River, B.C., a large urban estuary,” has highlighted the importance of the Fraser estuary as critical habitat for Chinook salmon. The researchers used salmon ear bones, or otoliths, to study how juvenile salmon were using the Fraser estuary, and found…

Two people holding a net while doing fish research on a cloudy day

Fraser River juvenile salmon, upstream and in the estuary

Wild Salmon Research Assistant, Paige Roper, shares about Raincoast’s recent work in the Harrison River.

Guardians of the Coast: The next generation of stewards

In this last session of Coastal Insights, we will be joined by some of the inspiring young leaders who are taking action in their communities to sustain and protect the coast.

A backhoe works on a cutblock on Pender Island, with remaining trees and smoke scattered around the edge.

Welcome to Pender Island, where the destruction of a globally rare ecosystem is ongoing

The Islands Trust was created to protect the unique ecosystems of BC’s Gulf Islands, without being given the authority to do so. But rather than protecting the environment from potentially harmful human activities, the Islands Trust is now protecting human activities that harm the environment.

Southern Resident killer whale at the surface of the water at sunset.

Southern Resident killer whales need your voice

With the Canadian federal government set to decide on recovery measures for 2021, we have made it easy for you to send a letter to three federal ministers encouraging them to implement the strongest possible recovery measures to ensure the survival of Southern Resident killer whales.

A cutblock with a stack of logs from Salt Spring Island, in the Gulf Islands.

Islands 2050: What will the Gulf Islands look like in 25 years?

The preservation and protection of BC’s Gulf Islands “for the benefit of residents of the trust area and of the province generally” has been charged to the Islands Trust. However, recent decision-making has demonstrated that a majority of Local Trustee’s are focusing on different priorities. In February, Raincoast submitted feedback as part of a public engagement process seeking input on the Islands Trust Policy Statement in two areas: climate change and affordable housing within the Islands Trust area.

Behind The Glass Hunting with Chris Darimont and Chris Pryn

Chris Darimont spoke with hunter and podcaster Chris Pryn to discuss their shared interests in hunting and habitat protection, and also to figure out where they disagree. It’s a remarkable interview, in part, because both Darimont and Pryn work so hard to have a respectful conversation despite their differences.