What's new // Lower Fraser Salmon Program
He will focus on addressing the myriad of threats facing salmon habitats in the Lower Fraser River by progressing governance frameworks, policies, funding structures, and field research initiatives.
Our work will inform ecosystem requirements for a sustainable, terminal salmon fishery that is Indigenous-led and ecosystem-based.
“Who’s ready to rumble?” yells Captain Sean, his jolly head poking out the port-side window of the BellaRose. I extend my hand to each of my six youth participants as they climb aboard the vessel. A warm salty breeze washes over me as we embark together on today’s project. This will be a good day….
This work is part of our Fraser River Connectivity Project, our five-year restoration project to create openings in several of the man-made barriers in the Fraser Estuary that prevent the natural migration of juvenile salmon.
This project has been the largest connectivity restoration project in the Fraser estuary in decades.
Salmon have lost access to as much as 85 per cent of their historical floodplain habitat – the biologically rich wetlands next to a river or stream that typically harbour wildlife – due to dikes and similar infrastructure.
Our recent Lower Fraser Salmon Recovery Brief provides an update on our collaborative research, restoration and conservation initiatives underway. Below, we provide overviews of these efforts under each recommendation, which are further outlined in the Briefing.
This collaborative work to recover wild salmon and restore the ecological resilience of the Lower Fraser River and Estuary is outlined in the Lower Fraser Salmon Recovery Brief.
We are very pleased to have five passionate students joining our team for the summer. Over the summer, these five youth will contribute to several of our programs, while developing their own skills.
The AFER Network features working groups to provide space for focused discussion of key topics related to conservation initiatives in the Lower Fraser. On June 17th from 1-3 pm, we are launching our Funding and Fiscal tools Working Group, which will discuss what a post-covid funding world could look like, shifts in funders’ strategic focus, and the role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in shaping funding priorities.
Wild Salmon Research Assistant, Paige Roper, shares about Raincoast’s recent work in the Harrison River.
Lauren Mitchell, intern on Raincoast’s wild salmon team, is researching how to best to go about calculating the number of salmon the Lower Fraser River and estuary are able to support.