Salmon Steward

salmon Steward magazine 11 G lobal warming and associated sea level rise are both symptoms of climate change. Sea level rise results from warming waters and increased melting of the major ice caps and glaciers. To date, the rise has been small in coastal British Columbia but future eects will be greater, depending on the extent of global warming that occurs. In 2011, the Province of B.C. recommended that local governments plan for a metre of sea level rise by 2100. Unfortunately, many experts now consider this projected warming and rise to be conservative. The end result of this environmenta l change will dier loca lly depending on shoreline developments as well as land usage, tida l eects and exposure to extreme weather events. Why is this relevant to Pacific Salmon Foundation supporters? Because one of the major at-risk areas is the lower Fraser River and estuary, where the impact of sea level rise on the ecosystem could be vast. In fact, the City of Vancouver has already acknowledged this in their recent Administrative Report: "Vancouver's coastline includes important habitat for fish, birds and other BY DR. BRIAN RIDDELL CLIMATE CHANGE & SALMON • Higher water temperatures could mean smaller salmon; • Warmer waters could cause fry to emerge too early, leaving them mismatched with environmental cues and more vulnerable to predators; • Predation on salmon could increase as predators such as Pacific Hake and mackerel move north; and • Increased storm intensity might scour streams and kill salmon eggs. HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT WATER WATER WATER HOT WATER HOT HOT WATER HOT HOT WATER HOT HOT WATER HOT The rapidly melting Columbia Glacier in Alaska is one of the biggest contributors to sea level rise. wildlife that is locally and globally significant. Intertidal habitat will be impacted, reduced and squeezed over time with sea level rise. Thoughtful planning for sea level rise can create opportunities to restore and replicate intertidal habitat by using softer – and greener – flood management approaches that also protect waterfront properties." PSF agrees and emphasizes the need to address this issue now. Presently, protecting the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) is a major concern in the Salish Sea, and Fraser River Chinook comprise a substantial portion of their diet. But these Chinook need freshwater wetlands and marshes, as well as a productive estuary, to survive long enough to reach the SRKWs. If we continue to depend on dikes to contain Fraser River flows, and sea level rise approaches one metre, will these "important habitat for fish, birds and other wildlife that is locally and globally significant" exist at all? So what can you do? Let your local MLA know that estuaries must be a priority, and support initiatives targeted at protecting and restoring this vital habitat. IN Rising sea levels pose a major challenge to salmon and their habitat

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