Salmon Steward is the official publication of the Pacific Salmon Foundation in British Columbia, Canada
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1408862
4 FALL 2021 PSF.CA Salmon have evolved over thousands of years to be idea lly suited to conditions in their home streams and ecosystems. It is important to understand and protect the diversity of salmon populations – because if we lose it we can't get it back. Scientists have developed a deep enough understanding of salmon populations to group them within relevant Conservation Units. However, there could be genetic adaptations within each unit that will prove vital for future adaptation and survival. For example, salmon within a Conservation Unit may have genetics that prompt them to return earlier, and be more resilient to high temperatures. PSF's program will identify those key adaptations that could help salmon better adjust to climate change, and which could be conserved through measures like hatchery enhancement or habitat restoration. n C limate change means new and unpredictable problems for Pacific salmon habitat. There is an urgent need to develop responses to support our salmon during extreme events like heatwaves and fires. Fortunately, there is a vast network of 30,000-plus dedicated and trained community stewards who are the eyes and ears of salmon conservation across B.C. For the last 33 years, Pacific Salmon Foundation donors have invested in their efforts. By equipping these citizen scientists to lead on local climate action, we can be more responsive and deal with immediate issues like drought and high temperatures. That means supporting local projects like: n Applying nature-based and man-made treatments to increase water storage in watersheds to reduce the effects of drought and low flows; n Restoring habitat to address water- shed changes from development activity (which will require ongoing restoration of instream habitat for the next couple of decades); and, n Developing a solid baseline of data so we can measure the effectiveness of our efforts. To truly mitigate the effects of climate change, we need a close-up view of how minute changes add up to measurable challenges for salmon. Community stewards are in their own watersheds every day and are ideally positioned to monitor fine-scale changes. The value of citizen scientists simply can't be overstated. Our Citizen Science Program monitors changes in the Strait of Georgia such as ocean temperature and acidity, and this essential data on the entire Strait is already moving urgent recovery programs forward. Pacific salmon need us now! Make a tax-receiptable donation to support urgent emergency actions, restore habitat, and advance data collection and monitoring of salmon in different watersheds. Check out the following page for examples of citizen scientists making a difference. n GROUND-LEVEL IMPACT BOOTS IN THE STREAMS Help us build a community-based climate action network YOUR DONATION TODAY HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY TOMORROW! Give now at psf.ca. DONATE TODAY! Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing wild Pacific salmon. Help PSF take action by making your donation online at psf.ca. THE VIEW FROM THE UPPER FRASER T he Pacific Salmon Foundation recently hosted more than 150 scientists and stewards through a virtual workshop focused on sharing ideas to help salmon adapt to climate change. Gord Sterritt is a new board member for PSF and the executive director of the Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance, a collaborative stewardship body for First Nations in the region. Gord presented on the disproportionate impact of climate change on Upper Fraser First Nations who rely on salmon as a food source: "There are numerous Chinook and Sockeye salmon populations in the Upper Fraser that have been identified by COSEWIC [Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada] as endangered . . . With these declines come increased health issues and food security issues. Believe it or not, not everyone has the luxury of going to the local grocery store to meet their needs. Community leadership has been forced to impose restrictions, often founded by traditional laws and necessity, on their people, in order to preserve the biodiversity of salmon species and stocks that return to the respective territories for future generations." n WATCH: Gord Sterritt shares the impact of climate change and declining salmon stocks on Upper Fraser First Nations. Gord counts returning Chinook in the Upper Fraser via helicopter. GORD STERRITT