Salmon Steward

years on the provincial government's new Water Sustainability Act. How this Act will be implemented is critically important to the welfare of Pacific salmon, particularly with respect to minimum ecological flows of water, groundwater management and the potential development of local watershed advisory councils. Finally, our new Strategic Plan will continue to include what has been our feature initiative throughout our 30-year history – the Community Salmon Program. We reached a milestone in 2015, as total investment from community groups and their salmon-related projects exceeded the $100-million mark! We are proud that the Community Salmon Program is a cata- lyst for this work. The majority of funds for the Program are generated through sales of the federal Salmon Conservation Stamp, a decal that must be purchased annually by anglers if they wish to keep the Pacific salmon they catch in saltwater o‡ of Canada's West Coast. Currently all proceeds from the $6 stamp are returned to British Columbia through the Founda- tion, generating about $1.5 million for community grants annually. But, with project applications continu- ing to increase every year, the Foundation needs the ability to do even more for Pacific salmon in communities across the province. That's why we are developing a proposal for the federal government that would see the cost of the stamp indexed to inflation. This would result in the Foundation receiving the increased funding needed to expand the Community Salmon Program and respond to grant requests from communities. There are many other aspects to our new Strategic Plan, which you can explore further at psf.ca. To conclude, I want to emphasize that the Foundation is all about partner- ships, and leveraging the contributions we receive from you. As we look back on three decades of work, I want to thank the many donors, partners and volunteers who contribute their time to rehabilitate and enhance Pacific salmon habitat. I especially want to acknowledge the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society and Sitka Foundation for providing dedicated funds to help e‡ectively implement the new Strategic Plan. Without our financial supporters, our growth and success would simply not be possible. chair's message The Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society was created in 2001 by the Government of Canada to manage a $30-million endowment for Pacific salmon conservation. Since then, the fund has partnered with the Pacific Salmon Foundation to help restore and conserve salmon populations in B.C. and the Yukon. Thanks to the Society's support, the Foundation can allocate 90 per cent of donations directly to grants, restoration work and science-driven conservation projects, because the Society's endowment fund covers most of the Foundation's capacity and core costs. The Society has also become a partner in the Foundation's research and restoration efforts in the Strait of Georgia through the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project with a total pledge of $1.9 million. The Society is proud to continue its support of this landmark initiative in 2017. In 2016, the Society also increased its support to include new priorities outlined in the Foundation's Strategic Plan: 2016-2018 (see Chair's Message on p. 5). These priorities focus on improved First Nations engagement, water monitoring amidst climate change and restoration of Yukon Chinook. n TErry Lanigan Chairman, Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society supporter spotlight The Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society is managed by an independent board of directors. The Society began 2016 with a fund balance of $32.4 million and ended with a fund balance of $35.2 million. rogEr L. FLowErdEw, Chairman, Board of Directors 6 2017 psf.ca

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