Salmon Steward

M y interest in fish started early, when my father would take us fishing at a nearby pond. I was born in a city called Piracicaba, which is about 200 kilometres from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The city is famous for its beautiful river, its fishing and the Piracema – an event where the fish swim up the rivers to spawn, just like salmon. I moved to British Columbia in September of 2016. One day the bus I was on stopped by Byrne Creek Ravine Park in Burnaby. I was immediately curious about this ravine in the middle of the city. When I found out that salmon would swim thousands of miles out in the ocean, then return to spawn in this tiny creek – I was hooked! But reading about the creek's restoration is what really inspired me. The idea that a waterway running through a developed residential neighbourhood was alive with salmon was something hard to imagine. Visiting and exploring more than 20 rivers in search of Coho, Chum, Pink and Chinook to photograph, I've connected with many streamkeeping groups to share the pictures for their own educationa l outreach. I also share the pictures with Burnaby Parks for educational purposes and have participated in an exhibit for World Rivers Day. I believe people need to know about what is in their backyards if they're going to conserve it. But there is a lack of documentation and high-quality images of salmon for engaging the public. That's why I created The Urban Salmon Project,Œthe first underwater photography documentation of fish in the Metropolitan Vancouver Watershed. When it's done there will be a co'ee table book, an exhibition of selected images and an image bank for educational purposes.ŒI'm very grateful to have the help of the Pacific Salmon Foundation funding the beginning of this project. In conjunction with this project, I'm also working on a short documentary about urban salmon. To view or purchase prints by Fernando Lessa, visit fernandolessa.ca . 16 2018 psf.ca Supporting salmon by capturing their beauty PHOTO (TOP): BARRIE KOVISH Fernando Lessa WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER & PACIFIC SALMON FOUNDATION BURSARY RECIPIENT WHO CARES ABOUT SALMON? O ne thing that's become clear time and again throughout the Pacific Salmon Foundation's 30-plus years: the key to ensuring salmon survival lies in collaboration. Indeed, reading the stories in any given issue of this magazine, one can't help but conclude that the successes we've had over the years came directly from engaging a diverse array of stakeholders and forging partnerships between them. In the pages to come, we offer seven such stakeholders – each of whom has made a distinct, valuable contribution to the cause – the chance to explain in their own words why salmon conservation matters to them and to make the case for why it should matter to you. WHO CARES ABOUT SALMON? Seven people from across B.C. ref lect on their personal paths to stewardship

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