State of Salmon
The Pacific Salmon Foundation’s State of Salmon 2024 Report is a broad-scale evaluation of the state of all six species of Pacific salmon including steelhead found in British Columbia and the Yukon. This report takes a data-driven approach to summarizing the state and trends in abundance for each species of salmon in nine major salmon-bearing regions.
Current State
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All Regions
Declines in Pacific salmon abundance are widespread, with abundance below the long-term average for most species in most regions. A few hopeful exceptions highlight the resilience of salmon and opportunities for recovery.
How to Interpret this Graph
Each fish above shows the per cent anomaly of current spawner or total abundance over the most recent generation compared to the long-term average (horizontal line) for each region and species. Hover over a fish to see what region it corresponds to or select a species or a region to find out more.
Well-above long-term average. No conservation concern.
Above long-term average. Current outlook is good.
At or near long-term average. Precaution is warranted.
Below long-term average. Current outlook is poor.
Well-below long-term average. Significant conservation concern.
Unknown current state due to a lack of readily accessible data.
Key Findings
1.Declines in Pacific salmon abundance are widespread across British Columbia and the Yukon.
2.Chum salmon and steelhead are doing the worst with abundances below the long-term average in all regions assessed.
3.Northern regions have experienced the most widespread salmon declines.
4.Recent signs of recovery in some regions provide hope for the future of salmon.
Species at a Glance
Chinook
Chinook are below average in northern regions, while abundances in Vancouver Island & Mainland Inlets and Fraser have increased above average in recent years.
Chum
Chum salmon have experienced the most precipitous declines of any species with spawner abundance below the long-term average in every region assessed.
Coho
Coho are below the long-term average in many regions, but in the Nass and Fraser both spawner and total abundances are above average.
Pink
Pink salmon are doing better than most species with spawner abundance above the long-term average in four out of seven regions assessed.
Sockeye
Sockeye spawner abundance is above the long-term average in half of all regions assessed.
Steelhead
Steelhead have the lowest absolute abundance of all six species of Pacific salmon, and are below the long-term average for spawner abundance in all regions assessed.
Chinook
Chinook are below average in northern regions, while abundances in Vancouver Island & Mainland Inlets and Fraser have increased above average in recent years.
Chum
Chum salmon have experienced the most precipitous declines of any species with spawner abundance below the long-term average in every region assessed.
Coho
Coho are below the long-term average in many regions, but in the Nass and Fraser both spawner and total abundances are above average.
Pink
Pink salmon are doing better than most species with spawner abundance above the long-term average in four out of seven regions assessed.
Sockeye
Sockeye spawner abundance is above the long-term average in half of all regions assessed.
Steelhead
Steelhead have the lowest absolute abundance of all six species of Pacific salmon, and are below the long-term average for spawner abundance in all regions assessed.
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FACTORS AFFECTING THE STATE OF SALMON
The salmon life cycle extends from freshwater streams and lakes to the North Pacific Ocean, exposing salmon to numerous pressures that can accumulate and interact to influence survival. Over the past 150 years, the number of factors affecting the abundance of Pacific salmon have dramatically increased, challenging salmon survival.
Climate Change
More frequent extremes in temperature, flow, and ocean conditions impact salmon throughout their life cycles. These changes compound and interact with other pressures to affect salmon survival, sometimes unpredictably. Maintaining cold-water refuges and protecting undeveloped watersheds can buffer salmon against climate change in freshwater, but cascading impacts in ocean ecosystems are hindering salmon recovery.+More frequent extremes in tempMore frequent extremes in temperature, flow, and ocean conditions
Fisheries
Although Canada’s commercial fisheries have greatly diminished over the last 30 years, concerns are mounting over the bycatch of non-targeted species and populations in mixed-stock fisheries. Mixed-stock fisheries make it difficult to target enhanced or healthy populations, putting weaker stocks at risk and potentially leading to their over-harvest. Climate change is also making the timing and magnitude of returns less predictable, further challenging sustainable fisheries management. +Although Canada’s commercial fAlthough Canada’s commercial fisheries have greatly diminished ov
Natural Disturbances
Events such as forest fires, floods, and landslides cause ecosystem change and renewal – but the resulting impacts to watersheds can present immediate challenges for salmon. For example, the Big Bar landslide blocked upstream migration of Fraser River salmon in 2019. The debris prevented migrating Fraser salmon from moving beyond the landslide to their spawning grounds, negatively affecting the reproductive cycle of several upper Fraser salmon populations.+Events such as forest fires, fEvents such as forest fires, floods, and landslides cause ecosyst
Competition
Although Pacific salmon in Canada are at a fraction of their historical abundance, there are more salmon in the North Pacific Ocean than ever before - and competition for resources can be fierce. Competition among salmon at sea can influence salmon growth, maturity, and productivity, and the impacts are measurable.+Although Pacific salmon in CanAlthough Pacific salmon in Canada are at a fraction of their hist
Aquaculture
Open net-pen salmon farms pose several risks to wild salmon, mainly the introduction and transmission of pathogens that can impact wild salmon health and survival. Other potential impacts include environmental contamination from chemical use, pollution from feed and effluent, and direct interactions (predation, competition) between farmed and wild salmon.+Open net-pen salmon farms poseOpen net-pen salmon farms pose several risks to wild salmon, main
Industrial Development
Activities like forestry, mining, agriculture, and associated infrastructure including pipelines, ports, dams, and railways can have significant impacts on the landscape, altering geomorphology and hydrological processes. Industrial extraction of surface and ground water can reduce stream flows, increase water temperatures, and limit access to habitats.+Activities like forestry, miniActivities like forestry, mining, agriculture, and associated inf
Urban Development
Buildings, roads, and coastal modifications like seawalls have led to the loss, degradation, and fragmentation of salmon habitats. With urbanization preceding modern-day record keeping in many regions and the passability of different migration barriers often unknown, the magnitude of this impact on salmon is hard to quantify.+Buildings, roads, and coastal Buildings, roads, and coastal modifications like seawalls have le
Hatcheries
Hatchery production can enhance fisheries and provide community connections to salmon, but also poses risks to wild salmon. With five billion hatchery salmon released into the North Pacific annually, competition with wild salmon is a concern. Hatchery salmon can also interbreed or displace wild salmon, reducing genetic diversity, resilience, and adaptive capacity of wild populations.+Hatchery production can enhancHatchery production can enhance fisheries and provide community c
Predation
Juvenile salmon are an important food source for many species and naturally incur high mortality from predation. Human and natural disturbances can increase predation by reducing habitat complexity, removing hiding places for juvenile salmon. Piers and docks tend to be avoided by salmon, forcing migrating fish into more open habitats where predators may be waiting, while log booms provide a platform for predators (seals and seal lions) to hunt both juvenile and adult salmon.+Juvenile salmon are an importaJuvenile salmon are an important food source for many species and
THE PATH FORWARD
This State of Salmon report provides a data-driven assessment of the current state of Pacific salmon throughout their Canadian range. The results suggest that salmon need our help. Conserving and recovering wild salmon in the face of climate change requires forward-looking, coordinated action that is focused on protecting and rebuilding the natural diversity of salmon populations and their habitats.
Indigenous communities are leading the way by revitalizing traditional systems of salmon management and taking legislative actions to protect salmon ecosystems. The Pacific Salmon Foundation is empowering First Nations and other decision makers with data, status assessments, and decision-support tools, collaborating on salmon recovery and resilience planning, and supporting grassroots initiatives through our grant making.
