Pacific Salmon Foundation offers roadmap for how to solve Chinook salmon population decline

Chinook salmon saw their highest return since 2014 last year, but are still one of the most at-risk species in northern waters.

Last year saw a return of about 20,000 fish, but the vast majority were in the south.

According to the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s recent report, Chinook spawners are below average in all northern regions but Haida Gwaii.

In the Skeena, they’re sitting at nearly half the average spawner abundance.

The Foundation says the number one threat is ocean competition from pink and chum released from industrial hatcheries in Russia, Alaska and Japan.

Other threats include drought reducing river flows and disease.

But they say part of the solution is to fight fire with fire, by using hatchery Chinook to supplement populations in the Upper Fraser.

They say another priority is removing open-net pen salmon farms, which Coastal First Nations have said would harm their economy and way of life.