June 16, 2008 -
Vancouver, BC – Exceptionally low numbers of wild Pacific salmon returning to spawning rivers this season have led to a cautionary "yellow" listing in the David Suzuki Foundation’s third annual assessment of wild salmon stocks.
"This year’s Pacific salmon returns are perhaps the lowest in 50 years," said David Suzuki Foundation aquatic biologist Jeffery Young.
The 2008 assessment was done for SeaChoice, Canada’s guide to sustainable seafood. SeaChoice, created by five leading Canadian conservation organizations, uses a traffic light system to rank sustainable seafood options. Best choices for healthy oceans get a green light while least sustainable options are red carded. A yellow listing indicates some sustainability concerns. Consumers are advised to eat yellow-listed fish sparingly and to learn more about the source of the fish.
The David Suzuki Foundation has identified Nass River sockeye as a "better choice" than other yellow-listed B.C. wild salmon species for 2008. Fraser River and Skeena River sockeye salmon, while still yellow overall, have serious challenges this year.
"Nass River sockeye are a better choice than the others because the fishery has been assessed as healthier overall and management is based on in-season information," Mr. Young said. "We’re concerned that the Fraser sockeye fisheries could still be opened based on optimistic forecasts rather than in-season data on actual fish in the water. Some declining Fraser River populations could be captured."
The Skeena sockeye fishery just underwent an independent scientific review, which identified overharvest of some sockeye and steelhead populations in recent years. However, according to Mr. Young, if all the review panel’s recommendations are implemented, sockeye from this fishery could become a better choice in future years.
Salmon are under threat from habitat loss, fisheries mismanagement, and changes in ocean conditions, exacerbated by climate change. The David Suzuki Foundation uses the most up to date information from its involvement with several fisheries management boards to create in-season assessments that help consumers pick the most sustainable wild salmon.
For more information on the 2008 Pacific Salmon Ratings, please visit the SeaChoice website at
www.seachoice.org. To find out more about pacific salmon under threat and solutions for their recovery, visit
www.davidsuzuki.org.
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For more information, contact:
Jeffrey Young, Aquatic Biologist, David Suzuki Foundation (604) 764-6142