Canada and B.C. invest $106.5M in salmon recovery fund

The Canadian federal government and the British Columbia provincial government have announced a joint $106.5 million investment over the next five years to support the conservation and recovery of wild Pacific salmon. The funding will be distributed through the new British Columbia Fisheries Fund.

This initiative builds upon the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund established in 2019, which supported over 170 projects involving fisheries innovation, technology, and scientific partnerships. The new fund introduces market diversification as a key objective to help the local fishing and seafood sectors become more resilient against international trade threats.

Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson and B.C. Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Randene Neill announced the plan in Victoria. The investment aims to support harvesters and scientists in adapting to changing water conditions while promoting the growth and value of B.C. seafood products through innovative technologies and improved productivity.