In a recent opinion piece for The Globe and Mail, Wild First Chair Tony Allard argues that Canada must take stronger action to protect declining wild salmon populations and the ecosystems, communities and cultures that depend on them.

Wild Pacific salmon continue to face pressure from a range of threats, including climate change, habitat loss, changing ocean conditions and human activity. With many populations already under significant stress, Allard makes the case that governments should focus on reducing the pressures they can directly address.

One of those pressures is the interaction between wild salmon and open-net pen salmon farms along British Columbia’s coast. The federal government has committed to ending open-net pen salmon aquaculture in B.C. coastal waters by June 30, 2029. That commitment represents an important step toward better protecting wild Pacific salmon.

Allard argues that following through on that promise matters. Transitioning away from open-net pens can help reduce avoidable risks to wild salmon while creating an opportunity to support more sustainable forms of aquaculture and a responsible transition for affected communities and workers.

Protecting wild salmon will require action on many fronts. Ensuring the federal government delivers on its 2029 commitment is one important part of giving wild salmon populations a stronger chance to recover and thrive for generations to come.

Read more here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-canada-must-move-to-better-protect-wild-salmon-populations/