Canada and the USA stop fishing for Canadian king salmon in the Yukon River

Zimmermann said people on the water have watched as the once large and meaty fish that travel thousands of miles to spawn in the rivers of the Yukon and northern British Columbia have become smaller, sicker and returning in ever-decreasing numbers.

A statement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada said the Chinook salmon population has declined since the 1980s to less than 10 percent of its historical average of 150,000 adult salmon in the Canadian part of the basin.

It was reported that in recent years less than a third of the minimum number of adult Chinook salmon needed to maintain the population have returned to their spawning grounds in Canada.

The agreement covers all commercial, recreational and home fishing and runs from April 2024 to 2030. The aim is to increase the stock of Canadian-origin king salmon to 71,000 individuals.

The governments have agreed to work to restore habitat and populations and to support research to better understand the decline of Chinook salmon.

The statement said the declines were due to “a combination of historical overfishing, increasing disease prevalence and climate change and the resulting impacts on survival in marine and freshwater environments.”

The agreement also cites factors such as habitat degradation due to resource and hydropower exploitation, as well as competition from fish farming.

Zimmermann expressed his hope that the changes would not come too late to protect the species.

“Ultimately, we have to give hope. We have to make sure that salmon stay in people’s hearts and minds, otherwise they are less likely to care. And then we are really in trouble,” he said.

The statement said the commitment is necessary to support the long-term recovery and rebuilding of the Yukon River Chinook salmon stock.

“Chinook salmon are an integral part of the environment, culture and fabric of the Yukon and Interior/West Alaska,” said Diane Lebouthillier, federal minister of Fisheries and Oceans, in the statement.

“To ensure that we all work together to protect and restore this vital species for future generations, both Canada and the United States must cooperate internationally.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press