Nelitz et al. (2007b)

Nelitz, M., C. A. D. Alexander, and K. Wieckowski. 2007b. Helping Pacific salmon survive the impact of climate change on freshwater habitats: Case Studies Studies: Perspectives from the Okanagan, Quesnel, Nicola, Cowichan, Nass, and Englishman River Watersheds. Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

For many generations, five species of Pacific salmon on the west coast have provided cultural and economic benefits to native and non-native peoples. As a reflection of this cultural significance, there has been a longstanding tradition of communities and governments pursuing actions to help salmon overcome challenges— natural and human-induced stressors—affecting their survival in freshwater and marine environments. Prior to European contact, First Nations fisheries selectively harvested salmon recognizing the potential consequences of their actions on upstream communities and future generations. Since the late 19th century hatcheries have released billions of salmon to help re-build weak stocks or provide fishing opportunities. For 25 years, thousands
of children have gained an appreciation for the salmon life cycle by incubating salmon in classrooms. Federal and provincial government restoration initiatives, such as the British Columbia Watershed Restoration Program of the 1990s, have allocated millions of dollars to restore salmon habitats resulting from past degradation. Although their effectiveness has been questioned, these actions reflect society’s inherent value of salmon and desire in sustaining abundance for future generations. Awareness about climate change has recently heightened in the public consciousness even though it is not a new issue in the minds of scientists and resource managers in the Pacific region. The fourth in a series of assessment reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has powerfully communicated that the weight of evidence clearly indicates that human actions, through greenhouse gas emissions, are responsible for unnatural
changes in the world’s climate1, and that these changes are leading to significant adverse effects on terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments2. Pacific salmon have always responded to past climate-induced changes in the environment—changes in freshwater supplies or sea surface temperatures, for instance—and are equally vulnerable to the human-induced climatic changes discussed today. Thus emerges another challenge threatening salmon survival which once again requires action by local communities and governments. Prior to pursuing actions to help salmon survive the effects of climate change, managers need to strategically think about and intelligently plan for feasible and effective solutions. As a first step, federal and provincial government agencies have recognized the threat of climate change on salmon survival. In 2005 with the release of the Wild Salmon Policy, Fisheries and Oceans Canada explicitly recognized the need to integrate climate change considerations into management3. In a report, “Indicators of Climate Change for British Columbia 2002”4, the Government of British Columbia used Fraser River water temperatures / flows and the associated stresses on inriver migration of Pacific salmon as one measure of British Columbia’s vulnerability to climate change. Next steps require focused attention on developing and implementing adaptation strategies to help salmon survive into the next century. However, using history as a guide, the pace of environmental policy changes is slow5. Time, though,
is an unaffordable luxury given that climatic changes are occurring faster than originally predicted. Smart decisionmaking and smart decisions should not be sacrificed for the sake of expediency. Public and political commitments around the environment and the cultural importance of Pacific salmon emphasize that the time to take concertedaction is here.