|
As autumn approaches, that marvellous part of our brain
that nurtures hope and joy often steers our thoughts to the spectacle of
returning salmon. We imagine rivers and oceans teeming with salmon. Salmon
to catch. Salmon to watch. And salmon to replenish nutrients crucial to our
ecosystems (Salmon
and Nutrients, 2009).
There have been distinct notes of wild salmon optimism
in 2009, with many good reports of pinks, coho and Chinook. The prospects
for beleaguered Broughton pinks also improved with earlier harvesting of
farmed salmon, and a resulting decrease in sea lice parasitism (CAAR
media release, July 2009). Sadly, the news on returning sockeye is far
more sobering.
Fraser sockeye have taken a pounding of late, most
notably from warming river temperatures and resulting “thermal
stress” of returning adults (Fraser
River Sockeye brochure). This year things are different but still bad.
An estimated 130 million smolts from the Quesnel and Chilko systems migrated
down the Fraser in 2007, and their sheer numbers promised a banner year for
Fraser sockeye in 2009. At least, officially.
But something went horribly wrong. Official predictions
of millions of sockeye in 2009 dramatically overshot actual returns. Official
forecasts also seemed oddly optimistic amid reported findings of poor smolt
survival—and warnings of consequently poor adult returns (Where
have all the salmon gone? Vancouver Sun, Aug. 25, 2009).
Several prominent people quickly demanded a judicial
inquiry. Several prominent federal spokespeople quickly exonerated salmon
farms from all blame. While admitting they didn’t know what led to
the mess, they were sure it couldn’t be salmon farming.
No one knows for sure what role
farms might have played in this year’s disastrous sockeye returns.
But it’s hard to take comfort from official and self-serving
assurances. A huge weight of evidence links farms to wild fish declines (Aquacultural
Revolution, 2009). And Fisheries and Oceans has taken a lot
of heat for its denial and obfuscation around sea lice impacts (Craig
Orr, 2007; Dill
et al., 2009).
Enough is enough. Fisheries and
Oceans must stand up for sockeye. When they do, they’ll find a lot of
people standing next to them, joyously united against the fall of salmon.
|
