Quinn Bender, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

An Oceana Canada audit of Canadian fish stocks reveals a growing number with critical populations, calling on Fisheries and Oceans Canada to enact existing commitments. (File photo)

B.C.’s declining fisheries the result of poor DFO management: audit

Oceana Canada calls for follow through on government commitments

An Oceana Canada audit of Canadian fish stocks reveals a growing number with critical populations, calling on Fisheries and Oceans Canada to enact existing commitments. (File photo)
The defunct 100-year-old Enloe Dam on the Similkameen River in Washington blocks access by salmon and steelhead to over 500 kilometres of high-quality river habitat, much of it in British Columbia. Photo submitted by Alex Maier.

B.C. outdoor group calls for removal of U.S. dam

Defunct obstruction on Similkameen River cuts off 500 km of Canadian salmon habitat

The defunct 100-year-old Enloe Dam on the Similkameen River in Washington blocks access by salmon and steelhead to over 500 kilometres of high-quality river habitat, much of it in British Columbia. Photo submitted by Alex Maier.
The federal government is investing $2.3 million to learn more about the impacts of plastic pollution on the natural environment and human health. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Fed offers $2.3 million for plastics-based scientific research

Announcement made during Vancouver’s virtual Zero Waste Conference

The federal government is investing $2.3 million to learn more about the impacts of plastic pollution on the natural environment and human health. (Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Taylor Bachrach speaks during the Special committee Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020. The Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP is firmly opposed to a Conservative Private Member’s Bill to repeal the North Coast moratorium on Oil Tankers. (File photo)

Private Member’s bill takes aim at North Coast oil tanker ban

MP Bachrach vows to fight attempt of repealling the moratoreum

Taylor Bachrach speaks during the Special committee Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020. The Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP is firmly opposed to a Conservative Private Member’s Bill to repeal the North Coast moratorium on Oil Tankers. (File photo)
The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance have launched a public comment period for the country’s first Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Salmonids. (Whole Oceans image)

British Columbians asked to weigh in on the treatment of farmed salmon

First-ever animal welfare code for farmed fish enters public input phase

The National Farm Animal Care Council (NFACC) and the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance have launched a public comment period for the country’s first Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Salmonids. (Whole Oceans image)
Taylor Bachrach speaks during the Special committee Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020. The Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP is firmly opposed to a Conservative Private Member’s Bill to repeal the North Coast moratorium on Oil Tankers. (File photo)

Private members bill introduced to end North Coast oil tanker moratorium

“The people of northwest BC will rise up once again to defend our coast”: Bachrach

Taylor Bachrach speaks during the Special committee Covid-19 pandemic in June 2020. The Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP is firmly opposed to a Conservative Private Member’s Bill to repeal the North Coast moratorium on Oil Tankers. (File photo)
DNA from Kitwanga River salmon may help researchers from Simon Fraser University and the Gitanyow Fisheries Authority better assess salmon populations in B.C. Black Press file photo.

Gitanyow study using salmon DNA to count annual runs

A successful outcome could have implications across Canadian fisheries

DNA from Kitwanga River salmon may help researchers from Simon Fraser University and the Gitanyow Fisheries Authority better assess salmon populations in B.C. Black Press file photo.
The University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries has thrown its support behind Mi’kmaq lobster fishermen in Nova Scotia on the grounds protestors claims of a conservation crisis are not credible. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

UBC fisheries department supports Mi’kmaq lobster fishermen

School says protesters’ claims of a conservation crisis are not credible

The University of British Columbia’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries has thrown its support behind Mi’kmaq lobster fishermen in Nova Scotia on the grounds protestors claims of a conservation crisis are not credible. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
Screenshot of the Pacific Salmon Explorer. The Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Samon Waterheds Program recently expanded the range of data to include southern salmon populations.

Salmon tracking tool expanded to southern B.C.

Interactive, visual database gets major upgrade

Screenshot of the Pacific Salmon Explorer. The Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Samon Waterheds Program recently expanded the range of data to include southern salmon populations.
A sockeye salmon spawns in a B.C. River. The Prince Rupert Port Authority is investing $50,000 into a research project using historic salmon DNA samples to help map out future salmon recovery strategies in a time of global climate change. Ivan Hardwick photo

Port Authority gives big to historic-salmon research project

Skeena Sockeye Century Project using salmon DNA to map future recovery strategies

A sockeye salmon spawns in a B.C. River. The Prince Rupert Port Authority is investing $50,000 into a research project using historic salmon DNA samples to help map out future salmon recovery strategies in a time of global climate change. Ivan Hardwick photo
Coastal Shellfish employees Patricia Lewis and Yota Kano harvest Great Bear Scallops near Prince Rupert, B.C. After less than two years of commercial operation, the Metlakatla First Nations-owned company won the 2020 BC Food and Beverage Sustainability Award Sept. 24 from the BC Food Processors Association. (Photo supplied by Coastal Shellfish)

Great Bear Scallops winners of B.C. Sustainability Award

First Nations owned company not just starting a business, but growing an industry

Coastal Shellfish employees Patricia Lewis and Yota Kano harvest Great Bear Scallops near Prince Rupert, B.C. After less than two years of commercial operation, the Metlakatla First Nations-owned company won the 2020 BC Food and Beverage Sustainability Award Sept. 24 from the BC Food Processors Association. (Photo supplied by Coastal Shellfish)
Crews affix a radio tags to salmon at the Big Bar landslide site 100km north of Lillooet. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is considering options for a permanent fish-passage solution ahead of early-spring migrations. (Fisheries and Oceans Canada photo)

Permanent fish-passage solutions considered at Big Bar landslide

151,000 salmon detected this year north of site

Crews affix a radio tags to salmon at the Big Bar landslide site 100km north of Lillooet. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is considering options for a permanent fish-passage solution ahead of early-spring migrations. (Fisheries and Oceans Canada photo)
B.C. food and beverage producers set record sales in 2019

B.C. food and beverage producers set record sales in 2019

Farmed salmon again leads international exports

B.C. food and beverage producers set record sales in 2019
A make pink salmon makes its way upstream to spawn. New research out of SFU suggests during healthy spawns of one species, competition among other dominate fish feeding on their eggs breaks down, allowing smaller fish to share in a critical, nutrient-rich food source. (Michael Penn file photo)

Abundance of one salmon species affects all others, B.C. study suggests

Feeding on other fishes eggs more critical to health survival than previously thought

A make pink salmon makes its way upstream to spawn. New research out of SFU suggests during healthy spawns of one species, competition among other dominate fish feeding on their eggs breaks down, allowing smaller fish to share in a critical, nutrient-rich food source. (Michael Penn file photo)
Juvenile salmon with sea lice. First Nations leaders, wilderness tourism operators, environmental NGOs and commercial and sport fishing organizations are calling on the federal government to implement a recommendation of the Cohen Commission report to remove open-pen salmon farms from the Discovery Islands by Sept. 30. (Tavish Campbell photo)

‘Unprecedented’ coalition demands end to B.C. salmon farms

First Nations, commercial fishermen among group calling for action on Cohen recommendations

Juvenile salmon with sea lice. First Nations leaders, wilderness tourism operators, environmental NGOs and commercial and sport fishing organizations are calling on the federal government to implement a recommendation of the Cohen Commission report to remove open-pen salmon farms from the Discovery Islands by Sept. 30. (Tavish Campbell photo)
Sockeye salmon school in a small Bristol Bay creek in the summer of 2018. Municipal leaders will be voting on a resolution at the 2020 Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention for more nature-based solutions in flood management that doesn’t compromise salmon habitat. (Courtesy Photo | Mary Catharine Martin)

B.C.’s municipal leaders to vote on salmon-safe flood control

The resolution asks for funding, support to move away from outdated systems

Sockeye salmon school in a small Bristol Bay creek in the summer of 2018. Municipal leaders will be voting on a resolution at the 2020 Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention for more nature-based solutions in flood management that doesn’t compromise salmon habitat. (Courtesy Photo | Mary Catharine Martin)
A protest organized by the Public Fishery Alliance outside the downtown Vancouver offices of Fisheries and Oceans Canada July 6 demand the marking of all hatchery chinook to allow for a sustainable public fishery while wild stocks recover. (Public Fishery Alliance Facebook photo)

Anger growing among B.C. salmon anglers shut out of public fishery

Fisheries minister stands by “very difficult” decisions to limit openings

A protest organized by the Public Fishery Alliance outside the downtown Vancouver offices of Fisheries and Oceans Canada July 6 demand the marking of all hatchery chinook to allow for a sustainable public fishery while wild stocks recover. (Public Fishery Alliance Facebook photo)
A protest organized by the Public Fishery Alliance outside the downtown Vancouver offices of Fisheries and Oceans Canada July 6 demand the marking of all hatchery chinook to allow for a sustainable public fishery while wild stocks recover. (Public Fishery Alliance Facebook photo)

Anger growing among B.C. salmon anglers shut out of public fishery

Fisheries minister stands by “very difficult” decisions to limit openings

A protest organized by the Public Fishery Alliance outside the downtown Vancouver offices of Fisheries and Oceans Canada July 6 demand the marking of all hatchery chinook to allow for a sustainable public fishery while wild stocks recover. (Public Fishery Alliance Facebook photo)
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is giving $162,500 worth of grants through the Community Salmon Program to 12 grass-roots salmon conservation and habitat restoration projects. (File photo)

Grants awarded to 12 northern B.C. salmon conservation projects

Pacific Salmon Foundation funding is channeled through the Community Salmon Program

The Pacific Salmon Foundation is giving $162,500 worth of grants through the Community Salmon Program to 12 grass-roots salmon conservation and habitat restoration projects. (File photo)
A recap of the police investigation into three northern B.C. homicides and nationwide hunt for Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky. (RCMP police handouts/Black Press Media)

Killing spree still feeds unease in B.C.’s isolated north, one year later

Distant help, cellular dead zones creating fear in wake of 2019 Schmegelsky-Mcleod murders

A recap of the police investigation into three northern B.C. homicides and nationwide hunt for Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky. (RCMP police handouts/Black Press Media)