Seven new BCSRIF Projects

Projects that are receiving funding through the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund include:

• The Squamish River Watershed Society will receive approximately $522,000 over three years to restore fish passage and increase productivity in Chinook salmon by reducing obstructions along the Elaho River. The project will focus on reducing obstructions to help provide consistent fish access to over 40 kilometers of the upper section of the Elaho River watershed.
• The Peninsula Stream Society will receive approximately $300,000 over two years to create a “fishway” that will allow fish to move up to and through a large culvert under Atkins Road near Mill Hill Regional park. This will aid fish passage and allow resident trout and spawning adult Coho salmon access to over eight kilometres of habitat upstream.
• The Gitanyow Fisheries Authority will receive approximately $867,000 over five years to initiate an enhancement and habitat restoration project to maximize Kitwanga Sockeye spawner success over the next five years. They will also identify limiting factors to Kitwanga Sockeye production and implement technical solutions which will help rebuild the stock.
• The Pacific Salmon Foundation will receive approximately $650,000 over two years to conduct winter trawl sample surveys in the Gulf of Alaska to study the abundance, health, and habitat use of Pacific salmonids during winter conditions. The project will also assess the potential conflict between hatchery produced and wild salmonids in ocean conditions.
• The Pacific Prawn Fishermen’s Association will receive approximately $117,000 over two years to develop a robust Management Procedure to improve the sustainability of the BC Spot Prawn fishery. Funding will allow for the evaluation of expected outcomes of fishing impacts to wild prawn stocks under alternative fishing practices and provide an opportunity for valuable stock assessment, research, and management training for harvesters, First Nations, and others.
• The University of British Columbia (UBC) will receive approximately $165,000 over two years to conduct research to improve understanding of the changing ecosystem facing out-migrating juvenile salmon in the Strait of Georgia. Activities include quantifying key drivers of zooplankton (small animals that feed on ocean plants) feeding, and to explore how zooplankton abundance and distribution are affected by environmental conditions.
• The Skeena Fisheries Commission will receive approximately $400,000 over four years to develop a semi-autonomous salmon enumeration fence to allow for more accurate monitoring of Bear River Watershed Chinook, Coho and Sockeye. Increased understanding of these populations will be used to inform future fisheries management approaches.

BCSRIF will be accepting new applications for funding from July 15 to September 15, 2020. Funding is available for projects that meet the eligibility and assessment criteria in BC. Priorities for the fund in 2020 are:

• Research to refine the scientific understanding of Fraser Steelhead, Chinook and Coho through science collaborations and the incorporation of Indigenous Knowledge.
• Habitat restoration projects that target red status Conservation Units or COSEWIC-listed populations.
• Innovative processes and technologies to increase the quality and value of BC fish and seafood products and optimize fishing operations.
• Projects to advance selective fishing practices aimed at minimizing bycatch of species of concern.
• New aquaculture technologies and processes to improve environmental performance and increase supply chain transparency.
• Infrastructure upgrades or improvements to existing hatcheries.

Further information on the application process, timelines and program criteria are available on the BCSRIF website: www.bcsrif.ca