Global salmon populations are in trouble. Here's how the trend affects Canadians
Salmon populations are decreasing around the world, including on Canada's West Coast, a trend that is having ripple effects in the country, a biology professor says.
A new Concordia University study shows salmon, trout and related fish known as salmonids have declined globally by nearly 40 per cent since 1980. The study was published in the journal Fish and Fisheries. It is based on data from more than 1,000 rivers and streams in 27 countries involving 11 salmonid species. The fish sampling noted in the data occurred from 1937 to 2021.
'Although some fisheries are doing well, on average not doing so well,' said James Grant, a professor of biology at Concordia University in Montreal, who is a co-author of the report, told CTV Your Morning in an interview Monday.
Salmon species are in trouble not only on the West Coast.
'On the East Coast, the Atlantic salmon has been in decline for a long time,' Grant added. 'We no longer fish them, and even the sport fishing industry is primarily catch and release because the numbers are so low. So huge economic costs we are paying.'
The salmon's plight is also detrimental in other ways.
The loss of fish is devastating for Indigenous Peoples across the country who have close relationships to these fish, including those on the West Coast who built their cultures around Pacific salmon, Grant said.
Fishing is one of the top hobbies for all Canadians, he added.
'It generates money for our economy and makes us feel better about the world,' Grant said. 'These fish are also great indicators of ecosystem health.'
In a May 27 press release from Concordia, lead author Kyleisha Foote noted that the sharp decline is not surprising but it's hard to determine the exact cause. She said many rivers are suffering from serious issues related to habitat degradation, climate warming and overexploitation.
Watch the video above for the full interview.
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