Federal and B.C. Ministers Announce $106.5M Coastal Fisheries and Wild Salmon Restoration Fund

VANCOUVER, BC — Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Joanne Thompson joined B.C. provincial ministers at the Vancouver Maritime Museum Thursday afternoon to announce $106.5 million in joint investments through the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF).

Habitat Rehabilitation and Indigenous Co-Management

The funding package distributes capital across 48 marine and freshwater restoration projects, prioritizing salmon spawning tributary rehabilitation in the Fraser, Skeena, and Cowichan river systems. Over $45 million is allocated directly to First Nations-led habitat stewardship programs, funding traditional ecological knowledge integration, selective terminal fishing gear technology, and climate-resilient fish ladder engineering designed to withstand severe seasonal drought and flood extremes.

Minister Thompson emphasized that protecting Pacific wild salmon stocks is vital for marine biodiversity, commercial fishery sustainability, and Indigenous reconciliation.

Technology and Genetic Monitoring

The grants also support genomics research at the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo, tracking ocean thermal tolerance and disease resistance in wild chinook, sockeye, and coho populations.

Commercial and recreational fishing organizations praised the scale of the funding, highlighting that restoring natural riparian habitats is essential for stock recovery.

Project Commencement Timeline

Phase-one habitat restoration field work and culvert remediation projects will break ground in September 2026 ahead of the autumn salmon spawning migration.