Question Period Note: Fraser River Sockeye Salmon Fisheries

• My Department works collaboratively with Canadian and American representatives under the terms of the Pacific Salmon Treaty to provide sustainable fisheries for Fraser River Sockeye and Pink salmon.
• As a result of increased fish abundance, the Fraser River saw its first commercial Sockeye opening since 2022, and commercial Sockeye salmon quotas were allocated based on the available abundance.
• I am pleased that we have had notable returns of Sockeye and Pink salmon this year in the Fraser River. As the abundance of salmon increased, fishing opportunities increased for Indigenous, commercial, and recreational harvest; however, opportunities were constrained to meet our shared objectives for conservation.

• Between July and September each year, Canada and United States (US) representatives meet every week to review the most up to date information provided by the Pacific Salmon Commission Secretariat staff—a non-partisan body formed by the Pacific Salmon Treaty that is tasked with collecting and analyzing data to inform Fraser River salmon fishery decisions.
• Based on pre-season forecasts of abundance, only limited fishery opportunities were anticipated.
• In-season estimates of Fraser River Sockeye salmon abundance exceeded pre-season forecasts for some but not all stocks. This increased expectations of fishing opportunities by First Nations, commercial, and recreational harvesters. However, fisheries are managed to bycatch limits and some co-migrating stocks of concern severely constrained fishing opportunity.
• Current mortality estimates indicate that combined American and Canadian fisheries have met or exceeded the mortality limit for some Sockeye salmon stocks of concern; and for this reason, no further Canadian commercial or recreational fisheries were opened. Despite these constraints the US opened additional fisheries based on a Pacific Salmon Treaty clause that permits a ‘small but acceptable’ level of incidental mortality.
• As of September 8, 2025, Canada has harvested 785,000 of a 1,462,000 Sockeye salmon allocation. The US has harvested 305,000 of a 207,000 Sockeye salmon allocation, exceeding the US allocation by approximately 47 per cent.

If pressed
• Our conservation objectives ensure that protections are in place to enable weaker stocks to rebuild and support sustainable fisheries in the future.
• Commercial Sockeye salmon quotas were allocated based on the best available scientific data. They provided fishing opportunity while protecting the weaker stocks that are caught as bycatch.
• While the better than anticipated abundance of sockeye salmon cannot be attributed to any single factor, this large return would not have occurred without the combined efforts of First Nations, the Government of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada to restore fish passage at the Big Bar landslide.
• Although pink salmon abundance was below the pre-season forecast, pink salmon abundance is highly variable, and the 2025 return is in line with the long-term average abundance for this stock.