According to a new survey most of British Columbians say small salmon runs should not be traded off to favour the commercial fishing industry and economic development should not come at the expense of salmon habitat. Dr. Craig Orr, Executive Director of Watershed Watch, said that the survey clearly shows that Ottawa and the big fishing companies are totally out of step with British Columbian values.
He told that the British Columbians are clearly against putting commercial interests before local salmon runs, and we want laws to protect salmon habitat more strictly enforced. Ottawa is under pressure from industry leaders to “trade off” small runs to allow mixed-stock commercial fisheries that threaten small runs with extinction. Greg Knox, Executive Director of Skeena Wild Conservation Trust, said that the survey results demonstrate how culturally important salmon are on Canada’s west coast.
When asked whether wild salmon are as culturally important to British Columbians as the French language is to Quebeckers, 70 per cent of respondents agreed. The province-wide poll, commissioned by the Watershed Watch Salmon Society and SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, was conducted last week by Angus Reid Public Opinion. Survey results show a high level of environmental concern for a variety of issues, including “depletion of fish stocks” at 66 percent and “pollution of rivers, lakes and reservoirs” at 72 percent (highest concern).
