The Power of a $6.89 Salmon Stamp: Funding the Future of Pacific Salmon

Every time a recreational fisher purchases a Salmon Conservation Stamp with their tidal waters licence, they’re doing more than just gaining permission to retain wild Pacific salmon—they’re becoming part of a larger mission to restore and conserve these iconic species. Priced at $6.89, the Salmon Conservation Stamp is not just a regulatory requirement but a direct investment in British Columbia’s salmon populations and habitats.

Since 1994, the Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF) has stewarded funds from the Salmon Conservation Stamp on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. PSF leverages the approximately $1.5 million in annual stamp revenue with additional funds from generous donors, supporting over 150 salmon conservation projects through its Community Salmon Program. To date, the program has directed $29 million to more than 3,300 community- and Indigenous-led projects across BC and the Yukon, with a total value of roughly $202 million.

Big Hopes for a Small Community Hatchery in Courtenay

One example of a recent Community Salmon Program recipient is the Courtenay and District Fish and Game Protective Association near Comox. When their Puntledge Townsite hatchery was decommissioned due to water quality issues in 2016, PSF’s Community Salmon Program provided two grants totalling $81,700 to support the construction of a new hatchery.

Courtenay Fish and Game members help with construction at the hatchery. (Photo: Steph Chow)

Now up and running, this state-of-the-art hatchery provides summer residence for Puntledge River coho and summer Chinook, drawing from a supply of cold water from the deeper levels of Comox Lake. The hatchery aims to rear juvenile salmon through the hottest summer months when river temperatures can become lethal for wild fish.

“I think the work is important to me and to most of the club members because they are users of the resource, and they feel that to use the resource wisely, you have to actually husband that resource,” says Wayne White, the conservation chair at Courtenay Fish and Game.

A hatchery volunteer sifts through a creek channel. (Photo: Steph Chow)

The hatchery’s salmon enhancement targets include rearing 50,000 Trent River coho fry to be held over the summer and returned to Puntledge Hatchery for spring release. Courtenay Fish and Game is also exploring other options to rear additional salmon.

Given the drought conditions Pacific salmon have faced in recent years, PSF recently awarded an additional $11,540 to support the construction of an emergency refuge pond by the hatchery. This pond will ensure a supply of cold water during maintenance or emergency shutdowns of the hatchery pump.

“What we thought we would do is use some of that water to rear wild coho too. We plan to create a spawning bed and refuge channel for Comox Lake coho to help them through the hot summer months,” adds White.

Courtenay Fish and Game anticipates the pond will hold approximately 400,000 Puntledge coho fry annually. The pond will also offer a rearing escape channel for wild coho that can become stranded when the Comox Lake lagoon experiences low flows. This upcoming addition to the hatchery site is an example of how organizations like Courtenay Fish and Game can help salmon adapt to extreme drought conditions brought on by climate change.

Island Fisherman Magazine Hatchery Award: Work of Excellence

Restoring Vital Salmon Habitat Off Vancouver Island’s West Coast

By leveraging Salmon Conservation Stamp funds alongside donations, PSF’s Community Salmon Program also supports local salmon research and restoration efforts. In Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds near Tofino, the Redd Fish Restoration Society has benefitted from a $39,580 grant to carry out a multi-year kelp monitoring project.

Kelp plays a vital role in maintaining the health of Pacific salmon around Vancouver Island. Each summer, millions of juvenile salmon depend on kelp beds for shelter from predators and to find food before they enter the open ocean. However, kelp forests are in trouble—up to 95% of kelp has disappeared in some regions of BC.

The decrease in top predators like sea otters has led to an imbalance in sea urchin populations, which can quickly devour kelp beds if they’re not kept in check. Additionally, climate change complicates the situation by increasing seasonal temperature fluctuations, disrupting currents, and changing nutrient flows. Researchers believe these climate impacts can lead to further declines in kelp forest habitats—with consequences for salmon.

Two Redd Fish researchers measure bull kelp strands (Photo: Graeme Owsianski)

In partnership with the Toquaht and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ governments and the Tla-o-qui-aht and Ahousaht First Nations, Redd Fish has launched efforts to monitor kelp in Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds. By researching the health and distribution of kelp canopies, the team aims to better understand their role in juvenile salmon survival.

From 2021 onward, Redd Fish started using drones to map the extent of various kelp forests every year. Researchers are now analyzing annual survey data with machine learning software to spot trends in the distribution, density, and health of kelp. The next phase includes collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) to learn more about how salmon use the kelp beds, as well as tracking ocean conditions year-round to gain a thorough understanding of these ecosystems.

Redd Fish staff hold a strand of giant kelp. (Photo: Graeme Owsianski)

“Kelp forests foster the vitality of culturally and socioeconomically significant species like Pacific salmon,” says Emily Fulton, marine coordinator at Redd Fish.

“Continuing to collect spatial data, oceanographic information, and eDNA samples will give insight into the health of these ecosystems and the nearshore marine environment as a whole. The ecosystem services that kelp yields are inestimable, warranting a serious commitment to long-term monitoring.”

Funding from PSF will help cover the costs of this data collection, which is essential for identifying future salmon conservation and restoration priorities in this area of west coast Vancouver Island.

Two Redd Fish researchers measure bull kelp strands. (Photo: Graeme Owsianski)

The Bottom Line

Any recreational fisher wishing to retain any species of wild Pacific salmon must obtain a Salmon Conservation Stamp with their tidal water fishing licence. The 2024/2025 Salmon Conservation Stamp, valid between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, can be obtained online or through an Independent Access Provider for $6.89.

Every dollar counts. Purchasing the Salmon Conservation Stamp makes you a contributor to salmon conservation, as 100% of the stamp proceeds are stewarded by PSF toward streamkeepers, schools, and community- and First Nations-led groups to support local salmon populations. PSF not only grants these funds to community salmon partners but also leverages additional dollars from generous donors, corporate groups, and the Province of BC to meet growing demand.

This article appeared in Island Fisherman Magazine. Never miss another issue—subscribe today!