Salmon Matter

Smallmouth Bass are a warm-water species native to the Great Lakes region and the Upper Mississippi, but they can now be found in systems across Canada and in British Columbia. 

They were initially introduced in the early 1900’s as a prized game fish, until biologists realized the threat they pose to native species and ecosystems. Unfortunately, they have continued to spread largely due to illegal fishing introductions. 

As a voracious and highly adaptable species, smallmouth bass can outcompete native species including Pacific salmon and will happily eat a wide variety of prey from other fish, to amphibians, and even small birds.  A study by the University of Toronto suggests that warming waters and climate change could help them thrive. 

Watch our newest Salmon Matters on a study supported by the Pacific Salmon Foundation happening this summer in Cultus Lake. If you like to fish, find out how you can help researchers figure out how to stop their spread!

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Salmon Matter is a partnered program of Conversations That Matter, produced with the Pacific Salmon Foundation. Check out their work at https://www.psf.ca.

This show is produced by Oh Boy Productions, video production, podcast and vidcast specialists located in Vancouver. To find out more, go to http://www.ohboy.ca

Please support us on Patreon and help us to create more programming that matters: http://www.patreon.com/conversationsthatmatter

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Watch this in-depth conversation with PSF salmon disease and health expert, Dr. Andrew Bateman, on the latest research on open-net-pen aquaculture (at 25 minutes) and next steps for this landmark research initiative.

The Pacific Salmon Foundation embarked on the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative with DFO and Genome BC to better understand how infectious agents were affecting the health of wild salmon.  

The study is focused on pathogens that may cause disease in hatchery, wild and aquaculture salmon. Since launching, findings have informed decisions to phase-out open-net-pen operations in the Discovery Islands and the Broughton Archipelago – both major migration routes for wild Pacific salmon. In 2020, the Federal Government announced their commitment to transition away from open-net-pen facilities by 2025. Recent headlines have highlighted findings from research led by UBC and conducted in conjunction with this partnership. 

The findings show that Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) – which is associated with kidney and liver damage in Chinook salmon – is continually being transmitted between open-net salmon farms and wild juvenile Chinook salmon in BC waters. The findings also indicate that PRV is not native to B.C. waters—it originated in the Atlantic Ocean and has been spread around the world through salmon aquaculture.

Bill Collins of Cascadia Seaweed chats with the Pacific Salmon Foundation about seaweed aquaculture and its benefits for salmon and the climate at large. This is the seventh instalment of our Salmon Matters series. Search our YouTube feed for more episodes.

In the second instalment of our two-part Big Bar Progress Report, Mike Meneer continues the conversation with Gwil Roberts, Director of the Big Bar Landslide Response for Fisheries and Oceans Canada about ongoing efforts at the Big Bar slide site. Follow along as we learn about environmental and COVID-19 implications, future monitoring plans, and the many collaborative partnerships and relationships that made the response possible.

This episode of Salmon Matter provides an update on the Fraser River’s Big Bar slide from Gwil Roberts, Director of the Big Bar Landslide Response for Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The first installment of this two part episode discusses background information on the slide, its impacts on migrating Pacific salmon, an overview of the response, as well as recovery progress.

Ben Skinner shares insights from his work at the Strait of Georgia Data Centre. This information portal houses open-access and easily discoverable data in order to facilitate collaboration across the science and research community.

The Strait of Georgia Data Centre is made possible thanks to UBC’s Institute for Ocean and Fisheries, as well as the many partners and supporters of our Salish Sea Marine Survival Project.

In this episode of Salmon Matter, Nikki Wright, the Executive Director of the SeaChange Marine Conservation Society, gives an overview this project, supported by the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Salish Sea Marine Survival Project, and why the work they do is essential.

The Big Bar landslide is a big emergency for British Columbia salmon.

In this episode of Salmon Matter, the Vice President for Salmon at the Pacific Salmon Foundation, Jason Hwang, digs into the details of a catastrophic natural event that needs to be addressed before spring run off.

We invited the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s Vice President for Salmon, Jason Hwang, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the state of salmon. This episode of the show will also serve as the kickoff to a new series of "Salmon Matter."