Water Stewardship Information Sources
| Citation | Temple, N (ed.). 2005. Salmon in the Great Bear Rainforest. Raincoast Conservation Society, Victoria, BC. |
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| Organization | Raincoast Conservation Society |
| URL | http://www.raincoast.org/files/publications/reports/Salmon-in-the-GBR.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | Salmon transcend diverse habitats throughout their lifecycle. They move between sea and stream. They pass from water to air in extraordinary leaps to overcome raging waterfalls. When they die, they are carried from water to land where their bodies return nutrients to the forests. Salmon are the link that brings distant ecosystems together. They are the connection between ocean and rainforest, herring and spruce, cultures past and present. They also tie communities and countries together, for they know no international boundaries. The return of the salmon has been observed and revered by cultures around the northern hemisphere for many thousands of years. Salmon are a symbol of knowledge and of perseverance, and when they return to the rivers of their birth it is a time to celebrate the rejuvenation of life. It is also a time to eat. Over 190 species of plant and animal benefit from salmon,1 including killer whales, sharks, sea lions, seals, otters, bears, loons, mergansers, heron, kingfishers, aquatic and terrestrial insects, algae, mosses, terrestrial herbs, shrubs and ancient trees to name a few. Some coastal animals synchronize their high-energy demands with the arrival of the spawning salmon. For example, time of reproduction is delayed among minks so that the burden of nursing their young falls during the salmon spawning season.2 Coastal bears obtain up to 90% of their total annual dietary requirements4 during the salmon run, laying down essential fat stores prior to hibernation. Bears, gulls, eagles, seals and sea lions congregate by the thousands to take advantage of this food source; just a few of many coastal species that depend on this annual nutritional surge to meet their dietary protein requirements.1,3 The central and north coast of British Columbia (BC), an area known as the Great Bear Rainforest (see Fig. 1) is home to over 2,500 salmon runs.5 Many of these rivers remain fully intact, offering a unique opportunity to study the complex interactions between salmon and these ecosystems. However, salmon in the Great Bear Rainforest are faced with the same threats that have depressed and extirpated salmon populations throughout the Pacific Northwest: loss of habitat, high human predation, misguided management, and enhancement activities. If we are to reverse this trend in the Great Bear Rainforest, a fundamental shift must occur in how we manage salmon and impact their habitats. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Central Coast |
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| Project status | complete |
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