Three New Projects To Help Rebuild Fish Habitats, Support Sustainable Fisheries

First Nations and the Campbell River community will benefit from three new projects that will help rebuild habitats, strengthen local wild Pacific salmon populations, and support sustainable fishing practices.

“The people of Campbell River and countless others across coastal B.C. depend on sustainable fishing, which is why it’s our responsibility to ensure the long-term health of fish habitats throughout the province,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

“These projects go a long way to breathe new life into marine habitats, which will benefit generations to come.”

The provincial and federal governments are providing more than $3.4 million through the co-funded British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF), which supports protection and restoration activities for Pacific salmon and other priority wild-fish stocks.

Funding will go toward three projects in the Campbell River area, which will focus on restoration of fish habitats and sustainable salmon stewardship.

That includes Homalco First Nation rebuilding the hatchery in Orford Bay as a multi-species hatchery and stewardship centre. It has suffered significant habitat damage due to glacial melting in the Elliot Creek watershed and storm damage in 2020.

In another project, approximately two hectares of the Campbell River estuary will be restored by recreating salt marsh and eelgrass habitat that was previously lost due to historical logging in the area.

Led by the Discovery Coast Greenways Land Trust in collaboration with the Wei Wai Kum First Nation, the project also includes environmental monitoring and commercial dive training for the Wei Wai Kum guardian watchmen, as well as professional development for two Greenways biologists in training.

The third project involves implementing a fish trap in the Campbell/Quinsam estuary, to help develop capacity for sustainable-salmon stewardship through selective-fishing methods in traditional fishing areas.

All three projects were chosen in addition to more than 70 other projects around the province receiving funding from the initiative.

Each project will support and revitalize salmon ecosystems and habitat, while protecting sustainable fisheries.

Work on the projects began recently and will continue over the next two years, with all project activities to be completed by March 2026.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.