The province can help wild salmon by doing things like a cull of sea lions and seals, habitat protection and stream enhancements.
But a new federal bill allows for more provincial “say” in our local waters to help the iconic salmon, whose numbers are dwindling.
To help inform that process the premier struck a Wild Salmon Advisory Council.
The co-chair of the Council is Doug Routley, MLA for Nanaimo/North Cowichan.
“A recent study showed that wild salmon are as important to British Columbia as the French language to Quebecers. So that really drove home to me the role that those iconic species play here.”
Routley expects to have a final report ready to go to the province early next month.
The report was compiled with input from the public, commercial fishermen, First Nations, and biologists, among others.
He said the report will give us a strong and unified voice to go to Ottawa and say this is what we need to see happen.
