Fisheries In B.C. David Zhang

Origination Natives have been fishing in B.C. since their origination B.C. fishing industry started in 1870 when the first cannery opened Many canneries followed, causing a boom to the industry B.C. Packers Steveston Cannery

Development As technology for canning fish advanced, the demand for more fish increased as well Commercial fishing, aquaculture, sport fishing and seafood processing became part of the industry Fish farming was introduced in 1950 Fish farming can allow faster growth rates, but escapees can transmit diseases to wild salmon

Importance Benefits the B.C. and Canadian economy Fourth largest industry in B.C. Fish are distributed among Canada and internationally Contributes to 0.7% of all jobs in B.C. The fishing industry is the 4 th largest in BC

The Problem Over the past decades, the salmon population has rapidly declined The survival rate of salmon has dropped for 20% to as low as 2% Chinook salmon population dropped from 1 million to How has the development of other industries and modernization of cities impacted the fishing industry?

Impact From Forestry and Agriculture Logging results in soil erosion and burning trees creates water contamination Soil eroded with rock particles choke spawning habitats Salmon migrations routes are blocked Fertilizer from farms can enter ground water and surface water and harm fish Eroded soil and fertilizers can enter surface water

Impact From Modernization Industrial factories and modern cities create pollution that warm up the atmosphere Building dams destroy ecosystems that fish thrive in and forces alternate spawning routes Modern sophisticated fishing technology increases overall catch Warmer waters pushes salmon up north and into Alaskan fish traps Warmer waters also cause plankton to decline – a major food source for salmon Dams upset the environment where fish live

Impact To Canada Workers in the industry are forced to give up their jobs The economy will suffer as fishing is one of Canada’s largest industries Other ecosystems within the same food chain will also be altered Species may inflate due to a lack of predators or decline due to a lack of food Eagles may lack food and invertebrates may inflate

Impact To The World Prices of fish will increase throughout the world People may lack the protein they acquire from eating fish Salmon provides a rich source of protein

Solutions To Achieve Sustainability Introduce quotas on fishing in BC, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska Implement better management to keep track of and enforce quotas Make sure logging, mining, and agriculture, as well as herbicides and pesticides are not within close proximity of fish habitats Reduce pollution and control climate change Focus on sustainability until the fish recover Shutting down fishing until fish stocks recover is a possible solution

Works Cited "BC First Nations Fisheries Action Plan." (n.d.): n. pag. 6 Oct Web. 23 May Cranny, Michael William. Horizons: Canada Moves West. Scarborough, Ont.: Prentice Hall Ginn Canada, Print. Digital image. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May "Fishing Industry in British Columbia." City of Richmond BC -. N.p., Spring Web. 23 May "Global Consequences of Overfishing." Global Consequences of Overfishing. N.p., 3 Feb Web. 23 May "History of Commercial Fisheries." The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.p., 12 Aug Web. 23 May "Natural Resources in British Columbia." Natural Resources in British Columbia. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May "Tackling Non-point Source Water Pollution in BC." Tackling Non-point Source Water Pollution in BC. N.p., 3 Aug Web. 23 May