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Selective fishing methods, trolling, gillnetting and seining, each tuned to target specific species while letting others go free
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Groups sharing stewardship of the resource: commercial and recreational fishermen, First Nations, and environmental organizations
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Integrated Fisheries Management Plan, renewed every year to set who, when, where and how much can be harvested
Our Commitment
A resource worth protecting, for today and tomorrow.
Wild BC salmon spans five distinct species, countless individual stocks, and complex life cycles, which means it takes careful, continuous management to stay healthy. Under the leadership of Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans, every part of the industry helps define management measures, monitor the resource closely, and develop new practices to keep it sustainable.
How It's Managed
A plan rebuilt every year, with everyone at the table.
Since the late 1990s, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) has managed wild BC salmon through shared stewardship, working directly with commercial and recreational fishermen, First Nations, and environmental groups. Each group contributes specialized knowledge and shares in the accountability for a sustainable resource.
The IFMP
The Integrated Fisheries Management Plan is renewed annually, setting out who, when, where, and how much can be harvested, by gear type and by fishing area, based on the year's forecasted stock numbers.
Stock Assessments
Scientific assessments track the past and current status of each stock and predict how it will respond to current and future management, informing every adjustment made through the season.
Selective Harvesting
Selective by design, from the gear up.
BC's commercial fishermen use selective harvesting, choosing times, areas, and gear that target the right stocks while avoiding weaker or endangered ones. When a non-target fish is caught anyway, best practices are in place to release it alive and unharmed, keeping run sizes and catches closely monitored throughout the season.
Controlled times & areas
Selective gear & methods
Safe release of bycatch
See It In Action
From the water to the dock.
From Boat to Table — Meet Your Wild BC Salmon Fishermen
Learn About the Wild BC Salmon Seine Fishery
