Our three-pronged approach to address impacts of climate change on Pacific salmon populations

In British Columbia and the Yukon, a quiet but urgent transformation is underway. As climate change reshapes our oceans, rivers, and forests, Pacific salmon—iconic symbols of nature’s resilience—are facing unprecedented challenges. Warmer waters, prolonged droughts, unexpected floods, and shifting ecosystems are altering the conditions faced by these remarkable fish throughout their life cycle. To tackle these issues head-on, we are taking a bold, multi-faceted approach through the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI): working with partners to respond to climate emergencies, harnessing cutting-edge science to understand where and how these changes are affecting salmon and the ecosystems they depend upon, and restoring salmon habitats to create resilient ecosystems for the future.

Working together in the face of climate emergencies

Across the Pacific Northwest, climate-related events such as droughts, landslides, and floods are becoming more frequent. Recognizing that no single group can overcome these challenges alone, our work through the PSSI has made collaboration the cornerstone of our efforts. By bringing together First Nations, the governments of British Columbia and Yukon, and local communities, we are building a network of partners dedicated to protecting salmon when nature turns unpredictable.

One example of this collaborative approach is our response to recent drought conditions in 2024.When extended dry spells reduced water levels and disrupted freshwater water flows that salmon need to survive, our staff worked alongside partners, responding quickly to mitigate the impacts of drought. We worked with partners in 75 areas across British Columbia, including over 30 First Nations and Indigenous organizations and 15 stewardship groups, to respond to immediate drought-related issues and fund emergency projects.

Harnessing science to understand a changing world: Research projects

As the climate shifts, so too does the behaviour and survival of Pacific salmon. To keep pace with these changes, PSSI has invested in science and research to help us understand how salmon are affected by changes in their environment. This research is vital—it provides decision makers with the knowledge they need to plan for a future where “normal” is no longer what it once was. These scientific endeavors are helping us build a comprehensive understanding of salmon ecosystems in a changing climate that will help us work towards restoring vulnerable populations of Pacific salmon. By combining cutting-edge technology with long-term ecological research, our work under PSSI is helping to ensure that salmon management strategies are robust enough to withstand an uncertain future.

Project profile: Understanding salmon survival – Innovative tools to identify salmon ecosystem stressors on Chinook salmon

Under climate change, salmon are faced with numerous stressors in ocean ecosystems, including high water temperatures, low oxygen levels, variable prey availability, and increasing disease pressures. One pioneering project is working closely with local First Nations communities to study salmon and their ecosystems along the West Coast of Vancouver Island by using an innovative tool developed by DFO Science called the Salmon Fit-Chip. Scientists apply Fit-Chips as an all-in-one health check-up on individual salmon, assessing pathogen infections, disease status, stressor states, smolt status, nutritional status, and likelihood of imminent death based on expression of curated genes in non-lethal gill tissue samples. By linking this information at a population-level with environmental conditions in the same area— such as oxygen levels, sea temperature and ecosystem composition based on environmental DNA analysis delivering insights into prey availability, predators, and pathogens— this study is providing us with a more complete picture of the challenges salmon face in the marine environment. Empowered by this wealth of information on temporal and spatial shifts in the health status of salmon and their ecosystems, salmon managers can develop remediation strategies that will result in the strongest benefits to wild salmon under climate change.

Project profile: Studying how sockeye and coho salmon respond to environmental stressors in freshwater ecosystems

Another groundbreaking study on salmon that we have funded through PSSI takes place in the freshwater ecosystems of the Fraser Thompson area, including lake, river and wetland habitats. Here, scientists are examining how environmental stressors, such as drought and increased water temperatures—many driven by climate change—affect the condition, growth, and survival of juvenile salmon. By observing and modelling the effects of environmental factors on salmon, researchers hope to develop advanced tools that can predict how young salmon will respond to habitat disruption and changes. This will help address a gap in knowledge on salmon population assessments and predictions. This work not only deepens our understanding of the cumulative impacts of climate change on young salmon maturing in rivers and other freshwater habitats but helps to guide adaptive management strategies to safeguard their future.

Restoring habitats for a resilient future

Even as we work to understand and respond to the challenges posed by climate change, restoring salmon habitats remains a critical priority. Since 2021, DFO’s Habitat Restoration Program has worked with over 500 partners, including First Nation, local governments, and environmental groups, to restore over 18.5 million square metres of salmon habitat. These projects are not just about repairing what has been lost—they’re about building resilience into the ecosystems that salmon call home.

Restoration efforts concentrate on critical sections of salmon migratory paths, while also ensuring these essential habitats are resilient enough to withstand increasingly frequent extreme weather events. Whether it’s mitigating the impacts of wildfires, reducing the risks from severe drought, or fortifying riverbanks against flooding, every restoration project is designed with climate resilience in mind. This approach helps to create a natural buffer against the unpredictable forces of climate change, ensuring that salmon populations have the best possible chance of survival.

A vision for tomorrow

Our work under the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative is setting a new standard in how we approach the challenges of climate change. Through a dynamic blend of collaboration with partners in climate emergency response, scientific research, and habitat restoration, we are working to protect and rebuild Pacific salmon populations now and for the future. In a world where climate change threatens to upend longstanding natural patterns, what we’re doing through PSSI stands as a testament to what can be achieved when diverse groups unite with a shared vision.