Introduction
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is a Canadian nonprofit environmental organisation that advances the conservation, restoration and long-term resilience of wild Pacific salmon and their ecosystems across British Columbia and the Yukon.
History and Background
The Pacific Salmon Foundation was founded in 1987 in response to the growing challenges facing wild Pacific salmon.
Its creation reflected the understanding that salmon recovery could not be achieved by government alone. Communities, volunteers, First Nations, scientists, businesses, conservation organisations and individual supporters also needed to participate.
Over nearly four decades, the Foundation has developed into an important organisation supporting salmon science, habitat restoration, community stewardship, climate adaptation and public awareness.
Its work covers the full Pacific salmon environment, from small freshwater streams and major watersheds to estuaries and the open ocean.
Mission and Purpose
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is dedicated to creating transformational change for Pacific salmon and the ecosystems on which they depend.
Its vision is to secure healthy, sustainable and naturally diverse Pacific salmon populations for the benefit of ecosystems and people across generations.
The Foundation works to restore declining salmon populations, prevent further declines and improve the systems used to manage and protect salmon.
Its 2024–2028 Strategic Framework focuses on three collective impact areas: salmon recovery, salmon resilience and systems transformation.
The organisation works at the intersection of science and action, using research, community knowledge and public engagement to support evidence-based decisions.
Governance and Structure
The Pacific Salmon Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors responsible for strategic direction, financial oversight, accountability and organisational policies.
The Foundation is led operationally by a President and Chief Executive Officer, supported by specialists working in conservation, marine science, salmon health, watershed research, climate adaptation, community investment, communications and fundraising.
Its governance and operational structures connect scientific expertise with Indigenous knowledge, community leadership and practical conservation activities.
The Foundation publishes strategic plans, financial information and annual impact reports to communicate its priorities, funding sources and results.
Funding and Grants
The Pacific Salmon Foundation finances its activities through individual donations, corporate contributions, foundation grants, government funding, partnerships, fundraising events and other sources of charitable support.
An important source of funding for community stewardship is revenue connected with Canada’s Salmon Conservation Stamp. A portion of each stamp is directed towards community-led salmon conservation projects.
In 2025, $7.39 from every Salmon Conservation Stamp was invested directly in community stewardship.
The Foundation’s Community Salmon Program provides grants to volunteer organisations, Indigenous communities and community-led groups undertaking salmon conservation and habitat restoration projects in British Columbia and the Yukon.
Funding supports practical projects such as habitat restoration, stream rehabilitation, water-flow improvements, salmon monitoring, education, research and community stewardship.
The Foundation also provides bursaries to post-secondary students in British Columbia and the Yukon who are committed to Pacific salmon conservation and habitat restoration.
Major Programs and Initiatives
Community Salmon Program
The Community Salmon Program is the Foundation’s principal community grantmaking initiative.
It supports volunteer and community-driven organisations carrying out salmon conservation, restoration, research and education projects.
The program helps local organisations access resources while recognising their knowledge of local waterways, salmon populations and environmental conditions.
Salmon Watersheds Program
The Salmon Watersheds Program strengthens the scientific information available for wild Pacific salmon populations and their habitats.
It develops tools and datasets that help conservation organisations, governments, First Nations and researchers understand salmon conditions and identify appropriate recovery priorities.
The Pacific Salmon Explorer is one of the program’s major tools. It provides information about salmon populations, habitats and pressures across British Columbia and the Yukon.
Marine Science Program
The Marine Science Program investigates the factors affecting salmon survival in the Salish Sea and other marine environments.
Its work includes salmon health research, pathogen monitoring, sea-lice studies, juvenile salmon surveys and assessments of changing marine conditions.
Research findings support conservation planning and provide evidence for decisions affecting wild salmon.
Climate Adaptation Program
The Climate Adaptation Program develops and implements practical solutions that help salmon withstand changing environmental conditions.
Its work addresses droughts, floods, wildfires, landslides, warming water, altered river flows and other climate-related threats.
Projects include emergency response, long-term recovery planning, public drought-reporting tools, wildfire-recovery guidance and pilot initiatives in major salmon-bearing watersheds.
Salmon Health Research
The Foundation conducts and supports research into diseases, pathogens, parasites and environmental pressures affecting wild Pacific salmon.
This work helps scientists understand salmon mortality and identify measures that can reduce health risks.
State of Salmon Report
The State of Salmon Report provides a data-driven overview of the condition and long-term trends of Pacific salmon and steelhead populations across British Columbia and the Yukon.
It covers all six Pacific salmon species, including steelhead, across ten major regions. The report is intended to inform conservation organisations, communities, decision-makers, journalists and the public.
Community Bursaries
The Foundation awards Stewardship Community Bursaries to students pursuing education and careers related to Pacific salmon conservation.
Multiple bursaries of $2,500 are awarded annually to eligible post-secondary students in British Columbia and the Yukon.
Education and Public Engagement
The Foundation provides salmon education through Salmon School, workshops, publications, videos, public events and online resources.
These activities increase understanding of salmon species, life cycles, habitats, conservation challenges and the ecological and cultural importance of wild salmon.
Impact and Examples of Work Funded
In 2025, the Pacific Salmon Foundation funded 161 community projects and distributed approximately $2 million through its Community Salmon Program.
One supported initiative involved Sq’éwqel, also known as Seabird Island Band, and the restoration of Maria Slough near Agassiz.
A Community Salmon Program grant of $112,384 supported the installation of seven rock weirs and 12 large woody-debris structures. The project also removed invasive reed canary grass across 845 square metres and planted 680 native plants.
More than 500 salmon were observed using the restored habitat during the following spawning season.
The Foundation also launched a multi-year monitoring program for juvenile salmon in the Discovery Islands. Researchers sampled 2,995 fish across 32 locations during 2025, examining pathogens, sea lice and environmental conditions.
Climate-adaptation activities have included the development of a Wildfire Playbook to integrate salmon protection into post-wildfire recovery planning.
The Foundation has supported fish-friendly infrastructure that reopened five hectares of wetland habitat previously inaccessible to salmon for approximately 70 years.
Its 2025 State of Salmon Report found that two-thirds of Pacific salmon populations in British Columbia and the Yukon were below their long-term average abundance. The report’s findings were shared with more than 200 salmon leaders and widely used by decision-makers, conservation partners and news organisations.
More than 1,000 new donors joined the Foundation’s community in 2025, demonstrating growing public support for wild salmon conservation.
Conclusion
The Pacific Salmon Foundation combines scientific research, community grantmaking, Indigenous partnerships, climate adaptation and public engagement to address the complex challenges facing wild Pacific salmon.
Through its Community Salmon Program, watershed research, marine science, bursaries and restoration partnerships, the Foundation turns financial support and scientific knowledge into practical conservation action across British Columbia and the Yukon.
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