Alaska's commercial fisheries catch and kill millions of salmon bound for Canada every year. Meanwhile, many of British Columbia's fisheries remain closed to preserve our depleted salmon populations.
The Pacific Salmon Treaty allows Alaska to conduct interception fisheries that target large numbers of migrating Canadian salmon. These fisheries near the B.C. border, represent a tiny fraction of Alaska's total catch, but are having a devastating impact on B.C. wild salmon populations. Besides threatening endangered chinook and steelhead, Southeast Alaska's interception fisheries deprive starving Southern Resident killer whales of food. The Pacific Salmon Treaty won't be renegotiated until 2028, but our salmon can't wait. Only senior ministers in Justin Trudeau’s cabinet can direct Pacific Salmon Commission representatives and diplomats to re-open treaty discussions with the Americans. While B.C. wild salmon are under pressure, Alaskan fishers are enjoying record catches. Alaska needs to move its dirty interception fisheries away from areas where endangered B.C. salmon are migrating.
Tell Justin Trudeau and senior cabinet members to stand up for Canadian salmon. It's time for an emergency renegotiation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty.