Web of Life — Salmon, Part 1
Pacific salmon are considered a cornerstone species in the West Coast food web and are culturally very important to Indigenous communities. As salmon numbers decline people are using hatcheries as one method to keep this important species alive.
The Story
On the west coast of Canada Pacific salmon have played an important role in mother earth’s food web for thousands of years. Historically First Nations have selectively harvested salmon to sustain them and use them as a main food source for thousands of years.

Over the last 100 years the salmon’s precious spawning grounds have been decimated and their populations over-harvested to a tipping point. Climate change is exacerbating the problem, warming the naturally cool water they are conditioned to spawn in, and further contributing to their decline. As global demand for salmon remains strong, hatchery programs have been established to help repopulate the barren streams and rivers that were once home to millions of spawning salmon.

We visit both a government hatchery to see how it works and a more grass root style hatchery run by volunteers to see how they have incorporated the natural landscape into their hatchery program. Hatcheries are considered controversial because they are thought to reduce the genetic diversity found in salmon populations.The hatchery salmon compete with wild salmon also contributing to wild salmon's low numbers.
The Location
