Retired Fisheries Workers Call for Answers from Province as to Why Skeena Steelhead Escapement Thresholds Were Lowered

A group of retired fisheries workers have penned a letter expressing concerns over Skeena Steelhead conservation and demanding answers.

With Steelhead returns dwindling in recent years, the group is concerned over the lack of science behind recently lowered escapement thresholds.

Until 2021, conservation thresholds were set at 23,000 returning spawners for the entire Skeena drainage.

But additional numbers were regularly added to account for upstream losses, sex ratios, and other concerns, bringing the total as high as 44,000.

After a record low return of around 5,400 Steelhead in 2021, the threshold was lowered to 8,000 spawners, with no scientific evidence provided.

Last month, the Province announced a predicted return of 10,200 Steelhead, which was deemed sufficient to avoid conservation measures.

But the group says that that return is still far too low, given the low river levels and high ocean temperatures faced by smolts.

They are calling for the Province to release a report describing how and why the 8,000 threshold was selected, and for an independent review of the science behind it.