Wild B.C. salmon could soon become a luxury, according to a Vancouver Sun article on the 80 per cent decline of wild catches since 1990.
The story mentioned a new UBC study that forecasts global fishing revenue will fall between seven and 10 per cent by 2050. According to study co-author William Cheung, a professor at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, salmon abundance is influenced by warm cycles in ocean waters, and recent ocean warming is accelerating the trend.
“As ocean temperatures rise generally we will see that problem exacerbated. Sockeye physiology is very sensitive to temperature, and we see warmer temperatures in the Fraser River associated with high mortality,” said Cheung.
Similar stories appeared in The Province and News 1130.
