$20,000 for Salmon Projects in Nanaimo

VANCOUVER:  Three salmon conservation groups in Nanaimo received more than $20,000 in support from the Pacific Salmon Foundation. The Nanaimo Fish and Game Club received $10,100, the Nanaimo Science and Sustainability Society received $1,094, and the Harbour City River Stewards received $9,150. The funding was part of more than $464,000 in grants to support 57 projects in 45 B.C. communities.

The Nanaimo Fish and Game Club received funds to repair bank erosion in Haslam Creek caused by severe winter conditions. In some cases, whole trees washed down the creek knocking bank debris into salmon spawning habitat. The Harbour City River Stewards also received funds for the second phase of a project to improve Departure Creek. A third conservation group, The Nanaimo Science and Sustainability Society, received funds to deliver science-based outreach programs to the local community as part of its Science in the Park and Science on the Move-Early Years projects. The grants in Nanaimo were partially underwritten by timber and land management company TimberWest.

Significant funding for the grants was generated through sales of the Salmon Conservation Stamp, the decal that must be purchased annually by anglers if they want to keep Pacific salmon caught in saltwater off of Canada’s west coast.   Since 1989, the Foundation has received $6.5 million in stamp funds. Earlier this year, the foundation successfully campaigned to return 100 per cent of stamp user fees to British Columbia as part of the March 2013 federal budget.

 Click here to go to Pacific Salmon Foundation Website