Fraser River Sockeye Salmon - Cohen Commission

Part Two • Previous reports and government responses
Response: According to DFO’s Recommendations and Responses, the
government’s initial response was contained in a January 1997 backgrounder.
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Auditor General (1997). According to the Auditor General of Canada, Canada’s
ability to sustain the Pacific salmon resource at the present level and diversity was
questionable, given the various factors influencing salmon survival, many of which were
beyond the government’s control. Although some major salmon stocks had been built
up, others were declining and many were considered threatened. There was evidence
that habitat loss was contributing to these declines, but no overall status report on
salmon habitat was available to assess the impact of habitat loss on the resource.
In view of the complex issues associated with the conservation and protection
of the salmon resource and its habitat and the management of fisheries, the auditor
general divided the audit into two phases:
• This report addressed the sustainability of the salmon resource base, with an
emphasis on the conservation and protection of habitat.
• A 1999 report would address the sustainability of the salmon fisheries,
including fisheries management and the allocation of catch.
Response: The government’s response was contained within the Auditor
General’s Report.
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Standing Committee (1998). During January 1998, the Standing Committee on
Fisheries and Oceans visited 10 communities on the coast of British Columbia to
solicit the views of fishers, fishing organizations, community leaders, community
organizations, and individuals about the management of the fisheries on Canada’s
West Coast.
Response: Government Response to the Fourth Report of the Standing Committee
on the Fisheries and Oceans (The West Coast Report), April 1999.
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Auditor General (1999). According to the auditor general, natural factors (such
as the effects of global warming on marine and freshwater temperatures, as well
as fluctuating ocean productivity), human factors (such as overfishing and loss
or deterioration of habitat), and economic factors (such as commercial fleet
overcapacity and competition in the marketplace from a growing salmon-farming
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