As an international organization, the Pacific Salmon Commission has been deemed an essential service by the B.C. government. Thus the PSC Secretariat remains operational to support Canada and the United States in their implementation of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Bilateral meetings are occurring (online and via telephone) and Secretariat field operations to assess Fraser River sockeye runs will occur under modified protocols. This includes test fisheries, port sampling, and hydroacoustic programs in Canadian and U.S. waters. Through the summer season, the Secretariat staff will be completing their duties through a combination of telework and in-person tasks as dictated by safety protocols and operational needs. Fraser River Panel and Technical Committee meetings will occur online to ensure uninterrupted management of Fraser River sockeye stocks in 2020.
Canadian and U.S. agencies charged with field programs in support of other Treaty provisions are coordinating their efforts continuously. Commissioners will convene online in July to discuss the status of their efforts and to determine formats for the regular PSC meeting weeks in October 2020, January 2021, and February 2021. For more information about any of the PSC’s operations, please contact the Secretariat at 604 684 8081 or info@psc.org.
The Secretariat extends its best wishes to our colleagues, friends, and delegates and is looking forward to renewed connections in-person after the pandemic passes.
The Pacific Salmon Commission is pleased to announce Mr. James Scott as the recipient of the 2020 Larry Rutter Memorial Award for Pacific Salmon Conservation.
Jim has devoted his career to the conservation of Pacific Salmon. From his early years working at the Point No Point Treaty Council to his years working at the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission in the mid-90’s, Jim put his knowledge to work developing tools to understand how fisheries impact Coho and Chinook salmon in the Pacific Northwest.
After serving in those capacities and with the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Jim went on to lead WDFW’s Fish Program that had a staff of over 700 people with responsibility for managing the state’s fisheries and over 80 hatcheries. It also provided key support for the co-management process known as North of Falcon, the Pacific Fisheries Management Council, the Pacific Salmon Commission, and the Department’s Science Division for fisheries resources. His leadership in this position advanced the sustainability and resiliency of the anadromous fisheries resources that are vital to the interests of Canada and the United States.
Most recently, Jim served a critical role in renegotiating aspects of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Time and time again, his leadership helped bridged the science gap by bringing people together not only between the two Parties but within the U.S. Delegation.
For these and many other reasons, Jim was chosen as the 2020 recipient for the Larry Rutter Memorial Award. Jim received his award at the Commission’s 35th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, B.C., with remarks from Chairman Phil Anderson and congratulations from the many colleagues gathered to honor him.
Larry Rutter was a fixture in Pacific salmon conservation and management for more than three decades until his untimely death in 
2014. He was a leading influence in how the Tribes, the United States, and Canada approached salmon management and research during the turn of the 21st century. The Commission established the award to help memorialize Larry’s lifetime of work including his legacy in the PSC, the Pacific Northwest Tribes, the Southern Fund Committee, and beyond.
The award itself is a custom-made talking stick, crafted by renowned Coast Salish carver Jim Yelton of Sechelt, B.C. The stick has three symbols from top to bottom: Salmon, Human, and Bear. All of these have symbolism in the PSC context: Salmon at the center of our Human work, and Bear, the teacher of conservation who would gorge on fish but allow enough to pass for the next generation. The stick is re-created annually for each award recipient.
The purpose of the Fraser River Panel approved test fisheries is to collect biological and catch per unit effort data on Fraser River sockeye and pink salmon. This work is performed to ensure conservation and sustainable-use of salmon stocks, as well as to meet other objectives of the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Contracts for buyers in good standing are eligible for renewal for as many as three additional years (without rebidding), or one sockeye cycle (2020 – 2023). Prices for these three additional years will be renegotiated pre-season and will take into account the initial bid price, historical trends, and year-specific market influences.
See the file attachment below for more information and to apply before March 15, 2020:
July 2, 2019: The Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) has recommended to the governments of Canada and the United States a new agreement for Chapter 4 (Fraser River Sockeye and Pink Salmon) under the Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST).
Signed by Canada and the United States (U.S.) in 1985, the Pacific Salmon Treaty provides a framework for the two countries to cooperate on the management of Pacific salmon. Pacific salmon are highly-migratory, often spending years at sea and travelling thousands of miles before returning to their natal rivers to spawn. A high degree of cooperation is required to prevent overfishing, provide optimum production and ensure that each country receives benefits that are equivalent to the production of salmon in its waters.
Chapter 4 covers sockeye and pink salmon stocks migrating to and from the Fraser River and was last renewed in 2014. With Chapter 4 set to expire on December 31, 2019, the negotiating team, made up of Canadian and U.S. representatives on the PSC’s Fraser River Panel, met regularly between November 2018 and February 2019 to discuss proposed amendments to the Chapter. In February 2019, an agreement-in-principle was reached during the PSC Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon.
“I’m pleased we were able to bring forward this recommendation,” said Jennifer Nener, Canadian Fraser River Panel Chair and Director of Salmon Management, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region. “Given that the Chapter was last renewed in 2014, it was still relatively current, with no major issues that needed to be addressed. That said, we did have challenging timelines and through cooperative efforts with our U.S. colleagues, we were able to update the chapter language within these timelines,” she added.
“In the time frame that we had to finish Chapter 4, the parties worked hard and had good discussions,” said Lorraine Loomis, U.S. Fraser River Panel Vice-Chair. “The new language clarified management issues to better manage the resource for both countries,” she added.
Overall, Canada and the United States continue to support the existing Chapter 4 provisions and the proposed changes to Chapter 4 are minor and aimed at clarifying and updating existing procedures that further support management decisions in the coming years.
The proposed agreement has now been referred to the two governments for their legal review and ratification through formal diplomatic channels. If approved, the new agreement will be effective on January 1, 2020 and remain in force through December 31, 2028, aligning the Chapter expiration with five other fishing Chapters under the PST.
For further information, please contact John Field, Executive Secretary of the Pacific Salmon Commission at field@psc.org or by phone at 604-684-8081 (ext. 622).
Dear PSC Family,
I am pleased to announce that Catherine Michielsens and Fiona Martens were the successful joint candidates for the PSC Chief Biologist position. The bilateral selection committee was quite impressed with their knowledge, skills, and joint application. Together they have many years of experience at the Secretariat supervising and leading professional staff, as well as expertise in providing scientific and logistical support.
Their application was different in that they applied as co-leaders. While this differs from past models in the Secretariat, co-leadership is widely used in modern workplaces to leverage the strengths of two individuals to deliver one program. As co-leaders, they will modify their current roles but not entirely vacate them. Some duties will follow them to their new positions while other duties will be transferred to other staff, consistent with existing job classifications.
In the selection process, I perceived this new approach would work to accommodate the evolving needs of PSC staff, the Fraser River Panel, and technical committee members. As co-leaders, Catherine and Fiona will share the responsibilities of the position in a manner that accords with their individual strengths. Catherine will focus on providing scientific input, oversight, and direction while Fiona will provide operational oversight and ensure the successful implementation of strategic and workflow plans as well as oversee the regular communication of Fraser River Panel-related information and reports. To highlight the differences in their jobs, the title of Chief Biologist will be adjusted to Chief, Fisheries Management Programs for Fiona and to Chief, Fisheries Management Science for Catherine.
Catherine and Fiona are looking forward to this new role and aspire to provide a dynamic and modern work environment for the staff at PSC headquarters. I look forward to supporting them in this and welcome any questions regarding their co-leadership model. Please join me in welcoming Fiona and Catherine to their new and innovative jobs at the Secretariat!
John Field
Executive Secretary
Pacific Salmon Commission
The Pacific Salmon Commission is pleased to announce Mr. Phillip Anderson as the recipient of the 2019 Larry Rutter Memorial Award for Pacific Salmon Conservation.
Throughout his impressive career in fish and wildlife management, and as a naturalist and outdoorsman, Phil has made notable contributions to resolving U.S/Canadian issues and to ensuring a sustainable and resilient Pacific salmon resource for the people of Canada and the United States. Starting as a charter boat operator in 1970, through his accomplishment as an outstanding Lead Negotiator for the United States to renew chapters of the Pacific Salmon Treaty, he has been exemplary in his communication, negotiation, and leadership skills. It is this triumvirate, along with his deep understanding of technical and political issues, that has allowed Phil to treat others with dignity and respect while still bringing tough positions to the international negotiation table.
As challenges continue to mount in the management of Pacific Salmon, including threatened and endangered stocks, changing ocean conditions, and reductions in available harvest, Phil continues to remain focused on conservation issues. Given the diverse domestic landscape, legislative requirements, and the deeply technical nature of the negotiations, his contribution to resolving the myriad challenges in the negotiations were often the key to ensuring a new conservation and harvest sharing agreement under the Treaty. Through his leadership, skill, respect and unfailing energy, Phil Anderson worked with his team of Commissioners to balance the U.S. position on conservation issues and harvest sharing challenges.
For these and many other reasons, Phil was chosen as the 2019 recipient for the Larry Rutter Memorial Award. He received the award at the Commission’s 34th Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon.
Larry Rutter was a fixture in Pacific salmon conservation and management for more than three decades until his untimely death in 2014. He was a leading influence in how the Tribes, the United States, and Canada approached salmon management and research during the turn of the 21st century. The Commission established the award to help memorialize Larry’s lifetime of work including his legacy in the PSC, the Pacific Northwest Tribes, the Southern Fund Committee, and beyond.
The award itself is a custom-made talking stick, crafted by renowned Coast Salish carver Jim Yelton of Sechelt, B.C. The stick has three symbols from top to bottom: Salmon, Human, and Bear. All of these have symbolism in the PSC context: Salmon at the center of our Human work, and Bear, the teacher of conservation who would gorge on fish but allow enough to pass for the next generation. The stick is re-created annually for each award recipient.
