Pacific Salmon Commission recommends new language for Chapter 4 under the Pacific Salmon Treaty

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.

About the award

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 following report is now available for download:

Skip McKinnell. Atmospheric and Oceanic Extrema in 2015 and 2016 and their Effect on North American Salmon. PSCTR No. 37.

The following report is now available for download:

Pacific Salmon Commission Joint Transboundary Technical Committee. Salmon Management and Enhancement Plans for the Stikine, Taku and Alsek Rivers, 2017.  TCTR(17)-3.

The following reports are now available:

Pacific Salmon Commission Joint Transboundary Technical Committee. Final Estimates of Transboundary River Salmon Production, Harvest and Escapement and a Review of Joint Enhancement Activities in 2014.  TCTR(17)-1.

Pacific Salmon Commission Joint Transboundary Technical Committee. Final Estimates of Transboundary River Salmon Production, Harvest and Escapement and a Review of Joint Enhancement Activities in 2015.  TCTR(17)-2.

The Chinook Technical Committee released their Annual Report of Catch and Escapement for 2015.