With over 700 insect, plant, and animal species at risk in B.C., it's time to get serious about conservation. From the caribou to the spotted owl to the North Pacific right whale, red-listed species' ecosystems are being threatened by industry and a lack of adequate protections. Meanwhile, drought conditions are leaving rivers and streams with low water levels that cannot support salmon spawning. Wild Pacific salmon stocks are in decline due to climate change, fish farms, and habitat degradation. What we do to the world, we do to ourselves.
The BC Greens' plan for Endangered Species
Vital habitat, like bear dens, is not currently protected under province-wide regulations. The B.C. Greens have introduced legislation calling for comprehensive legal protection for bear dens.
Dedicated fishing, hunting, and trapping license fees can support the funding required to invest in protecting habitats for the future.
Increased funding allows for new campsites and expanded trails and accessibility, while conservation officers provide public safety and natural resource law enforcement.
The fall of 2022 saw massive salmon die-offs caused by unseasonably hot, dry conditions. Open-pen fish farms may also threaten wild Pacific salmon by exposing them to viruses and sea lice. By establishing a Wild Salmon Secretariat or Commissioner and providing incentives to transition from open-pen fish farms to land-based fish farming we can help mitigate stressors on wild salmon.