West Coast drought threatens salmon

A record-breaking drought in Western Canada could deal a serious blow to salmon stocks as spawning streams on Vancouver Island dry up.

Rivers on the island are at record low levels while many small creeks have disappeared. In Victoria, the seven-month period from April to October was the driest on record.

The low water levels make it difficult for the salmon to fight their way upstream to the spawning grounds, with fins exposed to hungry seagulls.

Peter McCully, a fisheries biologist and consultant with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, said hundreds of thousands of salmon could die without spawning.

"Streams that heretofore are low and slow at this time of year are absolutely bone dry now, so it's not a question of a few fish getting in. There's no fish getting in," said McCully.

Even if the salmon do reach spawning grounds, their eggs will be laid in shallow areas where they have little chance of survival.

"We're going to lose a whole brood year if this continues and by that I mean production in a certain species like coho could be entirely lost for this year," said McCully.

But the worst effects may not show up for years as salmon stocks in some smaller creeks may never return.

Judy Ackinclose, president of Fanny Bay Salmon Enhancement, said people in the industry can't do anything except pray for rain.