As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

Given that salmon is essential to the food security and community health of First Nations and that the decline of salmon populations threatens First Nations’ rights under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to self-determination and traditional ways of life, that the Government of Canada uphold First Nations rights through appropriate management decisions.

Recommendation 2

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada recognize that a fundamental threat to the salmon population is climate change and that every measure adapted to these changes be taken without further delay to preserve the threatened species as quickly as possible.

Recommendation 3

That the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Global Affairs Canada work with international counterparts that manage Pacific salmon fisheries to study how wild Pacific salmon are impacted by large-scale hatchery releases of Pink and Chum salmon into the North Pacific ecosystem by countries including the United States, Japan, Korea and Russia.

Recommendation 4

That the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in cooperation with the governments of Alaska and the United States, assess impacts of pinniped predation on Pacific salmon stocks of Canadian origin and enable management measures necessary to support stock recoveries.

Recommendation 5

Given that conflicting testimony has been provided regarding the impact of ocean bycatch and how this is impacting numbers of salmon returning, it is critical that Fisheries and Oceans Canada either launch or support an independent review of this work in an effort to address disparities in witness testimony regarding the role of bycatch and the information received from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration via Fisheries and Oceans Canada officials.

Recommendation 6

That the Government of Canada obtain information from the relevant bodies in the United States regarding the number of salmon caught as bycatch in the US pollock fishery, and report this information publicly in Canada through Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Recommendation 7

The Yukon River Salmon Agreement should be extended to considerations of the ocean-side harvest, where testimony indicated that the ‘abundance’ offshore did not translate into salmon returns to the river.

Recommendation 8

That the Government of Canada act urgently, as a responsible partner to provincial and territorial governments, to protect and restore watersheds that are threatened by the climate crisis and environmental degradation caused by human activity.

Recommendation 9

The Government of Yukon and the Government of Canada should develop a water management strategy for the Yukon River to address low water levels and that impact on salmon spawning areas.

Recommendation 10

That the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada prioritize establishing adequate monitoring and enforcement to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing of Pacific salmon stocks of Canadian origin.

Recommendation 11

That the Government of Yukon, in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, increase efforts to establish that monitoring of placer miner effects on salmon spawning grounds by the Government of Yukon and Fisheries and Oceans Canada are fully compliant with the Fish Habitat Management System.

Recommendation 12

That the Government of Canada work urgently with the Government of Yukon to settle jurisdictional disagreements as they relate to the health and wellbeing of Yukon salmon populations, and where necessary strike new agreements to ensure that all gaps in regulatory oversight are closed.

Recommendation 13

The Government of Yukon should review its environmental assessments and regulations for placer mining operations, and the impact they have on water quality in the rivers.

Recommendation 14

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in partnership with Natural Resources Canada and, as necessary, Environment and Climate Change Canada, explore in collaboration with provincial and territorial bodies the impact that abandoned mines may be having on salmon populations in the watersheds within this biosphere, in particular, the risks from the leakage and runoff including from BYG in Yukon and the Tulsequah Chief Mine in BC, and that findings from this exercise be reported back to the Committee.

Recommendation 15

That the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada work closely with the Government of Yukon and the governments of Alaska and the United States to ensure adequate protection of wild salmon habitats.

Recommendation 16

That the Government of Canada meaningfully and if needed, financially, contribute to the Kwanlin Dün First Nation as part of the Whitehorse Fishway Redevelopment project, honouring our Treaty Obligation 16.3.2.2 of the Kwanlin Dün Final Agreement.

Recommendation 17

That the Government of Canada work with stakeholders to modernize infrastructure along the Yukon River, such as improving fish ladders and other changes recommended under a stock restoration initiative.

Recommendation 18

That the Government of Canada undertake negotiations with the Government of the United States or the Government of Alaska to ensure that BC and Alaskan management measures regarding salmon are aligned, and are ecosystem-based.

Recommendation 19

That the Government of Canada undertake negotiations with the Government of the United States or the Government of Alaska to end intercept fishing in Alaskan fishery district 104.

Recommendation 20

That the Government of Canada prioritize ending unsustainable intercept fishing as a reconciliation measure, in light of the impacts that interceptions have on First Nations on the West Coast of Canada.

Recommendation 21

That the Government of Canada sufficiently increase the funding and resources available to invest in the concrete measures as determined by experts and stakeholders to be necessary to reverse the decline in Yukon River Salmon.

Recommendation 22

That efforts by all parties to address the declining salmon populations consider habitat restoration, combating and mitigating the effects of climate change, overcoming or mitigating the effects of man-made obstructions in the routes taken by the salmon and other measures deemed impactful in this project.

Recommendation 23

That the Government of Canada recognize the impact that climate change is having on ocean and river health, including its impacts on the Yukon River Salmon and other species, and that the Government of Canada work collaboratively with other levels of government and across jurisdictions to support comprehensive action to reverse, combat and mitigate the impacts of climate change as part of its response to restoring the sustainability of Yukon River Salmon.

Recommendation 24

That the Government of Canada provide sufficient attention and resources to monitoring individual conservation units of Yukon salmon, as more fine-grained monitoring of returns is necessary to prevent local level extinction and biodiversity loss.

Recommendation 25

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada make management decisions as close to the ground as possible by consulting communities and relevant stakeholders directly impacted by the species’ decline to ensure the best data is obtained to improve territorial management, so that the right decision is made in the right place and overall consistency is encouraged.

Recommendation 26

That the Government of Canada increase its funding commitment through Fisheries and Oceans Canada to allow more resources and focus to be directed towards monitoring and data collection of Yukon River and Northern BC salmon.

Recommendation 27

Given that there are many examples of First Nations taking the lead in protecting and conserving local salmon stocks for generations to come, that Fisheries and Oceans Canada work alongside First Nations to implement traditional knowledge and practices in Yukon salmon management and rebuilding strategies.

Recommendation 28

That the Government of Canada enhance investments in First Nations community-based stewardship efforts including conservation and monitoring work, with an emphasis on sustainable and predictable multi-year programming.

Recommendation 29

That the Government of Canada work collaboratively with the governments of the United States, the State of Alaska, Yukon and the governments of relevant First Nations and American Indian communities, along with relevant stakeholders, to balance science and traditional knowledge in developing and implementing a plan to reverse the decline in Yukon River Salmon (Chinook) populations (and launch stock restoration initiatives).

Recommendation 30

That the Government of Canada work collaboratively with Yukon First Nations to honour and continue meaningful efforts towards implementing Final Agreements, in particular those components related to the conservation and protection of Yukon River Salmon.

Recommendation 31

That the Government of Yukon, in collaboration with Yukon First Nations and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, develop the Kwanlin Dün First Nations Salmon Stewardship Centre, which will include a feasibility study for a Yukon-based conservation hatchery for Yukon Salmon.

Recommendation 32

That the governments of Canada and the United States, in collaboration with the governments of Yukon and Alaska, shift from the current Yukon River Salmon Agreement focussed on border passage towards developing a comprehensive binational agreement with a goal of restoring and rebuilding Yukon River Salmon and its supporting ecosystem.

Recommendation 33

That the Government of Canada amplify cross-border work with the governments of Alaska and the United States on conservation initiatives and fisheries control measures that will help to ensure a future for wild Pacific salmon and the future implementation of a fair and sustainable Yukon River Salmon Agreement.

Recommendation 34

That the Government of Canada conduct negotiations to ensure that exemptions for First Nations to the 7-year Yukon Chinook Moratorium, if considered, are applied equitably on both sides of the border, with adequate consultation in all cases.

Recommendation 35

That the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and the Government of Canada begin the work to renegotiate the Yukon River Salmon Agreement with the United States to better reflect current realities including consideration to refocusing the metrics that are currently based solely on escapement size to include other metrics including the size, sex and age of the fish, as well as recognizing and incorporating traditional knowledge into assessment and decision-making.

Recommendation 36

That the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and other ministers and departments increase international diplomatic actions to ensure treaties and agreements for the management of Pacific salmon:

• establish fisheries management and regulations supporting sustainability and conservation of stocks of Canadian origin, especially stocks of concern;
• ensure Indigenous communities in Canada and Canadian harvesters have priority of access to salmon stocks of Canadian origin.

Recommendation 37

That any part of a response to preserve and protect Yukon River Salmon and Northern BC Salmon also provide support for relevant education about the importance of salmon for residents and visitors, including children and youth.