Fraser Salmon Watershed Program

High above the lowlands of the Fraser basin on Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains, a glacier that melts and becomes a stream that leads down a trench that begins the journey of the greatest salmon watershed in the world: the Fraser River.

The Fraser River salmon is both a cultural icon and a symbol of the health and survival of communities. In 2005, Pacific Salmon Foundation and Fraser Basin Council came together to work on a shared vision for the survival of the Fraser salmon and the watersheds we all depend on. A five-year business plan was developed to support programs that inspire and support changes in human behavior for the benefit of salmon and watersheds.

In April 2006, The Fraser Salmon & Watersheds Program (FSWP) was set in motion when the provincial Living Rivers Trust Fund Advisory Group approved funding of $10 million over four years to the Living Rivers Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program, a jointly managed program of Pacific Salmon Foundation and Fraser Basin Council. Since the spring of 2006, significant financial commitments have been made to this program, including: the Pacific Salmon Endowment Fund Society - $5 million over five years towards PSF capacity to undertake the program and grow the funding base; Fisheries and Oceans Canada - $10 million over five years, contributed as $5 million cash and $5 million in kind, along with several commitments from private sector partners and individuals.