Everything you always wanted to know about the impact of climate on west coast fish stocks

Media invited to talk to experts about the future of fisheries and habitats in a changing climate

Vancouver, October 24, 2005 - From changes in ocean temperature and salmon habitat to the challenge of managing fisheries in a warmer global climate, the issues related to the impact and implications of climate on West Coast fish stocks are complex.

To assist media with their understanding and reporting of these issues, the organizers of Climate and Fisheries: Impacts, Uncertainty and Responses of Ecosystems and Communities, a conference taking place at the Victoria Convention Centre this week, have added a Q&A session specifically for media to ask fisheries and climate experts about the event and the topics being discussed at it. These include Fraser sockeye, salmon habitat and recovery in B.C., salmon fisheries on the west coast, Georgia Basin/Puget Sound fish and water management, stream flows and water, and ocean production change and conditions.


Event: Climate and Fisheries: Impacts, Uncertainty and Responses of Ecosystems and Communities Media Q&A Session

Date/Time: Thursday October 27, 2005, 5:00pm – 5:45pm

Place: Oak Bay Room, Victoria Conference Centre (VCC), 720 Douglas St., Victoria, B.C.

Participating experts:
Mark Johannes, Conference Chair
Gordon Ennis & Paul LeBlond, Pacific Fisheries Resources Conservation Council (PFRCC)
Paul Whitfield & Bill Taylor, Environment Canada
Kim Hyatt, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Paul Kariya & Chad Brealey, Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF)

Registration: Contact Michelle Cook, PFRCC media liaison, 604-221-2734 / 604-833-2734

NOTE: This is NOT a news conference but an informal chance to speak with experts on various topics related to climate change and fisheries.

Climate and Fisheries: Impacts, Uncertainty and Responses of Ecosystems and Communities will bring together more than 300 researchers, resource managers, policy makers, planners and community leaders to explore emerging issues about the impacts of climate on marine and freshwater ecosystems, aquatic and fisheries resources and communities in B.C., Washington and the Pacific Northwest.

Media are also invited to attend the Fraser River sockeye session Climate change and its implications to Fraser River sockeye salmon: Panel discussion and dialogue (October 27 8:00am-5:00pm, VCC Lecture Theatre) Chaired by Dr. Paul LeBlond, PRFCC, and moderated by Richard Paisley, director of UBC’s Natural Resources Law and Policy Program, this session will explore the impact of climate change on the stocks and potential options for adapting in the short- and long-term, and identify policies and management systems that will be robust enough to work in an era of climatic change as well as those that need to change to ensure the resource is well managed.

Other sessions of interest include: Climate, stream flows and fish (October 26, 2005 1:00pm-6:30pm, VCC Lecture Theatre), Communities, climate and resilience (October 26 1:00pm-5:00pm, Oak Bay Room, VCC), and the Closing plenary and panel discussion (October 28 1:30pm-3:00pm, VCC Lecture Theatre) which will explore the implications and recommendation of a changing climate on how we manage fish, habitat, species at risk, and restoration/recovery of important features of our west coast water ecosystems and the lessons learned from out three days of dialogue.

The conference is coordinated by the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network (C-CAIRN), and host sponsored by the PFRCC, PSF, American Fisheries Society, B.C. Ministry of Environment and Fisheries and Oceans Canada among others.

To view the full conference schedule and program, go to www.fishclimate.ca.

For more information, contact:

Gordon Ennis
Managing Director PFRCC
604-775-6070
ennis@fish.bc.ca

Michelle Cook
Media Liaison PFRCC
604-221-2734 / 604-8

Dr. Mark Johannes
Conference Chair C-CAIRN
604-738-5332 or 250-

Related reports:

Climate Change and Salmon Stocks