The DFO report notes that an unusually warm patch of water in the Pacific Ocean — called the “blob” — that persisted from 2013 to 2017 also coincided with a strong El Nino event in 2015, leading to the warmest temperatures for the Northern Pacific Ocean on record.

The pre-season median forecast was for 4.8 million Fraser River sockeye. The current estimate is 628,000. At those levels, there will be complete closures for Fraser River sockeye for the commercial, sport and First Nations sectors.

Dwindling winter snowpack has deprived the rivers and streams where salmon spawn of a key source of water. With lower water levels and higher water temperatures, it makes it a lot harder for them to find the safe places to survive until they're ready to spawn," Read more...