Support for Wild Sockeye Salmon Management News provided by Share this article Genomic tools offer insight for an iconic species VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 10, 2021 /CNW/ - Sockeye salmon are a significant part of the cultural, social, and economic fabric of British Columbia (BC). Responsible stewardship of wild sockeye salmon fisheries is becoming increasingly important as human pressures and environmental changes intensify. Salmon spawning in the Babine River. Photo Credit: Freshwaters Illustrated (CNW Group/Genome British Columbia) One of the key challenges in sustainable salmon management is the ability to identify and protect at risk populations within a mixed stock fishery. BC's sockeye fisheries are composed of fish from potentially hundreds of different populations, each with unique life histories, genetic makeup, and levels of productivity (population growth). Current methods for monitoring and protecting less productive, and therefore at risk, salmon populations would benefit from improvements in the speed, accuracy, and sensitivity of genetic tools applied to identify unique populations.