ABSTRACT
The evidence suggests that, as currently organized, the fishery continues to be a net drain on the wealth of Canadians despite a series of costly reforms. The federal government introduced the Pacific Salmon Revitalization Strategy in 1996, known as the Mifflin Plan after the then DFO minister. In the five-year period ending in 2014, the average annual market value of the BC salmon catch was $42.3 million. Of course, the preferred alternative depends on how the Minister weights the goals described above. However, because the Minister has instructed us to make a recommendation, the policy do so based on the following comparisons. Despite decline, the commercial west coast salmon fishery remains an important Canadian industry. The number of salmon can vary greatly from year to year, from area to area, and from species to species—sometimes by twenty-or thirtyfold. Under these conditions, incorrect volume and escapement estimates by Fisheries and Oceans Canada could be catastrophic for preservation of runs.
