As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

That, wherever possible, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in collaboration with all interested parties, including Indigenous governing bodies and the Province of British Columbia, harmonize efforts to conserve and restore steelhead with efforts to restore Pacific salmon stocks of concern.

Recommendation 2

That, as climate change continues to have significant impacts on ocean temperatures, Fisheries and Oceans Canada work in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada to expand research and gather more data on how changes to the deep-sea environment is impacting the survivability of wild salmon.

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia, First Nations, and local governments co‑assess the cumulative impact of residential, industrial and agricultural developments in the lower Fraser River on wild salmon stocks and develop a strategy to protect, preserve and restore those stocks, and develop a framework for the assessment of proposed new developments that includes cumulative impacts.

Recommendation 4

That the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia and, where appropriate, First Nation communities review the state of flood control/mitigation systems along the lower Fraser River and their impact on wild salmon, and co-develop a program to update pumping stations and other components, as necessary, to remove risks to wild salmon runs.

Recommendation 5

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada develop and implement an estuary management strategy to preserve salmon habitat.

Recommendation 6

That, in recognition of the depth of knowledge found in local regions, Fisheries and Oceans Canada move towards a collaborative regional approach to assess priorities, develop and implement management strategies for the long-term sustainability of habitats and wildlife, and enable regional management of local marine environments and individual watersheds.

Recommendation 7

That the Government of Canada prioritize coastal restoration work in British Columbia as part of the COVID-19 job recovery, and that this include meaningful employment opportunities and contract work for First Nations and coastal communities as a critical part of rebuilding coastal economies.

Recommendation 8

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada study the seabed under and near open-net aquaculture operations to determine if remediation will be necessary when those operations close.

Recommendation 9

That the Government of Canada recognize that the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard cannot both protect wild salmon and promote the aquaculture industry, and remove the promotion of aquaculture from the mandate of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Recommendation 10

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada improve its data transparency practices, including making information available to the public without needing approval from industry and corporate stakeholders.

Recommendation 11

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada ensure that Phase 3 of the Strategic Salmon Health Initiative is properly funded. In addition, the Initiative should be provided an adequate facility to perform the critical challenge studies required to assess the findings of Phase 2’s molecular studies, which will help inform and streamline the department’s response to the decline of wild salmon populations.

Recommendation 12

That, without prejudice to Aboriginal and treaty rights, wherever possible, Fisheries and Oceans Canada promote alternatives to non-selective fishing in waters where at-risk salmon runs are present.

Recommendation 13

That the Government of Canada work with stakeholders, First Nations, and local communities to restore salmon habitat, and strengthen the monitoring and guardianship of salmon stocks to help discourage illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Recommendation 14

That the Government of Canada recognize that the situation in British Columbia facing fish harvesters is urgent, and that relief will be necessary to support commercial, recreational, and Indigenous harvesters as these communities rebuild the fisheries.

Recommendation 15

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada examine and consult with stakeholders and the public at large on the impact of predators, including pinnipeds, on wild salmon runs and, on a strategy, to manage predators of concern. Such strategy should establish a mechanism to allow for the removal of habituated and nuisance pinnipeds that are impacting salmon enhancement or have an outsized impact on salmon survivability in migration corridors.

Recommendation 16

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada, local organizations and First Nation communities co-develop and implement a hatchery strategy in alignment with the Wild Salmon Policy for the Fraser River watershed based on science, focusing on the best outcomes for existing wild salmon stocks or the need to restore runs that are extinct or can no longer sustain themselves naturally.

Recommendation 17

That the Government of Canada immediately increase support for community-based hatcheries, who have not seen an increase in financial support for decades.

Recommendation 18

That the Government of Canada investigate the comparative data on the difference in survivability between S0 and S1 chinook smolts and consider how this can be applied to increase returns of stocks of concern.

Recommendation 19

That the Government of Canada develop a comprehensive hatchery strategy which includes augmenting runs of critical concern, encouraging community hatchery programs where appropriate, and the implementation of appropriate mass-marking of hatchery fish.

Recommendation 20

That the Government of Canada implement a hybrid chinook fishery to allow for the retention of chinook salmon that are marked, or that are caught in established zones where stocks of concern are not present.

Recommendation 21

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada implement the principles of free, prior, and informed consent, consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as a foundational component of the consultation and accommodation process with regards to wild salmon.

Recommendation 22

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada collaborate more effectively with First Nations by utilizing guardian programs, Indigenous leadership and traditional ecological knowledge experts and braid these approaches with traditional western science and leadership.

Recommendation 23

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada recognize decision-making authorities of First Nations and work with them on a nation-to-nation basis along with other governments to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate salmon management from egg stage to spawning phase.

Recommendation 24

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada recognize that First Nations are in a unique position to lead efforts to rebuild salmon stocks, especially in very remote river systems and watersheds.

Recommendation 25

That the newly proposed Pacific Salmon Secretariat and Restoration Centre of Expertise and Fisheries and Oceans Canada develop a thorough overview of completed and proposed initiatives focused on protecting, preserving and restoring wild salmon stocks, and present the Minister with a strategy to coordinate those initiatives, identify duplications and gaps, and recommend program changes and additions necessary to maximize the benefits of investments by governments and communities intended on improving the health and sustainability of those stocks.

Recommendation 26

That the Government of Canada develop the role of the Pacific Salmon Secretariat and Restoration Centre of Expertise in a government-to-government-to-government approach, ensuring that its commitment to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is honoured.

Recommendation 27

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada ensure that solutions for restoring wild salmon stocks are localized and community based whenever possible.

Recommendation 28

That the Government of Canada consult with First Nation, provincial and municipal governments, local communities, industries, fish harvesters and workers that are likely to be affected by decisions made by the government for Pacific salmon restoration.

Recommendation 29

That Fisheries and Oceans Canada take advantage of regional decision-making processes that already bring together the range of governments, stakeholders and interested parties effectively and use these processes to ensure that funding intended to rebuild wild Pacific salmon is spent wisely.

Recommendation 30

That the Government of Canada set the table for collaborative management with commercial, recreational, and Indigenous fishers to build a common vision for the future of the fisheries.

Recommendation 31

That the Government of Canada develop an overarching plan to save wild salmon, not just pick and choose ideas that sound appealing without first assessing and understanding the priorities of different needs and options; that this plan includes targets, milestones, and accountability; and that this plan is coordinated between federal, provincial, and First Nation governments.

Recommendation 32

That the newly proposed Pacific Salmon Secretariat and Restoration Centre of Expertise be mandated to ensure the implementation of Canada's Policy for Conservation of Wild Pacific Salmon.