Despite booming seal and sea lion populations, BC salmon farms report low interactions thanks to science-driven deterrents and proactive mitigation strategies.
By Fabian Dawson
SeaWestNews
Amid rising populations of seals and sea lions along British Columbia’s coast, salmon farmers are demonstrating how proactive measures, science-based policies, and investments in innovation can successfully reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Publicly available data from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) show that marine mammal interactions with salmon farms in B.C. have fluctuated annually but remained consistently low over the past decade. Since 2016, no more than 10 marine mammal interactions have been recorded in any given year, with just two reported so far in 2025, according to DFO records.
This trend reflects the success of the sector-wide “no-kill” marine mammal management policy adopted in 2012, supported by significant investments in exclusion technology and staff training, said Michelle Franze, spokesperson for the BC Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA).
She added that B.C. salmon farmers are required to report all marine mammal interactions and submit mitigation plans in advance for each site.
“While it is natural for wildlife to be seen near farms, most interactions are non-intrusive and occur from a safe distance,” said Franze.
“When animals approach more closely, farmers are trained to respond with preventative measures that prioritize safety for wildlife, staff, and infrastructure. These include using physical exclusion devices and non-lethal deterrents approved by DFO.”
While salmon farms have effectively reduced conflicts through such measures, an ever-growing body of research shows that unchecked pinniped populations are having a significant negative impact on wild salmon stocks in B.C. waters.
Academic studies cited by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans include the following alarming findings:
- Harbour seals in B.C. consume about 70,000 tonnes of fish annually, while sea lions are estimated to consume over 300,000 tonnes—more than all commercial fisheries combined. (McAllister, UBC)
- Predation by pinnipeds on Chinook and coho salmon has increased tenfold since 1970. (Nelson et al., 2024)
- In the Salish Sea, seal predation has slashed sustainable harvest rates for Chinook by 44%. (Nelson et al., 2019)
- Steller sea lions have been implicated in the collapse of Fraser River sockeye stocks. (Walters et al., 2020)
- Harbour seal abundance is the strongest predictor of steelhead declines in Puget Sound. (Sobocinski et al., 2020–2021)
Despite this evidence, Ottawa has rejected calls for a commercial pinniped harvest or a targeted management strategy in B.C.
The hunting of seals and sea lions has been banned on Canada’s West Coast for over 40 years. Fisheries and Oceans Canada estimates the harbour seal population in B.C.’s coastal waters is now approximately 105,000—roughly ten times the number recorded in the early 1970s.
In contrast, the United States permits a lethal removal program, allowing Indigenous tribes to harvest sea lions that threaten endangered salmon runs.
Thomas Sewid, President of Pacific Balance Marine Management, which has been advocating for a regulated harvest, said he plans to submit a renewed proposal to the incoming Fisheries Minister under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration.
“Three times Pacific Balance Marine Management has submitted our Marine Management Plan to Liberal Party Fisheries Ministers to see British Columbia get the right to harvest and sell seal and sea lion parts. Three times they ignored the issue,” Sewid posted on Facebook.
“I will submit to the new Fisheries Minister, but I know it’s futile… DFO knows the science points to a seal and sea lion overpopulation as a major negative impact to our salmon and other finfish stocks. But they have washed their hands of the seal and sea lion overpopulation problem.”
Sewid, a member of the Kwakwaka’wakw First Nation, and other Indigenous leaders say there is growing interest in international markets for all parts of seals and sea lions, including fur, human-grade meat, pet food, and medicinal uses derived from omega-3-rich oils.
(Facebook File image from Pacific Balance Marine Management)