The Spruce City Wildlife Association is getting upgraded to help restore local species of salmon over the next two years.
The Prince George organization was granted roughly $240,000 from the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF) this week, which is also a collaboration with Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).
The goal of the $10.5-million pooled funding is to meet the demand for seafood products in the province as climate change has put unprecedented pressure on Pacific wild salmon.
More specifically, the Spruce City Wildlife Association’s conservation hatchery, located at 1384 River Rd., is going to be supported with infrastructure upgrades
“We would like to thank the BCSRIF program for funding our Upper Fraser Chinook Strategic Enhancement Project, which will upgrade and improve our facility, and allow us to continue to give back to the dwindling salmon stocks,” explains the Association in a social media post.
A government release adds biosecurity improvements will help enhance local production and rebuild Upper and Middle Fraser salmon stocks.
Other recipients from this round of funding include:
- Pacific Salmon Foundation
- 'Namgis First Nation
- Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council
- University of B.C. (UBC)
- Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance Society
Less than half of the $142.85-million federal fund has been allocated so far and applications for the next round of funding officially opened today (July 15).
For more information on how to apply, you can visit the BCSRIF website.
- with files from The Canadian Press