Steelhead stocks in the rivers that flow into Georgia Strait, the inland ocean that lies between Vancouver Island and British Columbia mainland, are in a state of crisis.

A study by provincial biologists has found that steelhead populations in the 48 of the top 58 rivers, are in decline or are already at very low levels.

If nothing is done, wild steelhead stocks could become extinct in most Georgia Basin rivers within two decades.

Stocks have been in trouble for the past 20 years, but the situation is now at a critical stage, with options for recovery fast running out. Unless British Columbia launches a special recovery effort, fishing for wild steelhead will soon be unknown in the Georgia Basin.

This bleak situation is outlined in the report, Greater Georgia Basin Steelhead Recovery Action Plan, which calls on the government to provide $4 million a year for a special project aimed at reviving the area’s once great runs of steelhead.

The report, written by Al Lill and Associates Ltd, with funding and staff assistance from the provincial government Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, makes it clear that the time for action is now, before it’s too late.

“Declines in steelhead abundance have been caused by sharply reduced ocean survivals combined with impaired freshwater habitat capability. Wild stocks in most systems will not recover unless their freshwater productivity can be significantly increased to compensate for reductions in marine survival,” states the report.

It outlines a proposal for a 10-year program that would correct past habitat damage, enhance fish habitat and improve watershed management using scientifically-based standards, many of which have been developed on B.C. rivers. Stream enrichment, which has been proved effective on Vancouver Island’s Keogh River, for example, would be used in some places. And habitat restoration techniques, which have been developed under forest restoration programs, would be employed in almost all watersheds.

The project also proposes using hatchery stock to build hatchery supported fisheries on four rivers - the Campbell, Trent, Tsable and Goldstream - where steelhead runs are now believed to be “virtually extirpated.” But saving and restoring wild runs would be the key focus of the project.

“The primary objective of the recovery plan is to stabilize and restore wild steelhead stocks and habitats to healthy self-sustaining levels,” states the report. “A secondary objective is to maintain and restore angling opportunities, which benefit both local communities and the provincial economy. While the focus is on steelhead, this initiative will have significant benefits for other species of salmon and trout.”

The report notes that the government has done all it can to protect steelhead by limiting the impact of sports fishing, by closing angling on numerous Vancouver Island rivers, for example. Those restrictions, however, and poor catch rates on rivers that do remain open, have led to a 61% drop in angling activity along the East Coast of Vancouver Island. People have largely stopped fishing for steelhead in an area that was once world renowned for its sporting opportunities.

The Greater Georgia Basin supports steelhead in 138 watersheds, but the study, which was prepared for the Pacific Salmon Foundation, focused on 58 “high priority” systems. A stream-by-stream analysis shows that of that group, 35 rivers have stocks in decline, and 13 are stable, at a very low level. Seven are stable at a moderate level and only three have shown signs of recent recovery.

“Stocks in the 48 watersheds that are in decline or stable at very low levels face the greatest chance of extinction,” warns the report.

Some 13 rivers are listed as being in an “extreme conservation zone” with stocks at less than 10% of habitat capacity.

The report states that “it is evident that the condition of the vast majority of wild steelhead stocks in the Greater Georgia Basin is of substantial concern...(and) Steelhead stocks in many isolated low-productivity systems in the mainland inlets require early attention or they may be lost.”

The decline of stocks in the Greater Georgia Basin is attributed mainly to two things: freshwater habitat degradations caused by urban growth, logging and industrial development; and poor ocean survival rates.

The report calls for a broad partnership approach to respond to the crisis, with provincial and federal agencies, non-profit like the Pacific Salmon Foundation, First Nations, community groups and private interests all working together.

The science needed to restore the rivers is known, the techniques needed to restore habitat, and enhance stocks have been proven - what has been lacking so far is political will and funding.

The report notes that the current provincial government, has promised “a Living Rivers Act” to protect and improve British Columbia’s watersheds.

“Greater Georgia Basin wild steelhead stocks would appear to be very high priority candidates under this initiative,” it argues.

The document contains a detailed analysis of the situation, including a stream-by-stream overview of all 58 high priority watersheds. But perhaps its most telling statistics are contained in a simple graph that plots the number of steelhead spawners under two scenarios. In one the government adopts a “do nothing” approach, in the other a restoration project is launched.

Under “do nothing” the number of steelhead in the Greater Georgia Basin vanishes after seven generations of fish. Under restoration, the numbers soar.