Shuswap Lake -Rainbows and Sockeye
Government of Canada
In the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, the federal government has partnered with the British Columbia Conservation Foundation to improve fish habitat along the Shuswap Lake shoreline and Salmon River. Member of Parliament Colin Mayes, on behalf of the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, highlighted today the Government of Canada’s investment in these projects. Through the Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program (RFCPP), the British Columbia Conservation Foundation will receive up to $111,223 to support the conservation of fish habitat in the Shuswap Lake area.
As part of the National Conservation Plan, the RFCPP was created to restore Canada’s waterways and to ensure sustainability and ongoing productivity of our recreational fisheries. Given its success in ensuring a more coordinated approach to conservation efforts across the country, and the high demand, the Government of Canada increased the investment in the Economic Action Plan 2014 to a total of $25 million.
Under the third round of the Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program, up to $2,587,043 has been made available for 30 projects in British Columbia.
Since 2006, the Government of Canada has taken important steps to conserve and restore our country’s natural environment and connect Canadians to our rich natural heritage. Details about the program can be found on the program’s web site where you can also sign up for updates.
Quick Facts
The British Columbia Conservation Foundation is receiving up to $93,223 to restore the Salmon River delta at Shuswap Lake to improve fish migration. The work will deepen the channel and plant and stabilize vegetated streambanks, as well as install better fencing along the shoreline to prevent livestock from damaging banks and riparian vegetation. The project will benefit chinook, coho and sockeye salmon.
The British Columbia Conservation Foundation is also receiving up to $18,000 to implement a demonstration project on Shuswap Lake in partnership with the Little Shuswap Indian Band to showcase fish habitat restoration benefits and build support for larger-scale restoration in the future. The project will remove, recycle and dispose of waste concrete and rubber tires and will naturalize 25 linear metres of lake foreshore and associated riparian habitat.
Since the launch of the program, over $18 million has already been committed to more than 300 projects across Canada.
Under the first round, the program awarded $5.9 million to 94 projects undertaken between 2013 and 2015.
Under the second round, the program committed up to $5.5 million to 128 projects undertaken between 2014 and 2015.
Under the third round of the RFCPP, up to $6.8M was committed for over 80 projects to be undertaken between 2014 and 2016.
The fourth round of funding applications is now closed. Successful projects will be announced shortly.