Salmon, LNG, and the Skeena Estuary: What are the risks?

By: Ciara Sharpe

Pacific Northwest LNG--Petronas

Skeena River

Photo: Brian Huntington

Lelu Island

Flora Bank

Kitson Island

Mid tideKitson Island

Photo: Tavish Campbell

4 years100 boat days600 net hauls100,000 juvenile salmon sampled

Photo: Tavish Campbell

Eelgrass in Flora Bank region contained 25X more salmon than other eelgrass habitats

Salmon are feeding and growing in estuary for weeks to months

Genetic analysis- Where are you from?

Hi, I am from the Babine River

I am from Kitwanga River

Photo credit: Tavish Campbell

Map by John Latimer (Lax)

Over 50 populations of salmon from over 10 First Nation territories

The Flora Bank region is a “habitat of critical importance for the rearing of juvenile salmon”

Noise

Potential Risk PathwaysEmissions of acid-causing compounds

Removal of terrestrial ecosystem

Habitat alteration

Dispersal of buried contaminants

Accidental spills of contaminants

Bridge and trestle structure

Alterations of currents

Secondary erosion of Flora BankFish habitat and movement

Increased turbidity

THE GREATESCAPE

BROKEN WALL

THE PREDICTION

“the Agency concludes that the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects”

c

A) Decisions are currently based on Petronas funded science = potentially biased science

Why?

B) Disregard for independent peer-reviewed science

PNW LNG poses severe risks to salmon from throughout the Skeena watershed and the people and economies that rely on them.