Government of Canada expands mass marking of hatchery-origin Pacific Chinook salmon to support conservation and hatchery management
April 8, 2026
Vancouver, B.C. – Pacific salmon have shaped the identity of British Columbia for millennia. They sustain coastal and inland communities, and are integral to the cultural and spiritual traditions of Indigenous Peoples. The Government of Canada remains committed to protecting and rebuilding wild Pacific salmon populations for future generations through science-based management, strong partnerships, and sustained investments in conservation.
Today, the Honourable Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, announced a next step in strengthening the long-term conservation and rebuilding of wild Pacific salmon with the expansion of mass marking of all DFO hatchery-origin Chinook salmon in southern British Columbia.
Marking of hatchery-origin Pacific salmon, through the removal of the adipose fin, enables identification of individual fish and differentiation from wild stocks. The ability to accurately distinguish hatchery and wild-origin Pacific salmon is important for fishery management, hatchery operation, scientific understanding, and to better achieve conservation objectives. Marking of hatchery-origin Chinook salmon is a common practice in many Pacific jurisdictions, including Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and California. Canada currently marks some, but not all, of our hatchery-origin Chinook salmon.
Through the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI), the Government of Canada has made targeted investments to expand scientific research, monitoring, and improve Pacific salmon hatchery practices. These investments also enabled Fisheries and Oceans Canada to increase capacity to mark hatchery-origin Chinook salmon on a larger scale, through the use of specialized “mass-marking” equipment and techniques. With the $412.9 million renewal of PSSI, new investments will be made to further increase mass-marking capacity with the objective of marking all DFO hatchery-produced Chinook in southern British Columbia.