In June 2019, a massive rockslide in a rugged Fraser River canyon near Big Bar blocked the river completely, forming a 5‑metre waterfall barrier that trapped migrating salmon below the slide.

Recognizing the urgent threat to sockeye, Chinook, coho, and other Fraser River salmon runs, a rapid and collaborative “unified command” was launched—drawing expertise and leadership from First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, BC, Canada’s Coast Guard, and numerous scientists and local crews.

Early emergency tactics involved trapping fish and transporting them above the slide (by road, fishwheel, and the inventive “Whooshh” pneumatic salmon cannon), alongside rock scaling, blasting, and construction to improve natural passage

By 2021, thanks to favourable river flows and installation of a “nature-like” fishway, nearly 1.9 million salmon, including ~54,000 Early Stuart sockeye, crossed the barrier voluntarily—and no salmon needed trucking in 2021 .

Canadian Geographic reports that by July 2021, approximately 79,000 salmon had successfully passed unaided—and crews breathed a collective sigh of relief at what had seemed “insurmountable”.

BACKGROUND ARTICLE: Canadian Geographic - "Insurmountable: The battle to bring a salmon run home"

The Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance, whose participating parties are also FSMC Signatories, played a key role in the response - visit their project page here