Do escaped Atlantic salmon compete with native Pacific salmon stocks for habitat and food?
No. To date, Atlantic salmon have been observed in three BC rivers – out of approximately 9,600 possible salmon-bearing rivers and streams. The numbers of Atlantic salmon counted each year in BC rivers are extraordinarily small (just 40 in 2003). Should a significant population of Atlantic salmon be observed in a river, the Atlantic Salmon Watch Program is mandated to remove the Atlantic salmon to reduce the possibility of colonization. Studies have shown that escaped farmed salmon – in either the Pacific or Northwest Atlantic oceans – have a low survival rate in the wild because they are accustomed to being fed. The stomachs of recaptured farmed salmon are usually empty, therefore it is unlikely they compete for food with other fish or reproducing successfully.
