Video shows hundreds of thousands of fish dead in dry B.C. creek bed

The Lower Mainland, the Sunshine Coast and west Vancouver Island have now reached Drought Level 5, meaning adverse impacts to socio-economic or ecosystem values are almost certain.

Video shared on social media shows the devastating effect that the current B.C. drought is having on fish.

The video, taken by Sarah Mund and shared by William Housty, shows Neekas Creek in Heiltsuk Territory, which is in the central coast region of the province.

The video shows thousands of salmon dead in the creek bed. The majority of the salmon were pink with about 10 per cent being chum.

Housty, conservation manager for the Heiltsuk Integrated Rescource Management Department, said the conditions have been so dry lately that the salmon are dying either because the rivers are dried up or the salmon cannot travel up the rivers at all and end up dying while waiting.

“As far as I can see, we’re in for another week or so of dry conditions and so it doesn’t look good for the time being, but we’re hoping that the salmon that are still here can hold on for the rains to come.”

He added that those who saw the salmon estimated that between 65,000 and 80,000 had died.

Housty said the salmon are waiting to enter the rivers to spawn. They did have some rain recently, prompting the salmon to rush into the river but the water dried up and that’s when the salmon died.

“It doesn’t look like a very good year for the returning salmon,” he added.