Yukon conservation projects win funding from Pacific Salmon Foundation

The Vancouver-basedPacific Salmon Foundation is giving more than $30,000 to three Yukon salmon projects.

The grants will support habitat stewardship, salmon enhancement and education.

The foundation is taking a renewed interest in Yukon projects because of the depleted stocks of Yukon River Chinook, said director TerryTebb.

"I think that it's that the broader community, both organizations like ours and the Yukon government and First Nations and the federal government work with Alaska to make sure that we don't lose that valuable stock," he said.

Chinook numbers along the Yukon River have dwindled in recent years. Upwards of 300,000 fish once ran the river. Since 2008, that figure has dropped by half. A total ban on fishing Chinook in the Yukon River was imposed last year in an effort to help stocks recover.

The three projects receiving money include a five day "First Fish Culture Camp"for Tr'ondk Hwch'in youth in Dawson City. Whitehorse Elementary School will do a salmon and watershed stewardship programand Yukon College is receiving money to upgrade the McIntyre Creek hatchery facility.

Funds for the foundation's Community Salmon Program mostly come from the sale of a decal that anglers must buy if they wish to keep Pacific salmon caught off Canada's west coast.