Caught in the middle - Inaction and overlap in governance and decision-making for Canada’s imperiled wild steelhead

Abstract

Biodiversity loss is one of the most serious challenges facing humanity and planetary well-being. Even for iconic species of great cultural and symbolic value, we are largely failing to preserve them and the habitats upon which they depend. This article analyzes one such troubling case, the precipitous decline of wild steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations in British Columbia’s Thompson River. These populations are declining despite high levels of public attention and interventions from both provincial and federal governments. This raises important questions about how such losses could happen despite intense scrutiny and high motivation for action. Our analysis of this case study is based on a review of policy documents and interviews with steelhead anglers (42) and fisheries managers (5) in the Thompson River region. Our analysis revealed that Thompson steelhead are ‘caught in the middle’ of competing government priorities, jurisdictional uncertainties and overlap, and recalcitrant rightsholder and stakeholder conflicts. The result is policy and decision-making paralysis that has entrenched the decline. We submit that there are lessons to be learned from this case for biodiversity management in Canada and elsewhere that involve deep and urgent reforms to environmental governance.