Up to 85 per cent of historical salmon habitat lost in Lower Fraser region

For perhaps the first time ever, researchers have mapped out the true extent of habitat loss for salmon in the Lower Fraser River, one of the most important spawning and rearing grounds for Pacific salmon in B.C. Salmon have lost access to as much as 85 per cent of their historical floodplain habitat -- the biologically rich wetlands next to a river or stream that typically harbor wildlife -- due to dikes and similar infrastructure, say researchers.