Coalbed Methane & Salmon: Assessing the Risks

This study aims to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential risks and pathways of impacts on salmon and salmon habitat arising from coalbed methane (CBM) development in the Klappan Coalbed Gas Tenure in northwest British Columbia, held by Shell Canada Limited (Shell). The focus was specifically on a region of northwest British Columbia (the Shell Tenure). The document first confirms that salmon spawning areas exist in the Upper Skeena and within the Shell Tenure. Second, it suggests that there are several pathways by which CBM production could have impacts on salmon and salmon habitat in the Shell Tenure. Third, the types of information needed to describe with greater certainty likely impacts of CBM on salmon and salmon habitat, are almost universally missing. Fourth, there are a series of uncertainties beyond the current mitigation requirements of proponents or regulators of the Klappan CBM project.