Madam Speaker, the member opposite listed a lot of the things he stood for. I was honoured to sit with that member when we were on the fisheries committee together many years ago. I know him to be a genuine leader and a friend of reconciliation in the House.
I am really happy to be here on behalf of the Minister of Fisheries. I would like to talk a bit about how Pacific salmon populations are experiencing long-term and historic declines due to the impacts of climate change, pollutants and changes in land and water use. To address these challenges, the government has invested $686 million since 2021 to implement decisive actions under the Pacific salmon strategy initiative. We have restored over 18.5 million square metres of Pacific salmon habitat and advanced watershed-scale salmon rebuilding planning with partners, including for west coast Vancouver Island chinook salmon.
During the summer of 2024, Fisheries and Oceans worked with 60 partners in 75 areas across British Columbia to respond to immediate drought-related issues, fund emergency projects and support fish passage to spawning areas with critical restoration projects. We have provided a further $90 million for 73 projects through phase two of the British Columbia salmon restoration and innovation fund to protect and restore Pacific salmon habitat and other priority wild fish stocks.
Under the salmon enhancement pillar of the Pacific salmon strategy initiative, we are expanding our hatchery infrastructure and upgrading 47 hatcheries to boost at-risk salmon in priority areas. We are developing new hatchery management tools to optimize sustainable harvest and rebuilding outcomes for more than 250 Pacific salmon stocks.
Through the harvest transformation pillar of the Pacific salmon strategy initiative, we have retired 473 commercial Pacific salmon licences, reducing the total number of eligible salmon licence-holders by 35.7%. In terms of indigenous fisheries, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has collaborated with more than 40 first nations and indigenous fisheries organizations on over 60 indigenous harvest transformation partnership projects to transition fisheries to more selective fishery methods and improved monitoring while reducing impacts on vulnerable salmon stocks. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has also piloted six mark-selective fisheries.
We have heard in committees and we have heard across the country that the salmon mean so much more to first nations all across Canada, especially in B.C. It is not just about fishing; it is about their culture, lessons and their stories. Therefore, in June 2024, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, first nations in British Columbia and the Province of British Columbia signed a new trilateral accord to coordinate and align conservation and restoration efforts to improve outcomes for salmon over the long term. We are advancing targeted efforts in the Yukon, including investments in first nations salmon fisheries transition, stewardship and monitoring activities, and integrated rebuilding planning.
Pacific salmon holds a deep social and cultural significance for the people of the west coast of Canada. The government remains committed to the long-term health and sustainability of these vital fishery resources. Through Fisheries and Oceans Canada's work under the Pacific salmon strategy initiative, including our continued collaboration with first nations harvesters, stakeholders and the governments of British Columbia and Yukon, meaningful progress is being made to address conservation challenges and support sustainable salmon harvesting over the long term.