Across the Northern Hemisphere increasingly extreme and uncertain climate conditions, coupled with human activity, greatly threaten the survival of salmon. The International Year of the Salmon (IYS), a five-year initiative established in 2018 and governed by the North Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission (NPAFC) and North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization (NASCO), has explored the conditions necessary for the resilience of salmon and people in a changing world. In its final year, the IYS is bringing together participants from academia, government, industry, NGOs and Indigenous organizations to consider the progress made by the IYS, and discuss the actions necessary to enable progress towards these conditions over the next decade. The IYS Synthesis Symposium: ‘Salmon in a Rapidly Changing World: Synthesis of the International Year of the Salmon and a Roadmap to 2030’ is the culmination of over 13 workshops and symposia, three historic High Seas Expeditions and over 80 associated events across the North Atlantic and North Pacific basins.

The IYS Synthesis Symposium will have a strong focus on forward looking perspectives, with the ultimate goal of developing a Roadmap for the resilience of salmon and people through to 2030. Presentations will be organized under five of the IYS themes: Status of Salmon, Information Systems, Salmon in a Changing Salmosphere, New Frontiers, and Human Dimensions. The synthesis papers and the presentations given during the Symposium will be used to identify critical knowledge or method gaps and potential solutions that will inform the Roadmap.

The Symposium will be held over three days in the heart of majestic Vancouver, Canada during the splendor of Fall, from October 4th–6th 2022 . This event will be held in-person and provide an opportunity for salmon scientists, managers, and knowledge holders from across the salmosphere to build connections after an extended period of limited travel and virtual meetings. We are monitoring the COVID-19 situation closely and will adapt our plans in case public health restrictions prevent international travel or large gatherings.