The Atlantic Salmon Federation's annual "State of Wild Atlantic Salmon Report" released today indicates returns for large salmon were the third lowest in the past five decades.

Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne suspended licenses at 10 sites owned by Northern Harvest Sea Farms sites in October after the company failed to disclose the death of 2.6 million salmon.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans says plans are underway for a pneumatic fish pump to help fish migrate past the Big Bar landslide.

Lawyers on behalf of a group of wildlife advocates argued last fall that the minister's decision was not valid because he did not consider the impacts when the hatched fish are released into sea cages.

The session was held in opposition of the Nova Scotia government’s plan to impose industrial scale open-net pen fish farming in Atlantic waters.

The DFO says blasting work will commence "shortly," and are working to ensure that blasting has the "lowest possible impact to fish and fish habitat."

Mark Hambrook says the numbers confirm the observations of association members over the past year.

Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Bernadette Jordan said construction aimed at re-establishing a fish passage through the section of the river will "start shortly."

The company said late Saturday that "most" of those salmon have escaped the circular pen, which sits with several others in the waters of the Queen Charlotte Strait.

Officials said water levels are beginning to drop in the Fraser River, presenting the only opportunity for crews to remove tonnes of rock blocking a critical migration route.