Scott says all the local creeks in Burnaby have had reduced numbers of chum salmon this year. Jason Hwang, vice president of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, says many salmon runs across the province have struggled in recent years. "Those lower returns just mean there are fewer fish that come back and get to these small streams," Hwang said. Several challenges Some experts say the biggest culprit affecting the runs is changing ocean conditions due to climate change, but they also say there are several other challenges. Scott says one of them is that city-led habitat enhancements have stalled since the salmon started returning.