Evaluates the socio-economic impacts on British Columbia coastal communities of recent changes in the salmon fishery for 1996. These changes reflect new management and regulatory regimes, a decline in resource abundance, and long-term structural shifts in world markets and competitiveness. Research activities included collecting Fisheries & Oceans Canada data, interviews with commercial and sport fishing businesses and suppliers, meetings with community groups, and contacts with regional economic development commissions. This initial report summarises the changes in the salmon fishery, profiles the commercial and sport fishery, and reviews impacts of changes in commercial and sport fisheries management. Impacts of the changes are projected for the 1996 fishing season. concludes with an outline of mitigation options. The appendix includes statistics on salmon licenses by regional district.