Revitalizing Indigenous traditional management of salmon â evaluating risk, opportunities and needs for re-emergence of traditional terminal fisheries

First Nations have fished for salmon in British Columbia for more than 10,000 years. Traditionally, many First Nations fisheries were conducted using weirs â fences constructed in the river â or stone fish traps, and these traditional technologies were used for thousands of years to manage and harvest salmon. However, with the arrival of commercial fishing in British Columbia, these traditional technologies were banned under the Fisheries Act, and salmon fishing is now primarily conducted in marine waters, targeting hundreds of co-migrating populations. With declines in abundance of many wild salmon stocks, conservation concerns for at-risk populations has led to reductions in fishing opportunity in First Nations subsistence, commercial, and sport fisheries. Our project will provide scientific analysis and data collection to support the Heiltsuk Nation as they work to rebuild a traditional terminal fishery for salmon in the Kunsoot River. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Natalie Ban

Student:

William I Atlas

Partner:

Qqs Projects Society

Discipline:

Environmental sciences

Sector:

University:

Program:

Accelerate