Government of Canada and Tŝilhqot'in National Government partner to support Fraser River Chinook salmon with new hatchery Français

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

Dec 11, 2024, 13:00 ET

WILLIAMS LAKE, BC, Dec. 11, 2024 /CNW/ - Partnerships with Indigenous communities are integral to efforts to regenerate salmon populations for the benefit of all Canadians. These collaborations draw upon the rich cultural and ecological practices that First Nations have upheld for generations. By working together, Canada and First Nations are developing strategies to better incorporate Traditional Indigenous Knowledge and stewardship practices in Pacific salmon recovery efforts.

Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, announced collaborative steps towards a new Pacific salmon hatchery on the Chilcotin River. Construction of the proposed hatchery will be funded by the Government of Canada and operated by the Tŝilhqot'in National Government in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Over the past year, the government has provided $675K to the Tŝilhqot'in National Government to support the response to the recent landslide on the Chilcotin River and other fishery related activities.

Chinook salmon returning to the Chilcotin watershed hold deep historic and cultural importance to the Tŝilhqot'in people and other First Nations with connections to the Fraser River. The proposed hatchery will support these Chilcotin-watershed Chinook populations, some of which have been assessed as at-risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. These plans build on expertise and extensive technical work led by the Tŝilhqot'in National Government, including baseline data collection, feasibility assessments, hatchery design and building technical capacity. A Tsilhqot'in-led conservation hatchery is a priority among the six main Tŝilhqot'in communities for rebuilding fish and fisheries, and is a critical tool for the recovery and rebuilding of resilient stocks for a thriving traditional fishery.

The proposed hatchery is made possible with funding through DFO's Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI), a transformative investment towards the protection and restoration of Pacific salmon and their habitats. With this proposed hatchery, DFO and the Tŝilhqot'in National Government are working together to address historic salmon declines and improve access to the fish that are the lifeblood of Indigenous peoples in the region.

Quotes

"Canada is investing today to support the conservation and restoration of vulnerable Pacific salmon populations, such as Chilcotin Chinook, for the long term. Under the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative, we are partnering with Indigenous Peoples, governments, stakeholders, and communities to ensure that Pacific salmon are safeguarded for Indigenous communities and Canadians with a deep and enduring connection to these iconic fish."

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

"Our number one priority is to preserve wild fish stocks. There are many things affecting these stocks, meaning their survival rate is very low. We feel we must intervene and find solutions. What we enhance here is the lifeline to coastal economies and ways of life. The relationship between Orcas and Chinook is an example of this. All sectors have to work together, and we must take a long, hard look at what we prioritize. Our natural stocks must be at the top of this list."

Nits'ilʔin Joe Alphonse, Tŝilhqot'in National Government Tribal Chair

Quick facts

  • DFO's Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) is an integrated hatchery, stewardship and habitat restoration program.  
  • Each year, SEP produces more than 300 million juvenile salmon for harvest, stock assessment, rebuilding, conservation, and stewardship and educational purposes. The program annually engages with over 10,000 volunteers, undertakes upwards of 50 restoration projects, supports 250 plus volunteer-led projects and 17 Community Economic Development Program (CEDP) and First Nations hatcheries, 80 smaller-scale community enhancement efforts (Public Involvement Program (PIP)), and supplies school education and awareness programs.  
  • SEP also restores habitat in rivers, streams and wetlands, and supports citizen and First Nation involvement in salmon enhancement and watershed stewardship.  
  • This is the third proposed new hatchery that DFO has announced under the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative; two others are planned for Prince George and Gitanyow, BC.

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SOURCE Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region

Contacts: Andrew Richardson, Acting Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, [email protected]; Tŝilhqot'in National Government, 250-305-7885, [email protected]; Media Relations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada,613-990-7537, [email protected]

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Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Region