TRU students use AI to monitor salmon in Skeetchestn territory
A group of data science students at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is using artificial intelligence (AI) to support salmon monitoring efforts in the Deadman Watershed, part of the traditional territory of the Skeetchestn Indian Band.
The student team — Ahmad Khawaja, Vishesh Khurana, Taiwo Ogunkeye and Mint Thai — is developing a video analysis tool that applies AI to classify fish movements and generate real-time counts. The tool is expected to provide the Skeetchestn Natural Resource Corporation (SNRC) and the Secwépemc Fisheries Commission (SFC) with more accurate data and reduce the hours of manual validation currently required.
The project stems from a 2024 agreement between SNRC and TRU. It is supported by SFC biologists Jake Guerin, Shayne Kuchma and Ethan Milobar, with oversight from SNRC general manager Don Ignace and project coordinator Christina Radyo. TRU science faculty member Sean Hellingman is supervising the initiative.
“This is about using data science to support stewardship,” the students said in a joint statement. “We’re honoured to work in partnership with the Skeetchestn community on a project that links ecological monitoring with cultural preservation.”
Fish counting in the watershed is currently semi-automated, requiring technicians to manually verify the data. The AI tool will integrate with the existing infrastructure and deliver validated data in real-time. The end result will be an interactive dashboard tracking population and movement trends.
The students are enrolled in both graduate and post-baccalaureate programs in data science. Two are in their final year and hope the project will demonstrate how applied AI can support Indigenous-led conservation efforts and their own career paths.