Government of Canada and Tŝilhqot’in National Government partner to support Fraser River Chinook salmon with new hatchery
December 11, 2024
Williams Lake, British Columbia – 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.