Community Advisor - Central Coast: Cape Caution To Caamano Sound, East To Tatla Lake

"Two highlights during the last year came with help from the Pacific Salmon Commission Northern Fund. McLoughlin Hatchery in Bella Bella received funding for modest upgrades to double their chum smolt release from one million to two million. The Johnston Creek coho project in Rivers Inlet was supported so a coded-wire tag group can be tracked through migration, interception in the various fisheries and return. Of course, none of this would have happened without people stepping up to the plate and the staff of McLoughlin Hatchery, Snootli Hatchery and members of the Rivers Inlet North Coast Salmon Enhancement Association (and their pocket books!) are to be commended for "fielding" first class teams that can boast very successful seasons to date!

In Klemtu, Kitasoo Hatchery staff have an agreement with the Co-management Program to supply fish culture expertise to the Victor Creek sockeye facility through the winter and spring/summer rearing programs. This is welcome news for both the staff and the sockeye! Speaking of sockeye, the Heiltsuk Fisheries program Emily Hatchery project crew enjoyed seeing so many Tankeeah River 2003 brood adipose-marked adults return in 2007 and 2008 and are hoping to add incubation capacity in 2009 to increase fry production. In a year when sockeye food fish were harder to come by the harvest opportunity at Tankeeah was much appreciated.

On the local coho front, the Central Coast Fisherman's Protection Association (CCFPA)/ Snootli Hatchery coho initiative is ongoing and as this goes to press impressive numbers of 2005 brood marked fish returns are coming in – welcome in a year with poor returns overall. The Rivers & Smith Inlet Salmon Ecosystem Planning Society (Rivers Partner Group) continues to be active and is now looking at conservation units and targets for fisheries management. The Bella Coola Watershed Conservation Society has been involved in a watershed ortho-photo/mapping project and will collaborate with other partners to secure the maps so essential to planning.

The Stream to Sea program and classroom incubator project continue to be favourites in the schools with support from the CCFPA and project crews in Bella Bella and Klemtu."

– Sandie MacLaurin, CA

Main Enhancement Facility

Snootli Creek Hatchery

Russ Hilland or John Willis
Box 95, Bella Coola V0T 1C0
Tel: 250-982-2214 Fax: 250-982-2971
Initiated 1979

Community Involvement Groups

Bella Bella (CEDP)

Andrea Larsen
Heiltsuk Band Council, Box 880, Waglisla V0T 1Z0
250-957-2661
Number of Members/Students - 3
Initiated 1977. Hatchery, sea pens and education on MacLoughlin Creek.

Bella Bella (AFS)

Ross Wilson
Heiltsuk Band Council, Box 880, Waglisla V0T 1Z0
250-957-2303
Number of Members/Students - 3
Initiated 2000. Hatchery on Emily Creek, habitat restoration and education in traditional territory.

Bella Coola Watershed Based Fish Sustainability Planning Project

Niel Oborne
Bella Coola Watershed Conservation Society, PO Box 623, Hagensborg V0T 1C0
250-982-2589
Number of Members/Students - 5-10
Initiated 2002. Streamkeepers, restoration and watershed planning for Bella Coola Valley.

Central Coast Fisherman's Protection Association

Darwin Unrau
PO Box 773, Bella Coola V0T 1C0
250-982-2633
Number of Members/Students - 10
Initiated 1981. Streamkeepers, hatchery, assessment and education on Bella Coola River and tributaries.

Klemtu (CEDP)

Brent Mason
Kitasoo First Nations, General Delivery, Klemtu V0T 1L0
250-839-1220
Number of Members/Students - 3
Initiated 1980. Hatchery, sea pen, and education on Kitasoo Creek.

Klemtu (AFS)

Larry Greba
Kitasoo First Nations, General Delivery, Klemtu V0T 1L0
604-669-9324
Number of Members/Students - 3
Bruce Burrows
Initiated 1994. Hatchery, stock assessment on Victor Creek and Alexander Inlet.

Oweekeno Fisheries Program (AFS)

Jennifer Walkus
Oweekeno Nation, PO Box 3500, Port Hardy V0N 2P0
250-949-8625, ext. 230
Number of Members/Students - 1-4
Initiated 1982. Egg-takes, fry release, assessment and education on Wannock River and Oweekeno Basin tributaries.

Rivers and Smiths Salmon Ecosystems Planning Society

David Stevenson
1719 Beaufort Ave., Comox V9M 1R8
250-890-0297
Number of Members/Students - 12-20
Initiated 1997. WFSP process, habitat and stock assessment, restoration and enhancement on Rivers Inlet, Oweekeno Basin tributaries and Wannock River and Smiths Inlet.

Rivers Inlet North Coast Salmon Enhancement Society

Jim Rough
PO Box 1237, Delta V4M 3T3
604-941-3228
Number of Members/Students - 10-20
Initiated 1985. Hatchery, captive brood, assessment, advisory and planning on Rivers Inlet, Chuckwalla and Kilbella Rivers and Wannock River.