Salmon in the Quesnel River: A Think Tank on the need for a Inland Fisheries Research Program

Year 2010
Proponent Northern Shuswap Tribal Council Society
Project type Fisheries
FSWP funding source DFO Fraser Basin Initiative
Grant amount $6,000.00
Total project value $12,000.00
ID number FSWP-10-D130-F

Location: Cariboo-Chilcotin, Williams Lake/Likely, BC

Project Summary

OVERVIEW

The Northern Shuswap Tribal Council in collaboration with the University of Northern BC’s Dr. Max Blouw Quesnel River Research Centre would like to coordinate and host a two-day Pacific Salmon Research Think-Tank. The Research Centre is located in the Quesnel River watershed, near Likely BC., which is home to sockeye, chinook, coho and pink salmon. The think-tank would bring together 15-20 fisheries researchers and managers from local First Nations, DFO Science, the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, the BC Ministry of Environment, academia, and a Pacific Salmon Foundation representative to discuss the current state of the salmon resource in the Quesnel River watershed.


The overall goals of the think-tank are two-fold:

(1) to develop a long-term research strategy to address the knowledge needs related to the recovery and management of the Pacific salmon species which spawn in interior streams; and
(2) to develop a strategy for the formation of an interior fisheries research centre. 

OBJECTIVES

To achieve the overall goal/issue of a long-term research strategy the specific deliverables of this project with respect to the Quesnel River Watershed and the Interior will be to:

* identify the key issues and knowledge needs;
* identify the potential research partners;
* identify the potential supporting partners;
* identify the potential funding sources; and
* define the highest priority research topics.

And,

To achieve the goal of developing a strategy for the formation of a Interior Fisheries Research Center the specific deliverables of this project will be to:

* identify the key goals and objectives of an inland fisheries research centre;
* identify the resources required to facilitate addressing of each goal and objective;
* identify the potential collaborating partners and their roles; and
* identify the potential funding partners (endowments, grants, etc.).

METHODS

The “Think Tank” will be hosted at the UNBC Quesnel River Research Center near Likely, BC and each deliverable will be achieved through strategically planned sessions to address the identified goals.