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Location: Greater Vancouver, Near Pemberton Project Summary
SUMMARY The Lil’wat Nation is proposing to undertake a structured assessment of juvenile Chinook presence on the upper Lillooet River system. Chinook redds were observed during a helicopter survey in September 2009 and anecdotal information also suggest their presence. This study will confirm Chinook presence in the upper Lillooet River and tributaries and is the first step in identifying a spawning population. This is important information for managing the Chinook fishery in the terminal area. OVERVIEW The Lil’wat Nation’s Five Year Strategic Plan 2005 - 2010, states that the Lil’wat Nation’s goal is to apply Nt’akmen (to use every opportunity to promote Lil’wat values and principles) to new challenges and opportunities to maximize the benefit for all the community. The Lil’wat Nation strategic plan states that, as individuals, we will contribute to the plan of maximizing control of Lil’wat Nation traditional territory, strive for excellence in education to increase the academic standing of all Lil’wat Nation graduates and implement and explore new educational options for students in grades 10 to 12. In keeping with Nt’akmen, the Lil’wat Nation has been undertaking an extensive salmon stock assessment on the Birkenhead River and other upper Lillooet River tributaries for many years. The majority of the work is accomplished between the months of April through to January. On September 10, 2009 an initial helicopter overview was undertaken with DFO and Lil’wat personnel to try to identify spawning Chinook or their redds in the upper Lillooet River, Ryan River and the Green River. We observed what we believed to be Chinook salmon redds in both the Ryan and Green River and observed very limited suitable spawning habitat in the upper Lillooet River. An assessment of the upper Lillooet River tributaries was not completed although anecdotal information suggests Chinook are present. The Lil’wat Nation is proposing to undertake a structured assessment of juvenile Chinook presence and distribution in all three systems including the 8 small tributaries or creeks in the upper Lillooet River system. This information is important to the Lil’wat Nation in several ways. This initial program will confirm juvenile Chinook presence and provide information on distribution. Along with habitat information collected during the minnow trapping, this program will allow us to develop an adult Chinook enumeration program that will eventually lead to a characterization of the spawning population(s) in the study area. This information will be valuable in our assessment of the Chinook terminal area fishery.
Objective #1 To undertake a structured assessment of juvenile Chinook salmon presence and distribution on the Upper Lillooet River watershed.
Minnow trapping will be completed with a crew of two fisheries technicians. The crew will distribute 50 to 100 baited minnow traps each day. Each distribution of traps will cover approximately 500 m of the study areas depending on the availability of suitable trap sites. Generally, traps set the previous day will be retrieved in the morning and re-set each afternoon in the next segment of the study area. This will allow for a soak time of approximately 20 hours for each set. The catch will be identified to species, measured to fork-length and enumerated. An upper or lower caudal fin clip will be taken from Chinook captures for DNA analysis. (DFO has offered to provide the required equipment for DNA sampling and will provide the DNA analysis.) The clip will also provide a ‘mark’ to allow for identification of recaptured Chinook to avoid re-sampling. Habitat within each trapping area will be described as the traps are set and retrieved. This will include gradient, wetted width, substrate type and habitat unit types. The juvenile presence and habitat information will be recorded in a database format as well as on maps through the Mount Currie Band’s Geographical Information System. BENEFITS Early-Timed Chinook Salmon Stocks have experienced serious declines throughout the Fraser watershed. In our efforts to enumerate those returning chinook salmon stocks to the Birkenhead River, we are compelled to attempt fill the information gaps regarding the actual number of Chinook Salmon returning to the Upper Lillooet river watershed as a whole. This project will start that process and is an important undertaking for Fraser Basin salmonids. Engage First Nations, government agencies and community groups/NGOs The project is being lead, managed and undertaken by members of the Lil’wat Nation. This project is supported by significant in-kind contributions from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Lil’wat Nation. Complement or implement local and / or regional plans (e.g., recovery plans, watershed plans) The Pacific Science Review Committee paper states that there is limited amount of information on the Chinook salmon in the Upper Lillooet River. The DFO issues a communal license to fish for Chinook salmon in the Lillooet River system as this stock is nearing conservation concerns. The amount of Chinook stocks returning to this area is causing challenges to the Lil’wat Nation by limiting access to this species for food, social and ceremonial purposes and therefore brings hardships for the Lil’wat Nation. Value-added aspects CAPACITY BUILDING
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