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Location: Upper Fraser, Upper Fraser Project Summary
Overview White sturgeon are presently listed as Endangered (COSEWIC) and the Nechako component of Fraser white sturgeon are in the most critical state of the Fraser population groupings due to a 40-year-long recruitment failure, the result of which is a virtually complete lack of wild juveniles. This project is focused on reducing threats to the remaining stock and mitigating those threats through the development and implementation of alternative practices while the causes of recruitment failure are researched and mitigated by the Technical Working Group of the NWSRI. Reduction of harm directly addresses Priority Activities within the Recovery Plan that has been developed for the Nechako population. Factors instigated by the regulation of Nechako River appear to have caused a recruitment failure in the Nechako white sturgeon population. Eight years ago (2000) it was estimated that the Nechako sturgeon population would approach an overall mean age and size whereby, due to diminishing reproductive potential and effective population size, the recovery of the stock would not be possible by 2020. This analysis did not consider what is now known to be the additional mortalities incurred in the First Nations food fishery. As well, this fishery inadvertently targets sturgeon in the 1-2.5 meter range and is therefore harming the most reproductively viable portion of the population. Reducing by-capture and potential sturgeon mortalities will assist in the maintenance of the most important portion of the population and increase the potential of the eventual recovery of the population. The NWSRI also recognizes that as conservation fish cultured juveniles that have been released back to the Nechako river grow and mature, protection of these fish will also be essential for long-term recovery. In addition, the Recovery Initiative recognizes a conservation fish culture and juvenile release program is absolutely necessary to rebuild and maintain the population until the cause of the decline can be determined and corrected. The Strategic Plan for the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Facility is clear that public support for this initiative is critical to making a long-term conservation facility a reality. It is through education and outreach that this public support is mobilized. Objectives Methods We are proposing to meet the above objectives by working on: Education of First Nation Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) fishers and community members within the Nechako Watershed with respect to the plight of the stock and generation of support for participating in recovery actions and altering potentially harmful practices. This includes monitoring, researching, identifying and implementing viable alternatives to harmful practices. Support for these projects will be dependant on knowledge about the status of white sturgeon, the impact of harmful practices, and finally an understanding by individuals about the positive impact of changes in their actions. Improving community-level and stakeholder support for the conservation of Nechako white sturgeon to help ensure the success of the Recovery Initiative. Improving communicating with stakeholders though events (i.e., Save our Sturgeon event, River’s Day), direct outreach programs (community workshops) and also by providing information through other outreach methods (i.e., Annual Report, web site), so that community-level awareness about white sturgeon issues and habitat will continue. This will promote stewardship for those individuals who come into contact with the species and the species’ critical habitat. Such work is becoming increasingly important as plans for in-stream habitat modifications will begin in 2009. These activities encourage direct public and stakeholder input, peer review and participation.
See also: http://www.nechakowhitesturgeon.org
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