Selective Fish Harvesting

Project Objectives

The project was aimed at improving the operation of selective harvest methods, in this case fishwheels, operated by the Kitselas First Nation as means to selectively harvest food fish from the Skeena River. The researchers had to address a number of concerns including.

  1. Improve rotating basket design and rotational efficiency of fishwheels;
  2. Improve maneuverability, catchability of fishwheels by modifying existing collapsible baskets, modifying live tanks and modifying workspace for safety of fisheries personnel;
  3. The feasibility of floating fish traps. Design fishtrap for use by the Kitselas First Nation during the 1999 salmon migration;
  4. Encourage the use of experimental selective harvest methods among members of the Kitselas First Nation;
  5. Prepare daily records of fish caught in the experimental selective fishery and distribution of fish to members of the Kitselas First Nation and prepare a final report upon completion of the project.

Personnel

Wilfred McKenzie, the chief investigator, heads the Kitselas team. Other team members include three technicians (Fred Mason, Eli McMillan and William McDames), and two summer students (Fred McKenzie and Chad Gerow) who acted as monitors for this project.

Fish Wheel CrewThe chief investigator was responsible for conducting all the site surveys and evaluating sites based on his years of experience on the Skeena River. Mr. McKenzie is also responsible for the preparation of presentation material and reports to be made available to DFO and potential users of selective fishery devices such as the fishwheel, fishtrap and fish leads.

The Kitselas team was also responsible for the on site assembly (mobilization) of the selective fishery devices and the day to day operation out on the river, including the distribution of select species of salmon harvested from the fishwheel and fishtrap. The salmon, mostly sockeye were distributed on a daily basis to members of the Kitselas First Nation. It should be noted that Coho Salmon along with other species of fish were released live and unharmed into the Skeena River after capture.

The summer students were responsible for compiling all the catch data for this project and for the monitoring and gathering of catch data for the food, social and ceremonial fishery - section 35.1.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) team consisted of UBC Mechanical Engineer researcher, Mr. Jon Mikkelsen. Mr. Mikkelsen acted as the technical consultant and designer of the selective fishing devices. Jon assisted the Kitselas team in the assembly and set up of the fishwheels and fishtrap at the pre-determined sites at Kitselas Canyon. Mr. Mikkelsen was instrumental in the designs and construction of the fishwheels and fish traps presently used by the Kitselas First Nation.

Site Location

Fish Wheel CrewKitselas Canyon, the lower end, where the selective harvest devices (fishwheels) were located is approximately seventeen (17) kilometers upstream of the city of Terrace and eight (8) kilometers upstream of the mouth of Zymoetz (Copper) River. This is one of the most confined and narrow sections of the lower Skeena River, typified by steep canyon walls and deep water; several sites are less than fifty meters from bank to bank, and with depths up to 45 meters (150 feet). There are considerable variations in the flow rates depending on the season and weather conditions. The average mean flow at Usk, located approximately 4 kilometers upstream of Kitselas Canyon, is 950 m3/sec with a spring freshet between mid-may and the end of June (Hoos 1975) and the lowest flows during the month of March. Maximum flow rates during the spring freshet are about three times average flow rates and minimum rates during March are about one sixth of mean rates.

Both fishwheels were placed on the right side of the canyon with a spacing of about 200 meters apart from each other.Gitaus VillageGitsaex VillageTsunyow VillagePetroglyphsGitlaxczawk VillagePetroglyphs

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