Nak’azdli Whut’en salmon population revitalized thanks to new hatchery
The Stuart River salmon population has been a staple in the diet and culture of Nak’azdli Whut’en for generations, but their stock has declined in recent years. What was once an abundance of salmon, was now a battle to conserve the population while feeding and sustaining a whole village.
Last year, Coastal GasLink partnered with Nak’azdli Whut’en to support the community with a legacy project, which would provide new fish hatcheries to re-establish salmon stocks.
Fast forward to June 2022, exactly one year since the hatcheries were delivered to the Stuart River waterfront, Nak’azdli Whut’en released their first 60,000 sockeye salmon fry into a creek connecting to the Stuart River system.
Pete Erickson
Nak’azdli Whut’en Hatchery Manager
Along the busy stretch of the Stuart Lake Highway, the salmon were released into a small creek with prayers and drumming to send them along their way. Elders, Nak’azdli leadership, community members, invited guests and consultants each had the opportunity to release salmon down a chute or at the creek edge.
The salmon will make their way to Stuart Lake for the next year and then travel down through river systems that ultimately reach the Pacific Ocean. Every year thousands of salmon make their way back from the ocean to the river they started from to spawn their eggs, which is a four-year trek.
Joan Isac
Indigenous Engagement Lead
Collaboration with Indigenous groups is a core component of our project in alignment with our commitment to creating an extraordinary legacy of safety and respect for all people, communities and the environment.