Watershed Connections, Salmon Biodiversity, and First Nations Fisheries

In large river systems, movements of water, materials, and salmon connect vast dendritic river networks that stretch over hundreds of km. This talk will examine the potential importance of these vast linkages to the stability, productivity, and management of fish and fisheries based on our on-going research in the Skeena and Fraser Rivers of British Columbia. Analyses of First Nations fisheries catches from throughout the Fraser River indicate that salmon biodiversity underpins the security of First Nations fisheries. Simulations of salmon populations and fisheries in river networks illustrate that habitat degradation can erode productivity and stability of upstream and downstream fisheries. In the Skeena River, a watershed with several proposed large energy projects, sampling juvenile salmon in the proposed development region of the estuary revealed that the estuary supports dozens of salmon populations from throughout the Skeena watershed and beyond. These data are evidence of a disconnect between the true spatial scale of watershed connections and the scale of industry consultation with First Nations. Collectively, this research highlights the opportunity to align scales of policy and management with the true scales of watershed connections.