This research project takes place within the ḥaaḥuułi of t̓uk̓ʷaaʔatḥ ḥaw̓ił (traditional territory of Toquaht Nation’s hereditary chiefs).

Background

Beyond restoration work, Redd Fish prioritizes efforts to better understand how to rebuild salmon populations through research initiatives.

Chinook populations on the west coast of Vancouver Island have been listed as threatened by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).

In an attempt to examine the factors influencing juvenile chinook salmon’s survival in freshwater environments, Redd Fish has partnered with Toquaht Nation and Thornton Creek Hatchery to produce a study through the University of Northern British Columbia.

Summary

The west coast of Vancouver Island has around 100 chinook-producing rivers. Among them is Toquaht River, the most important salmon-producing river for Toquaht Nation. The river once boasted an average of over 350 returning chinook throughout the 1950s, but the species was extirpated in the early 1980s due to fishing and logging practices.

To help rebuild the stock, Toquaht Nation and Thornton Creek Hatchery developed a conservation hatchery. The chinook population in Toquaht River is entirely the result of this hatchery program. Redd Fish, Toquaht Nation and Thornton Creek Hatchery designed this study to look for ways to improve current hatchery practices.

“Hatcheries are one of the few tools we have to support salmon recovery,” said Tom Balfour, Redd Fish Restoration Society fish program manager. “But just like any other tool, we need to know how well it’s working.”

Using Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT tags), the study tracked 5,000 hatchery fry after they were released on three different dates and sites along Toquaht River. These tags allowed researchers to detect the fry as they left the freshwater and entered the marine environment. While the study suggested that size and weight of the fish did not impact their survival rate, the location and date of release did.

Preliminary results

The results of this study will be published by the University of Northern British Columbia and used to modify current strategies to rear and release hatchery chinook in Toquaht River. By determining the most effective fry release sites, the study aims to increase freshwater survival and improve return rates of hatchery chinook salmon.