Klinaklini River

The BC Creek Protection Society is hosting three seminars on Vancouver Island. The purpose of the meetings is to raise awareness about proposed hydropower development on Vancouver Island and the Coast Range (including Bute Inlet and the Klinaklini: http://www.klinaklini.info). We hope to learn from and discuss with affected First Nations groups potential positive and negative impacts. BC CPS can offer independent insight on current knowledge about ecological impacts and the environmental assessment process. June 2nd Port Hardy 6:30-8:30 PM, Civic Center June 3rd Gold River 6:30- 8:30PM, The Ridge Pub June 4th Alert Bay 6:00-8:00PM, ICNRC

MAY 24 - RIVERS AT RISK: RAFE MAIR COMES TO THE SALMON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD TO DISCUSS WITH PUBLIC AND FIRST NATIONS THE THREATS OF PRIVATE RIVER POWER TO THREE MAJOR LOCAL WATERSHEDS (more…)

Please learn about the Canadian Environmental Assessment underway for the Klinaklini power project at: Klinaklini Hydroelectric project Canadian Environmental Assessment For more information also consult the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry From the above document: 7.3 Submission of Comments The Responsible Authorities expect to submit a report and recommendation to the Minister of the Environment early in 2008 on whether the environmental assessment should continue by means of a comprehensive study or be referred to a mediator or a review panel. The public is invited to provide comments at this scoping stage of the environmental assessment of the project on the following areas: • the proposed scope of the project (Section 6.1); • the factors proposed to be considered in the assessment (Section 6.2); • the proposed scope of those factors (Section 6.3); and • the ability of the comprehensive study to address issues relating to the project (Section 6.4). Persons wishing to submit comments may do so in writing to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Comments must be received by close of business June 26, 2008 sent to: Fisheries and Oceans Canada Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement Branch 200 – 401 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC V6C 3S4 Attention: Alasdair Beattie Facsimile: 604-666-7907 Electronic mail: Alasdair.Beattie@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Please be as detailed as possible and clearly reference the Klinaklini River Hydroelectric Project and the Registry File number 07-03-36321 on your submission. Please note that all documents and/or responses received regarding this project are considered public and will become part of the public registry. As stated above, if the Minister of the Environment determines that a comprehensive study will be conducted for the project, the public will be provided with further opportunities to participate. The public will also have opportunities to participate in the assessment should the project be referred to a mediator or a review panel.

Mandated to do so as a result of the Pacific Salmon Treaty of 1985, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans began a program through which it intended to stop the decline in escapements to naturally-spawning chinook stocks and attain escapement goals in selected lower Strait of Georgia (Cowichan, Nanaimo, Squamish) and upper Strait of Georgia (Klinaklini, Kakweiken, Nimpkish, Wakeman, and Kingcome) indicator stocks. The Klinaklini River, identified as an indicator stock, received special attention due to its potential for large escapments of chinook and coho salmon. A temporary hatchery was established on the system shortly after the treaty was ratified, however for various reasons DFO dismantled the facility the following year. Renewed interest by DFO in 1997 resulted in a further and ongoing stock assessment study on the Klinaklini River system. These reports present the results of the four years of this study with objectives including:

1. Continued evaluation of the suitability of using a fishwheel to index the abundance and timing of chinook, coho, chum, pink and sockeye returns on the Klinaklini system
2. Estimation of the total escapement of chinook and coho to the river system
3. Collection of biological data for all salmonids, and
4. Recording environmental information.

The only information regarding possible fish distribution in the East Klinaklini was from the following paper: Nagtegaal, D.A., E.W. Carter, and D.C. Key. 1998. Results of the chinook assessment study conducted on the Klinaklini River during 1997. Can. Manuscr.Rep.Fish.Aquat.Sci. 2452: 59p On page 10 it has the following paragraph: “There were some indications that chinook may migrate through the East Klinaklini canyon and into the upper river but the tracking receiver could not decipher the tag number. The tracking receiver scans all tag frequencies and deciphers tag codes within each frequency. When the signal cannot be deciphered, due to either noise interference or multiple signal overlap, a signal code of “255″ is recorded. Towards the end of the study the remote tracking site on the East Klinaklini recorded several ‘255″ codes. Unfortunately we were unable to determine what the cause of the ‘255′ signals and whether they represented a tagged fish or simply noise interference.” The full length versions of these reports are available at: Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences Library

Oolichan Background and Native Cultural Importance Eulachon (also known as oolichan) belong to the family Osmeridae or smelts. Eulachons are small, short-lived, anadromous smelts that can be found from the southern Bering Sea to northern California, approximately in the area corresponding to the coastal temperate rain forest. Within BC, they have been documented spawning in 33 rivers, but may only use 14-15 on a sustained basis. Of these, the major river systems where eulachon return to spawn are the Fraser, Skeena, Nass, and Klinaklini. Eulachon oil is unique among fish oils in that it is a solid at room temperatures with the consistency of soft butter and a golden hue. As well as a source of fresh food, eulachon lipids may be extracted for ‘grease’ production. Eulachon grease continues to be an important part of the First Nations diet. The trails used to reach the traditional fisheries and to carry the rendered oil back for trade were known as the “grease trails”. For reasons unknown, eulachon abundance have shown a declining trend in many rivers throughout their distribution in recent years. There was a sudden drop in returns to several rivers in 1994, most notably in the Fraser and Columbia. Eulachon have virtually disappeared in California and in the last two years they have not been seen in several BC rivers. Rivers which experienced virtually no returns in 2000 were: Stikine, Unuk, Skeena, Kitimat, Kemano, Kitlope, Bella Coola, Kimsquit, Owikeeno, and Kingcome Rivers. Factors hypothesized to have detrimental effects on eulachon returns can be broken down into “in-river” and “marine” effects. In-river effects may include: habitat loss, pollution, directed fisheries, logging, and marine mammal predation. Marine effects may include: oceanographic changes due to global warming or other factors, bycatch from commercial fisheries, changes in food abundance or distribution, and predation.[1] Important points to consider about Oolichan in context of Run-of-River development 1. The Klinaklini is one of the most important Eulachon runs in B.C. 2. Eulachon are of inestimable and unsurpassed importance to coastal First Nations. 3. Eulachon are an important part of the ecology of the Klinaklini estuary, an estuary recognized as significant by B.C. Parks. In order to protect the value of a park like this ecological processes must be protected, and ecological inputs must be maintained. Anything that could potentially diminish (already seriously depressed) oolichan abundance must be restricted. 4. Native right to fish comes before commercial, or recreational. This right should also mean that any activity or development that could potentially cause negative impacts on eulachon abundance would be prevented. 5. Even though Eulachon abundance is low at present, important habitat must be preserved to allow potential for recovery. 6. In order to establish potential impacts to Eulachon from run-of-river projects, sufficient research is required prior to start of development. [2]

Kemano River BC, Gardener Canal, Haisla First Nations Fisherman

Photo by John Kelson

References 1. DFO, B.C. Parks 2. John Kelson, Conservation Biologist, Smithers, BC