The Importance of Catch Reporting

Skeena River Salmon have been managed by First Nations communities for millennia. The stewardship undertaken by Kitselas First Nation through our way of living within our Territory is an important contribution to that management and will allow us to continue to thrive on our landscape. Present-day stewardship involves understanding the needs within our community and how to work with other government organizations to ensure those needs are being met now and can be met in the future.

In the 1990 Sparrow decision, the Supreme Court of Canada found that where an Aboriginal group has an Aboriginal right to fish for food, social and ceremonial (FSC) purposes, it takes priority, after conservation and over other uses of the resource (Recreational Fishery and Commercial).

We have always monitored our fisheries. If one family/person/elder doesn’t have enough fish the community ensures that resources are shared. No one gets left behind. Although never perfect, this is what we strive for within our community and our laws.

In order to ensure that everyone has enough fish, we must take action to preserve, protect, and build on what we have. One way we can do this is through the monitoring and management of our fishery. Information is vital to this process. If we don’t know how much is coming into the community, we can’t advocate for what we need. This is why it is important for community members to report their catch numbers. The newly designed web-app, described on page 8, makes this reporting fast, easy and private.