Sampling Salmon through the Mighty Fraser

BoBo has been working with fish here for over 30 years and led us down to Bridge River.  Drying racks line each side of the river here and we were glad of his ability to take us down the short trail.  For fog loving Islanders the heat was almost staggering.  Darrel Bob points to his camp on the other side of the river and the "fish boys" have knowing smiles on their faces as they talk about the km plus hike straight up the mountain with a back pack of fish.  This is the first time Darrel has been on this side of the river. It is the respect for the health of the fish that has everyone working together to figure this out.





Through science we have learned that some first nations bones were made up of 90% salmon and through science today we hope to find why many of these salmon are just disappearing or dying on the shores of their natal grounds without fulfilling a legacy to the next seven generations.



There is evidence to show that European Viruses potentially from salmon farm feedlots throughout the coast of British Columbia may be spreading their pathogens to wild stocks and many first nations we have met no longer have faith in DFO so they are calling to us. 



We travelled to Boston Bar and Lillooet and were guided to traditional fishing spots with our cooler full of ice and sampling gear.  It was hot and sweaty and beautiful.  It was an honour and a privilege.  It's hard to describe the connection that these people have to their land and even though I think I can feel that connection I can only imagine what it means to have thousands of ancestors before me hand down their stories and their ways of living of the land. First Nations  that have survived European disease and colonization and had an opportunity to learn from their elders can tell an early Stewart fish by it's shape and minor details and then choose to leave them to swim further north and feed their hungry brothers and sisters.  



We are testing fish above and below Hell's Gate, looking for a heart virus specifically and testing for other viruses.   When this study is complete we will publish results on the website www.deptwildsalmon.org after sharing them with the chiefs and fishermen the fish belonged to.