Fisheries program overview

Since its beginning in 1993, the CSTC Fisheries Program has accomplished many goals.  Several members of local communities have recieved training; in class and on the job.  Many of these trainees have returned year after year, providing CSTC with continuity, capacity building and growing  expertise of the many fisheries projects.Our core funding still comes through the Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy (AFS) via Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).  A major change has been in the amount of time DFO staff is required to be on site assisting with set-up, data collection and equipment operation.  CSTC now has several Senior Fisheries Technicians, who are running projects with little supervision.Aside from the AFS funding, we seek funding from numerous other sources.  These include Species at Risk  (SARA), Federal sources (such as Environment Canada), Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment and Training Association (PGNAETA), Upper Fraser Fisheries Conservation Alliance (UFFCA) and other organizations.  This year we will have several projects occurring, many being similar to previous years.

April-May: Nechako White Sturgeon brood collection

May-June: White Sturgeon egg collection and fertilization.  Egg hatching and juvenile rearing at hatchery in Vanderhoof.

June: Release of brood stock.  Telemetry surveys for juvenile and adult Sturgeon.  Juvenile monitoring. Community meetings

July:  Early Stuart  (Middle River, Takla Lake) sockeye enumeration. Community meetings.

August: Endako Chinook enumeration. Community meetings.  Nadina sockeye enumeration.

September: Fall release of juvenile sturgeon.  Community meetings.  Funding proposals.

staffing

Bill Shepert (right) has been in the position of Fisheries Program Manager since 2005.  He worked for the CSTC as a field technician for seven years, before making the move to management.  Bill has a diploma in Coastal Integrated Resource Management from NorthWest Community College and is from the Wet’suwet’en First Nation.

Christina Ciesielski  (right) was hired in May to the newly formed position of Senior Program Technician.  She worked for the CSTC as the Land Use Planning Analyst prior to accepting the fisheries position.  She has a technical diploma from BCIT in Fish, Wildlife and recreation as well as a degree in Wildlife Biology from UNBC.  Christina has spent numerous years doing fieldwork throughout BC.

James (Jako) Prince (bottom right), Albert Raphael (left), Cora McIntosh and Jeano Nooski have all been hired to work in the field for the summer season.  They will be working on Sturgeon brood capture, Juvenile Sturgeon care at the hatchery, Fall release of Sturgeon, Juvenile Sturgeon monitoring, Early Stuart  and Nadina Sockeye monitoring, Chinook enumeration and Temperature monitoring of various streams.