Workshop 2019
Nanaimo, BC
May 31-June 2, 2019
The Nanaimo River Stewardship Society
at Vancouver Island University
900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5S5
9:30 am to Noon with a break in the middle
2019 is the focal year of the International Year of the Salmon initiative. In contribution to the initiative, the Salmonid Enhancement Program is hosting an interactive plenary session to explore what communities can do to ensure salmon and their habitats are conserved and restored. As the International Year of the Salmon initiative aspires toward the vision that salmon and people are resilient in a changing world, this plenary will introduce you to resilience, describe the state of the Salmonsphere and explore, with YOU, ideas for building resilience in the Salmosphere. This is a rare opportunity to bring experts, individuals and groups from across the region together for a shared discussion. Archaeology from Stream to Sea Archaeologists study the ways people lived in the past. On the BC coast they work closely with First Nation communities to understand some of the ways the First Nations' ancestors have shaped, managed, cared for and lived on the land and sea for millennia. In this presentation, archaeologist Nicole Smith, will talk about some of the things she sees, including traditional fishery, transportation, forestry and mariculture technologies, on a walk from stream to sea.
Lab: Fish Prints / Fish Art 101 - create a salmon work of art with paint – this is a “hands on” activity!
Just do it! Easy Rain Gardens to hone your skills & gain street cred The task of restoring watershed function / groundwater recharge can feel daunting, but the cumulative impact of many very simple efforts can be significant. Go through a checklist of important considerations and review some case studies with Deborah Jones.
Lifestage: Egg to Fry New strategies and techniques for optimum survival. Understand what is happening inside the egg as we handle them from first division of their cells to ponding.
Microplastics in coastal ecosystems and our daily lives (and what you can do about it) This presentation will provide background on microplastic pollution, what it is and the potential impacts on coastal ecosystems. Results from local research on microplastics in shellfish, fish and their habitats will be presented, along with ways that microplastic enters our daily lives and what we can do about it. Salmon Genomics in Enhancement Genetic markers are being employed to inform conservation and management of salmon stocks. Three practical applications will be discussed from an enhancement perspective.
Tracking Our Salmon, Tools & Techniques For a Better Understanding Join DFO Biologists Jason Mahoney and Kevin Pellett to learn about the variety of tagging, marking and tracking options available to help us gain a better understanding of our salmon. Jason will give an overview of some of these options and Kevin will speak to how he uses these techniques when he is working on the Cowichan River. Transformational: Salmonid Enhancement Program
Past, Present, Future Join Corino Salomi for a look at the evolution of salmonid enhancement in BC and the importance of hatcheries in the present day and in to the future.
Aquatic Invasive Species in BC Overview of both freshwater and marine Aquatic Invasive Species (AIV) in BC. Existing and future concerns will be discussed, along with new tougher legislation and avoidance programs.
Chinook Salmon Diet Studies: new insights and a call for participation As part of the Salish Sea Marine Survival Project we have been investigating the diets of juvenile and adult Chinook Salmon. Juvenile diet information, combined with tagging studies, is providing insights into factors which may control juvenile survival. Adult diets are being developed as a tool to monitor changes in the marine food web, and we are seeking the help of community groups and salt water recreational anglers to facilitate sample collection.
Demystifying Engineering Drawings The role of SEP community members has changed significantly since the program began in 1977. Many volunteers now engage with various levels of government and developers when proposals come forward in their communities and are asked to comment on plans. Join Al Jonsson, Senior Restoration Engineer from the Lower Fraser for an introduction to reading and interpreting drawings.
Health & Safety – Do you have a plan? Join in the conversation to understand how health & safety plays a role in your organization and what can be done to lower the potential risk of an accident or incident occurring. Let’s have a plan, before a plan is needed.
Lab: Salmon Anatomy Dissection Explore the wonders of salmon anatomy through a real- life demonstration and learn how to give an engaging presentation in a classroom or at a public event.
Lifestage: Juvenile Rearing Participants will learn about recommended fish culture strategies from fry to release and the importance of mimicking natural processes in the hatchery. Strategies and techniques for optimum survival. State of the Southern Resident Killer Whales Join Dr. Andrew Trites, overseer of the Marine Mammal Research Unit at UBC to learn more about this iconic marine mammal.
Wild Salmon Policy Implementation Plan: Moving from Policy to Action Sharing opportunities for Government and Streamkeepers to work together in support of the implementation of the Wild Salmon Policy.
Beavers …. Beavers are known for their natural trait of building dams on rivers and streams - how do we share the same spaces?
Fish Culture: Broodstock collection, handling and best management procedures Overview of the SEP Hatchery Production Planning process, methodology for broodstock capture, handling, transport and holding. Fisheries Act and ORR Be informed about the changes to the Fisheries Act and understand how Observe, Record, Report triage concerns to Fisheries Protection Program staff for action.
Lifestage: Egg to Fry New strategies and techniques for optimum survival. Understand what is happening inside the egg as we handle them from first division of their cells to ponding. (REPEAT)
Looking Back to Move Forward: A Restoration Perspective Join Matt Foy and Mel Sheng, newly retired DFO Resource Restoration Biologists, for a journey into the salmon habitat restoration arena. They’ll discuss their lessons learned from the past thirty years of working in the restoration field, to help us plan and implement well thought out and functional projects for the future.
Outdoor Classroom: Measuring Water Quantity and Quality Many issues can impact and threaten the supply of cool, clean water to our local streams. Streamkeepers Modules 2 and 3 provide protocols for detecting and diagnosing water quantity and quality problems that may affect stream health and aquatic life. Participants in this fun hands-on workshop will learn how to use the basic equipment needed to assess stream flow and monitor water quality.
Plankton and Salmon: the secret to the marine food web. Join Ian Perry on an exploration of the marine food web of BC, from algal blooms to zooplankton, salmon, and whales, and how this ecosystem has been changing. The session will include an opportunity to look at zooplankton using a microscope.
Professor Kaganovskiy: On February 15, 2019, twenty-one scientists from five countries (Canada, US, Russia, Japan and Korea) set sail on the Russian research vessel ‘Professor Kaganovskiy’ to conduct the first broad based trawl survey of Pacific salmon in the Gulf of Alaska during the winter. Chrys Neville, one of the six Canadian participants, will provide an overview of the expedition and some of the key results to date.
BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF) Let’s talk – participate in an interactive discussion on BCSRIF and potential project ideas.
Lifestage: Juvenile Rearing Participants will learn about recommended fish culture strategies from fry to release and the importance of mimicking natural processes in the hatchery. Strategies and techniques for optimum survival. (REPEAT)
Outdoor Classroom: Aquatic Invertebrates Invertebrates play an important role in the aquatic food chain and are indicators of water quality. You will identify and count stream bugs to learn how much natural food is available in-stream for your fry after release. Streamkeepers Module 4.
Roundtable The large circular table where King Arthur and his knights sit… or an opportunity to meet with stakeholders, local community and various levels of government to develop plans and solutions to support healthy watersheds and communities. Learn why and how roundtables can work and what those effective qualities look like.
Stress & Health: Roadblocks & Superhighways to Disease Stress and health are intricately connected. Using a common bacterial pathogen as an example, find out how a fish's experiences can affect the outcome of interactions with the microscopic organisms they naturally coexist with.
Supporting Citizen Science – RDN’s Community Watershed Monitoring Network The CWMN offers many insights for how to collaborate across community, local government, industry and provincial agencies, to better track and understand the health of our streams. Regional District of Nanaimo staff will share their experience working with this initiative and describe the successes, challenges and opportunities that citizen science can offer.
Outdoor Classroom: Honouring our Snuneymuxw History: Salmon Petroglyphs and Salmon Stewardship
Join Gary Manson, a Snuneymuxw First Nations Elder, to visit a sacred salmon petroglyph site and learn more
about Snuneymuxw connections to salmon – from salmon ceremony to fisheries management.
Participants must be prepared to hike approximately 20 minutes each way on a rough trail, including stairs.