'We looked after all the salmon streams': Traditional Heiltsuk cultural stewardship of salmon and salmon streams. A preliminary assessment (British Columbia)

There has been an increasing interest in aboriginal salmon stewardship practices by First Nations during recent years as Pacific salmon stocks decline in spite of scientific resource management. I undertook a representative study of Heiltsuk traditional salmon and salmon stream stewardship practices. My method was to combine literature and archival research with a collaborative, participatory action, interview project in the Heiltsuk community of Wágl&dotbelow;ísl&dotbelow;a (Bella Bella). Despite some loss of traditional knowledge, due to dramatic disease induced population declines after European contact, followed by more than a century of federal and provincial policies of cultural assimilation, five specific practices central to stream stewardship were identified in addition to a requirement for exclusive systems of tenure. These were: one—stream clearing to ensure ease of entry for spawning salmon; two—selective harvesting of salmon; three—transplanting of salmon eggs; four—restricted hook and line fish harvesting through secret “hot spots”; and five—a “First Salmon” ritual ceremony that limited fishing when the annul runs were beginning. My study suggests that these practices were critical in perpetuating the reliable and abundant yields that supported relatively high populations of First Nations peoples. I also ascertained that salmon stewardship is just one manifestation of ancient care-taking ethics inextricably embedded in First Nations' cultures.