| Summary: | In 1977, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) implemented the Salmon Enhancement Program (SEP) in order to address the decline of Pacific salmon stocks. The SEP includes a range of initiatives meant to restore at-risk stocks and increase fish numbers to provide harvest and economic development for communities, including First Nations. Efforts include small hatcheries known as Community Involvement Programs operated by coastal communities, environmental societies and First Nations. Little, however, was known about how these programs address First Nation involvement and rising issues around genetic introgression. This project sought to fill this information gap, which was also of specific interest to the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, a community partner in the project that runs their own hatchery. Interviews were conducted with 18 hatchery employees across 5 management regions in British Columbia. Results show that most decisions around genetic practices are made at DFO and not by hatcheries directly. For First Nations involvement, where decisions are made varies depending on the involvement type; First Nation decision-making and goal-setting for non-First Nation hatcheries is done more broadly through DFO consultation, whereas employment or volunteer involvement is decided at the hatchery level. These results will inform decision-making around Pacific salmon management and First Nations relationships.
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