Fishing

The Gitanyow are active in fishing, and the Gitanyow Fisheries Authority (GFA) plays a key role in those efforts.  GFA biologists and fisheries managers are active in negotiating and planning with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on sustainable quotas, and in determining if and when fisheries can occur.  GFA projects such as the Kitwanga River Salmon Enumeration Facility are vital in determining if certain runs can be fished, and when those fisheries can occur.  The GFA fisheries coordinator and other staff play a key role in monitoring any fisheries on Gitanyow Territory, and have established excellent relationships with DFO Fisheries Enforcement personnel.

GFA administers and operates both Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) fisheries and more recently, an economic fishery on Meziadin sockeye.

Food, Social and Ceremonial Fishing


Economic Fisheries

PHOTO GALLERIES

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Kitwanga River Salmon Enumeration Facility

Looking across the fence panels as a GFA technician cleans debris - typically leaves, sticks and spawned out salmon - to prevent damming of the fence panels.

Snapshots of GFA Projects

GFA crews dipnet Brown Bear Creek sockeye. These sockeye are a genetically unique, river-run sockeye. GFA collects DNA samples each season to learn more about this unique, at risk salmon run.

Kitwanga Smolt Enumeration Facility

Kitwanga smolt enumeration facility in operation in 2009.