Services Overview
GFA's primary purpose is to provide fisheries and wildlife management capability for the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs Office (GHCO). In doing this, since 1994, GFA has developed considerable expertise throughout Gitanyow Traditional Territory, especially in the field of fisheries management. GFA fisheries biologists have over 40 years combined experience in aquatic fieldwork and project management. GFA has an experienced crew of technicians, and in the 2011 season will have 5 technicians certified as fisheries technicians through Vancouver Island University. The GFA team has successfully implemented projects for government (Ministry of Forests, Ministry of Environment, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, BC Environmental Assessment Office, BC Hydro), industry (Chemtx Energy Corporation, Syntaris Power Corporation) and various funders (Pacific Salmon Commission, Skeena Watershed Initiative, etc.).
GFA's expertise in aquatic work, in and around Gitanyow Territory, is being increasingly noticed and utilized by industry and government. GFA's local knowledge, pragmatic approach and physical location in northwestern B.C., means they can often do work on shorter notice and at a lower cost than consulting companies that need to travel from the lower mainland or other parts of B.C. GFA commonly provides technical support to consulting companies looking to hire local, First Nations technicians (Rescan Environmental Services). GFA will also partner with consulting companies to assist them in providing local knowledge, expertise and manpower (Environmental Dynamics Incorporated). GFA has a network of professionals to partner with to deliver on multi-disciplinary projects, including engineers, specialized biologists, foresters, hydrologists, etc.
GFA can provide services in the following areas:
PHOTO GALLERIES
Looking upstream at the inclined plane trap that GFA used prior to construction of the smolt fence. Two nets were used as wings to funnel fish into two traps, catching a small % of the total run.
GFA technician Earl McLean at the falls on Brown Bear Creek, a Nass River tributary. For several years now, GFA has been conducting weekly counts of the Brown Bear Creek sockeye and coho.
Each year after installation GFA biologist will also snorkel along the entire fence looking for possible openings where salmon could move through undetected.