Statement – Tŝilhqox Slide and Fisheries

Press Release

Between July 30 and 31, a large landslide blocked the Tŝilhqox (Chilcotin River) upstream of Gex Gunlin (Big Creek). At this time, fish passage is blocked for several important salmon stocks that spawn in Tŝilhqot’in Territory. The Tŝilhqot’in National Government is very concerned about the risks of this natural disaster to salmon, in conjunction with this year already having forecasted record low salmon returns.*

Observations of Chilcotin jaŝ (chinook) prior to the slide lead us to believe that fortunately, our critically endangered Cheziqox jaŝ (upper Chilcotin/lower Chilcotin chinook) stocks have mostly already migrated through the slide area to their spawning grounds upstream of the slide.

We remain very concerned for critically endangered Dasiqox ts’eman (Taseko sockeye), which are also returning at record low levels this year, and which the majority are likely still downstream of the slide. Their migration to their spawning grounds in the Dasiqox system could be seriously impacted.

Likewise, Tŝilhqox jaŝ (Chilko chinook) are thought to still be downstream of the slide, and their migration to their spawning grounds could also be seriously impacted. However, they are not as vulnerable as the Dasiqox ts’eman because of their unique strength and the timing of the run. However, they remain at risk because we do not know how long the blockage will remain, or what the effects will be once the blockage is released.

The later timed Tŝilhqox ts’eman (Chilko sockeye) migration to the Tŝilhqox is underway. Although most of the return is still making its way through the marine environment to the Fraser River, a small number may have reached the slide location at this time. We expect to gradually build up to the peak of the return to the Tŝilhqox over the coming weeks. This is encouraging, but we still have serious concern for this stock — again because many unknowns remain and because of this year’s historic record low returns.

The Tŝilhqot’in National Government is calling on all levels of government, downstream First Nations, the Pacific Salmon Commission, and other Nations and States, especially Alaskan fisheries, to take all precautionary measures possible to conserve Tŝilhqot’in territory-bound salmon, and to immediately cease from fisheries that may impact these stocks, until this emergency situation is resolved and the impacts are fully understood.

*For more information/context about the pre-season forecast and the 2024 salmon season, please see the resource State of Tŝilhqot’in Salmon in 2024 on the TNG website.

Information on the Tŝilhqox slide:

•  https://www.facebook.com/Tsilhqotin
•  www.tsilhqotin.ca
•  https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/event/1aug24/

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