First Nations in the Strait of Georgia

First Nations communities have been stewards of the terrestrial and aquatic environment of the Sait of Geogia since time immemorial. Indigenous Peoples hold extensive Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) about the local environment, accumulated and recorded through passing down intragenerational knowledge. The value and importance of the First Nation traditional knowledge is increasingly being recognized. For instance, salmon are not only a vital food source for Indigenous Peoples but also hold cultural and spiritual significance.

We are interested in gathering traditional and historical ecological and environmental knowledge and hope to provide First Nations with an opportunity to develop a written document/oral record of their local TEK for our database. Such information would also encourage future research collaboration, incorporation of this knowledge into ecological and environmental research, management planning and implementation.

First Nations Ecological Knowledge

First Nations communities have long held a deep respect for salmon, managing their resources sustainably through traditional ecological knowledge. These practices have been essential for the conservation of salmon populations and their habitats. Today, First Nations continue to play a crucial role in salmon conservation efforts, advocating for policies and practices that protect these invaluable species.

We are collaborating with First Nations residing in the Strait of Georgia with the goal of documenting the valuable information that First Nations Elders and knowledge keepers hold about the Strait of Georgia ecosystems. This includes changes that they have seen in species composition and abundance, run timing, climate change, predator-prey relationships and habitat.

Our project uses videography to document any First Nation peoples that are interested in sharing this valuable information with us. We are also interested in documenting the traditional fisheries that were operated by First Nations since time immemorial, such as the reef net fisheries, weir fisheries and other sophisticated methods that allowed First Nations to fish in a sustainable manner, and to carefully monitor the status of local salmon populations.

First Nations Distribution around the Strait of Georgia

Explore the maps below, kindly provided by the B.C. Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation, to see the First Nations around the Strait of Georgia on Vancouver Island and on the Mainland.First Nations Mainland Side of the Strait of Georgia.

BC Aboriginal Group around Strait of Georgia
FN around SoG2

Useful Resources