THE INDIAN HSHERY 175 



estimated catch in 1965 was 350 thousand fish, or roughly 

 1.6 percent of all salmon landings. By 1975 this had 

 increased to roughly 600 thousand fish, and by 1980 to 

 700 thousand fish or 3.5 percent of salmon landings. 

 Increases in catches have been the most pronounced in 

 Johnstone Strait, where they have more than trebled, and 

 off the west coast of Vancouver Island, where they have 

 doubled. In both of these areas, Indians have been able 

 to use commercial gear to supplement their traditional 

 methods. In the Fraser River system and Howe Sound 

 area, average catches have increased over this period by 

 only about 60 percent. 



Table 14-1 Indian Salmon Catch by Area"" 



' Includes steelhead catch, which accounts for less than one percent. 

 Source: Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Exhibit #167. 



Sockeye is by far the most important sp)ecies taken, 

 accounting for 50 to 70 percent of the total, but all the 

 other salmon species are used as well. No statistical infor- 

 mation on the catch offish other than salmon is available 

 because no method of reporting has been established. 



Most salmon are taken in freshwater on the Fraser, 

 Skeena and Nass river systems, but Indian fishing takes 

 place throughout the province. Table 14-1 sets out Indian 

 catches by area. The Fraser River is by far the most 

 important source, and accounts for as much as 60 percent 

 of all the salmon taken in the Indian fishery. Many 

 Indian reserves are located close to the river or its tribu- 

 taries, and its large summer runs of salmon provide an 

 important part of the Indians' food supply. Fishing is 

 especially intense upstream from Lillooet, where tradi- 

 tional culture and practices are pronounced.'* 



Although the dependence of these Indians on salmon 

 for food has declined to some degree over the years, the 

 fishery remains both a valuable source of protein and an 

 important element in their cultural life.'" In the upper 

 Fraser River, where Indians depend on specific, individ- 

 ual stocks, yearly fluctuations in runs and strict conserva- 

 tion measures for ensuring adequate escapement often 

 lead to shortfalls in catches. In the lower reaches of the 

 Fraser River, Indians have access to more plentiful sup- 



plies of fish; but even there, increased restrictions on 

 fishing times in recent years have made it difficult for 

 some to obtain their supplies." 



The Skeena and Nass Rivers account for about 30 p)er- 

 cent of the salmon catch in the Indian fishery (and a 

 much larger proportion of the eulachon catch). Fish are 

 extremely important to the Indians on these rivers; more 

 than a third participate directly in fishing and a much 

 higher proportion depend on it for food.'- Fish are a par- 

 ticularly important component of the diet of Indians in 

 the Nass Valley." In recent years, heavy commercial 

 exploitation has restricted supplies of certain species for 

 the Indian fisheries on these rivers.'" 



Coastal Indians depend on a wider variety of fish, but 

 some have experienced increasing diflficulties in obtaining 

 their customary catches of salmon. Many coastal bands 

 have come to depend on commercial gear, and much of 

 their food fish is taken in the commercial fishing season. 

 But the widespread displacement of Indians from the 

 commercial fisher>' in recent years (see Chapter 12) has 

 left some bands without the means to meet their require- 

 ments even by this method. The Department has partially 

 alleviated this problem for certain bands in the Strait of 

 Georgia by allowing commercial fishermen to harvest 

 surplus hatchery stocks for distribution. This arrange- 

 ment does not, of course, replace the traditional and 

 social significance attached to Indian fishing. 



Even with the increases in catch in recent years, the 

 present Indian catch of about 5 million pounds annually 

 is only a fraction of the level prior to European settle- 

 ment. 



Evolution of Regulatory Policy 



The present arrangements governing the Indian fishery 

 are the outcome of a century of policy development. 

 Throughout, the basic issue has been that of reconciling 

 the conflict between Indian traditions of fishing and 

 hereditary fishing areas, on the one hand, and eariy Brit- 

 ish colonial policy, federal-provincial constitutional 

 responsibilities over Indians and fisheries, and the need 

 to conserve fish stocks, on the other. In the evolution of 

 policy, a significant role was played by several royal com- 

 missions, and the travels and hearings of some of these 

 bear a striking resemblance to those of this Commission. 



When British Columbia entered Confederation in 

 1871, certain constitutional responsibilities having an 

 important bearing on Indian fisheries policy were 

 assumed by the Dominion Parliament. The Dominion's 

 jurisdiction included "sea coast and inland fisheries" and 

 also "Indians, and lands reserved for the Indians." From 

 the beginning, measures adopted regarding the Indian 

 fishery under both of these areas of responsibility recog- 

 nized a special status for the Indian fisheries. 



