Fish Weir Project: Conservation, Guardianship, and Harvest Program

Traditional knowledge platform for research and Nation-building.

Governance and Natural Resources

Balancing the scales: blending traditional knowledge and scientific research.

The Sumas Fish Weir Project is a Semá:th First Nation-led initiative that brings together traditional harvesting practices and modern conservation tools to support salmon recovery, food security, and Indigenous stewardship. At the heart of the project is a temporary fish weir – a structure placed in the river that guides fish into a temporary holding area for live capture, observation, and selective harvest. This method allows Semá:th to monitor salmon health while safely releasing non-target or vulnerable species.

Through this approach, Semá:th supports culturally appropriate Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) fishing, gathers vital scientific and traditional knowledge, and restores Indigenous leadership in local river stewardship. Community members, youth, and partners play an active role in training, research, and knowledge sharing, laying a strong foundation for future generations.

This pilot is being implemented within Semá:th Traditional Territory on the Ts’elxwéyeqw (Chilliwack River), just downstream of the Keith Wilson Road Bridge. It is part of the broader Indigenous Harvest Transformation Program, which aims to develop low-impact, community-led alternatives to non-selective gear types like gill nets.

CGH (Conservation, Guardianship, Harvest) Plan

The project compliments Semá:th’s Conservation, Guardianship, and Harvest (CGH) Plan, developed in response to declining salmon populations in the Sumas–Chilliwack River system. The CGH Plan integrates Indigenous knowledge, science-based data collection, and values-driven stewardship to improve understanding of salmon populations and inform future management decisions.

CGH Purpose and Goals

1

Support Food, Social, and Ceremonial (FSC) harvest in a culturally appropriate, low-impact manner.

2

Address critical data gaps related to salmon migration and abundance.

3

Restore and strengthen Indigenous fisheries governance in Semá:th territory.

4

Encourage collaboration and respect across shared territories where applicable.

5

Rebuild salmon populations through informed, community-led approaches.

Funding Information & Project Timeline

Sumas First Nation relies on funding to proceed with research and development of these projects, and follows a funder-specified timeline.

Funding: PSSI

The Traditional Fish Weir Project is funded through the Harvest Transformation stream of the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI). PSSI is focused on addressing the significant decline in many Pacific salmon populations by taking urgent and long-term action across four key areas to protect, restore, and rebuild salmon stocks wherever possible:

1

Conservation and Stewardship

2

Harvest Transformation

3

Salmon
Enhancement

4

Integration and Collaboration

Project Timeline

The PSSI funding for the Weir project was dispersed to cover a 3-year period.

Year 1 (2023): Pilot weir and trap box were designed and installed; initial field testing focused on evaluating feasibility.

Year 2 (2024): Expanded field trials and equipment improvements are underway to test functionality and refine setup.

Year 3 (2025): Focus will shift to data collection, community engagement, and finalizing the plan and design for long-term use.

Tomorrow’s Catch: Securing Our Future Fisheries.

WATCH THE FULL TOMORROW’S CATCH SERIES

In the summer of 2025, Sumas First Nation was featured in the “Tomorrow’s Catch: Securing Our Future Fisheries” Digital Series. Produced in collaboration with the American Fisheries Society and Content With Purpose, this digital series of short films explores the futures of our water, from habitat restoration and hatchery innovation to Indigenous leadership and sustainable fisheries. Our feature honed in on the Weir pilot years, detailing some of the work that’s been done to date and the Nation’s hopes for the project continuation.

Reinstating Traditional Fish Weirs | Tomorrow’s Catch Series

Play

Reinstating Indigenous Rights | Tomorrow’s Catch Series

Play

Technical Tools & Results

Scientific Research & Intended Outcomes.

What tools are we using for this work?


The work integrates Indigenous knowledge with modern technologies, such as underwater video and AI-based fish tracking. These tools also support the real-time monitoring and validation of sonar data collected by our ARIS platform.

*The ARIS sonar platform is a separate initiative supported by unrelated funding. Learn more about ARIS.

What is the intended outcome of this research?

  • To evaluate the feasibility and performance of live capture-and-release systems in Indigenous-managed rivers.
  • To develop and refine selective harvest methods that minimize impact on species of concern.
  • To strengthen Indigenous leadership in fisheries stewardship, research, and conservation.
  • To support healthy salmon populations and ecosystem integrity through improved monitoring and data collection.
Fish Weir installation on the Sumas-Chilliwack River (August 2024)

How will this work result in better outcomes for Pacific Salmon?

  • The weir allows Semá:th to adjust harvest practices in real time based on observed fish health, run timing, and species composition.
  • It provides a selective and low-impact harvest method that supports conservation goals while allowing for meaningful community harvest.
  • By pairing the weir with the ARIS sonar monitoring system, Semá:th is enhancing the accuracy of migration data and improving conservation outcomes.

Will research results be available to other parties?

Yes. As per our funding agreement, all data collected will be shared with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

General FAQs

Have questions about the work and/or research? Learn more below:


A fish weir is a traditional structure placed in a river to guide fish into a holding area for live capture. It allows fishers to observe, handle, and release fish selectively helping protect vulnerable species while supporting sustainable harvests for food, social, and ceremonial purposes.

Selective harvest allows fishers to catch specific salmon species while letting others pass through unharmed, helping protect species at risk and eliminating by-catch.