CRT 2014 Review and Salmon Restoration

1. CRT 2014 Review and Salmon Restoration Chinook salmon harvested near Brisco, BC circa 1935, 1150 miles from mouth of Columbia Bill Green Ktunaxa Nation Council Canadian Columbia River Inter-tribal Fisheries Commission Lake Roosevelt Forum 2013

2. Striving for consensus:CRT 2014 Review • Working with Columbia Basin Trust and Canadian Columbia River Forum since early 2000s • Collaboration with US tribes and Canadian First Nations (Okanagan and Secwepemc) since 2010 • Formal engagement with BC and Canada since late 2011 • Participation in universities symposia • Recently, working with Columbia River local governments • THANKS!

3. CRT Renewal Principles • FN participation in negotiations • Protection of aboriginal and treaty rights • Ecosystem management (co-equal) • Libby/Koocanusa Canada:US co-management • Redress of historic impacts

4. CRT Renewal Principles (cont) • First Nations participation in economic benefits • Adaptability to climate change • Enhanced protection of cultural heritage resources • Salmon restoration

5. A quick history • Grand Coulee caused loss of upper Columbia salmon late 1930s/early 1940s • CRT arose from the completion of Grand Coulee • Canadian First Nations began advocating for redress of salmon loss in 1950s • Construction of Canadian CRT dams made salmon restoration much more difficult

6. A quick history (cont) • Canadian Columbia River Inter-tribal Fisheries Commission formed early 1990s with a specific mandate of salmon restoration • Negotiated salmon passage provisions at Keenleyside, Brilliant and Waneta dam expansion projects • 2003 IJC application - unsuccessful • Canadian special claims process - unsuccessful • Feasibility, benefits and impact assessment workshop and report - 2007

8. CRT and Salmon Restoration Why? • Historical reasons • CRT is about dams and flows - fundamental parts of the solution to salmon restoration • CRT is about transboundarycooperation in river management. We cannot achieve salmon restoration without this. • Ecosystem function needs salmon • THE TIME IS NOW!

9. Salmon restoration - getting close • Working with US tribes on fish passage/salmon restoration concept paper • Encouraged by US draft regional recommendation • Encouraged by public and local government support: We strongly support agencies and First Nations & Tribes on both sides of the border exploring the technical and financial feasibility of restoring salmon to the Canadian portion of the Columbia River

10. A short term next step • Arising from 2007 FIB workshop • Goal is three year experimental reintroduction of chinook salmon to the transboundary reach of the Columbia River (upstream of Grand Coulee Dam) • Seeking to learn, NOT a long-term commitment

11. Experimental salmon reintroduction workplan 2013 - 2015 OBJECTIVES • To identify an appropriate chinook salmon donor stock or suite of donor stocks (small contributions from a number of appropriate donor stocks) and life history stage; • To learn about the migratory behaviour, habitat selection and survival of the reintroduced fish within the transboundary reach to inform possible next steps in a salmon re-introduction program; • To make the general public and political leaders aware of the extirpation of upper Columbia salmon (and consequences thereof) and of the possibility of re-introduction.

12. Experimental salmon reintroduction planning • Identify donor stocks and issues related to donor stocks (underway) • Experimental design • Preliminary evaluation of genetics, disease, ecological and other risks • Preliminary cost estimates • Late 2015: Submit information to approval authorities to request conceptual approval • Late 2015/2016: seek funding for implementation