In the story, “Houston to build a permanent fish hatchery facility” published in the Houston Today Oct. 26, 2016 issue, the Upper Bulkley Valley Streamers (UBVS) received funding from various contributors to construct a permanent salmon hatchery in Houston. Its purpose is to operate a small coho enhancement facility where coho will be raised, then returned to the system. Thereby ensuring genetic diversity, as well as research monitoring of habitat and species, and provide a brick and motor location to educate the public about watershed stewardship.
On Dec. 6, 2016 District of Houston council received a request from A Rocha Canada, which the UBVS is a project of, for a letter of support in their application to Ecoaction, Rio Tinto Alcan, and the Pacific Salmon Foundation to receive funding.
“We have raised $39,000 of the needed $80,000 for the construction project and have thousands of dollars worth of pledges for labour and in-kind supplies from local businesses and individuals. We are also in the process of creating our strategic plan for the next three years as well as a budget that will cover not only construction, which is a one time cost, but operations over the years,” said project co-ordinator, Cindy Verbeek.
Phase one of the project, is to construct the hatchery portion of the facility and begin operation. It will be a 20×30 building including a bathroom, office, and hatchery space. The estimated cost of this phase is $80,000 and is expected to begin this spring and be complete in September.
The second phase is the construction of the nature centre, which is for the environment education activities and is estimated at $80,000 to $100,000. Projected construction date is spring of 2018.
According to the Upper Bulkley River Habitat Report Card, the Upper Bulkley River is considered to be one of the most endangered watersheds in the larger Skeena watershed system. So it is important to be aware of how watersheds impacts the well-being of other ecosystems, and be proactive in maintaining their sustainability.
When asked why a permanent salmon hatchery in Houston is an important project, mayor Shane Brienen replied, “There are two things I really see there. It helps enhance and maintain salmon population. And as Notherners, one way or another we are tied to resources. Whether we like it or not, we do have impacts on animal and fish population. And for that reason it’s nice to help out keep those populations healthy.”
“Anything that enhances the salmon life cycle in the Bulkley River is a good thing. A salmon hatchery in Houston just makes sense since fishing is such an important theme woven into the fabric of this community – as seen in our beautiful SteelheadPark. The project does a lot in raising awareness of salmon habitat among school children and adults within the community,” said councillor John Siebenga.
A Rocha and the salmon hatchery is mostly composed of volunteers, so though this project would not likely increase job opportunities or have much financial gain, it is a place for community engagement to educate students and tourists passing through.
“Since it has been out out there, volunteers have come forward showing interest, so I think already it is speaking for itself.And I think it would be good site for tourism as well,” said councillor Tom Stringfellow.
Already this environmental initiative has had an impact on the involvement of schools within Houston. The HoustonChristian School planned and designed a hatchery last year, which A Rocha and the salmon hatchery project were able to use in their design.
“I know that lots of times we have kids going on class trips to the hatchery in Babine [Lake], having one in town will make access easier. And I think everyone realizes that it’s one thing to read it in a book, but it’s always nicer to be there. And hopefully for the older students this can provide some work experience,” commented Brienen.
“Support from town council is crucial for the success of this project because of the need for their approval for building permits, development permits, zoning and bylaw issues. But it is also a win win on both sides. Houston will benefit from a nature centre in that it will bring in tourists who are curious about salmon and watersheds, encourage community members to connect with the natural world, and work towards creating healthier ecosystems that will support our town into the future,” said Verbeek.
A letter of support from council was received by A Rocha on Jan. 3, 2017.
