8 FALL/WINTER 2018 PSF.CA
A
study examining feces from
Southern Resident orcas found that
of the Chinook sampled in their diet
while feeding in the Strait, 80-90 per cent
came from the Fraser River. We know that
protection and restoration of habitat and
vegetation, particularly in the lower Fraser,
is critical, because juvenile Chinook use
this habitat en route to the Strait of Georgia.
Since inception, Chinook and their lower
Fraser habitat have been a major focus for
PSF, with $11 million granted to 530 projects,
representing an investment of $41.5 million
after community leveraging. The lower
Fraser is the most densely populated area of
British Columbia, and the development and
impacts that arise from that are challenging.
Fortunately, there is a network of hard-
working stewards who are supported by PSF
donors. Here are some of their stories:
WHO: Hemmera Environmental
WHERE: Colony Farm/Coquitlam
WHAT: Tidal waters are mixing zones for
fresh and salt water where young salmon
can acclimatize to saltwater environments.
But for about 100 years dikes have
prevented the tidal waters (and fish) in the
Coquitlam River from entering the Colony
Farm Regional Park.
"We wanted to restore access for
juvenile salmon to a portion of the park
without wholly disrupting the current
infrastructure. So, we installed a tidal gate
[pictured] that's self-regulating and opens
and closes with the ebb and flow of the tide.
Lower Fraser
CHINOOK & ORCAS
A SAFE SPACE
Protecting and rejuvenating the lower Fraser River could be
the key to restoring both Chinook and the orcas that rely on them
MAIN PHOTO: ALAMY
