Salmon Steward

I had the pleasure of fishing the Hakai Pass on British Columbia's Central Coast last August. Flying into the Hakai Land and Sea Fishing Club's (hakailandandsea.com) Calvert Island camp, I could see why its founders chose the location. Protected from the open ocean by a cluster of small islands and with several hundred metres of white sand beach, the cove is a perfect spot. Every summer, all five species of wild Pacific Salmon migrate through Hakai Pass on their way to natal streams. Hakai is known for rugged natural beauty, which is enriched by the salmon that nourish its ecosystems. The Club was founded in 1970 by three buddies who liked to fish the Rivers Inlet; but with all the killer whales in the area, the bite was o¦. So they headed for another spot they'd heard about – Hakai Pass. When they saw the site, they decided then and there to get permission to build a fishing camp. After they crossed all the t's and dotted all the i's, they were granted a land lease by the province. The non-profit fishing club started with tents and Coleman stoves and has since grown into the modern, rustic yet comfortable "camp" that it is today. In 2016, the fibreglass boat fleet was replaced with eight brand-new Ironwood centre console aluminum boats. They handle perfectly both en route to a hot spot and for slow trolling in challenging seas, and are equipped with communication, water- depth and GPS-location equipment. The Club also completed its new eight-room Who cares about salmon? Roger Flowerdew VOLUNTEER CHAIR, PACIFIC SALMON FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS & PRINCIPAL, COMPASS STAR STRATEGIC ADVISORS My triP to hAKAi PAss Above: Beers in hand, relaxing with the catch is timeless. Centre: Roger Flowerdew with Pacific Salmon Foundation staff at the Adams River Salute to Sockeye Festival in 2014. Below: The Hakai camp and its accommodations have come a long way from tents and Coleman stoves. bunkhouse in 2016, each with en-suite bathrooms and showers. Since its humble beginnings, the Hakai Club now numbers at 85 members. My fishing buddy Brian and I used a guide for the first afternoon as we had not been to Hakai before. But for the next three days we guided ourselves, fishing the various hot spots. We fished primarily for salmon, but spent slow periods jigging for rock fish in the surrounding reefs. On breaks, we took in the abundant wildlife, watching humpback whales jumping and feeding in the Inside Passage as well as otters, sea lions and eagles. Then back to camp at sunset, for a first-class dinner and an evening of swapping fishing stories by the beach fire. Of the 16 guests, 14 hailed from the San Francisco area and were here as part of their annual visit. It was exciting how keenly interested these American guests were in the Pacific Salmon Foundation and how our grantees enhance and rehabilitate wild Pacific salmon habitat. No surprise given the Club's ongoing support of the Foundation through the Recreational Fishing Conservation Contribution. The contribution enables guests at fishing lodges to support salmon projects by adding an optional $25-50 to their bill. The small fee is a no-brainer as guests understand that to continue enjoying this extraordinary resource and preserve it for future generations, it must be sustained. Many groups are invested in conservation e¦orts in Hakai. The Foundation's Salish Sea Marine Survival Project partner, the Tula Foundation/ Hakai Institute, is doing important scientific research on local marine ecosystems and salmon habitat, while the Wuikinuxv First Nation are enhancing Wannock River stocks at the Percy Walkus hatchery in Rivers Inlet. This program is raising the unique Wannock River Chinook that are prized for their astonishing size and commonly weigh in at more than 50 pounds! It is strongly supported by Foundation donors Tony Allard and his fishing resort, Good Hope Cannery, and Sid Keay and his Duncanby Lodge. The Wannock program is a prime example of the collaborative approach that the Foundation and its partners take for salmon conservation. I am very proud of the work that the Foundation sta¦, volunteers, supporters, directors and its many partners have achieved over the last 30 years. since 1996, the Pacific salmon foundation has granted $928,000 to 55 projects on the central coast, with a total value of $3.1 million. salmon Steward magazine 23 YEars YE YE YE YE YE YE YE YEars ars ars ars ars ars ars ars ars ars ars

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