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Restoration Efforts

In 1943, the IPSFC had found 37 obstructions that were impeding salmon run along Hells Gate. After receiving an official proposal from the IPSFC that included both biological and engineering data, both the Canadian and US governments approved a plan to construct a set of fishways at Hells Gate in 1944(74). In 1946, construction of the fishways on both banks was completed, offering easy passage for salmon at gauge levels between 23 and 54 feet. However, problems still remained at certain water levels. At high levels of 50-65 feet, and low levels of 11-17 feet, salmon encountered difficulty migrating upstream. In response, two high-level fishways were built beginning with one on the right bank in 1947 that operated between 54 and 70 feet as well as a fishway on the left bank that operated at the same levels and was completed in 1951. Even still, some issues remained so the fishway on the left bank was extended to operate at levels up to 92 gauge in 1965. The last addition was the construction of sloping baffles on the left bank in 1966 that aided salmon passage below gauge 24. The total cost of the entire fishways project was $1 470 333 in 1966 which was shared by the US and Canadian governments equally. Adjusted to inflation in 2010, this costs roughly $98 000 000. Ultimately, the fishways were a successful endeavor as the upriver runs past Hells Gate had already increased fivefold in the short period between 1941 and 1945. From 1946- 1949 the IPSFC put several severe restrictions on the Fraser River fishing industries, including delayed starts to the fishing season as well as ending the season early. The severe strategies that preferred maximum protection were a success as the salmon population continued to increase into the early 1950’s. Aside from the successful repopulation of the river, there were still some issues with the IPSFC’s methods. In its first year of management, the IPFSC oversaw a season that saw Canada catch nearly 9% more fish than The United States. Furthermore, criticism of the fishways occurred when it was argued that the restrictions placed on the Salmon harvest were more beneficial to salmon repopulation than the construction of the costly fishways. After the general success of the IPSFC’s restoration efforts, the Canadian government began pushing for a pink salmon treaty. Eventually signed in 1957, the Pink Salmon Protocol sought to assure that the pink salmon runs remained sustainable while also stipulating that the Canada and the US had to share equal portions of the salmon run.

Outcomes

The construction and the success of the fishways created more than just an increase in the salmon population. Hells gate acted as a talking point in the fish versus power debate that favoured the fish side of the debate, especially when compared to the heavily dammed Columbia in the United States.

In 1971, Hells Gate and its fishways became a tourist attraction with the completion of the Hell’s Gate Airtram. The tourist site now boasts food outlets, observation decks and an educational fisheries exhibit that displays different short films regarding the area’s history as well an ecological documentary on the salmon run.