You may not know this, but the Uchucklesaht Tribe Government has had a unique way of keeping an eye on the numbers of fish that move between Henderson Lake and Uchucklesaht Inlet.
Uchucklesaht fisheries staff, along with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, have set up a “fish fence” and “didson” in Henderson River to monitor fish movement.
The fence is built in such a way as to funnel all fish that pass through into a small channel that is visible by a camera, known as the didson. All video is recorded, and fisheries staff spend hours reviewing the tape counting fish.
The fence and video is monitored on a daily basis from June until the end of September. The purpose for monitoring is to know how many fish are migrating from Henderson Lake into Uchucklesaht Inlet. It is also a valuable tool to gauge future enhancement projects, such as lake fertilization and habitat restoration. It also alerts fishermen as to when would be the best time to fish the coveted Henderson sockeye.
This is a valuable tool in ensuring the health and viability of the Henderson sockeye run. All Maa-nulth First Nations contribute funds to ensuring that this project and infrastructure remains intact.
It is envisioned that a more permanent fish fence be installed, as the current one is susceptible to high water, as was found out this year when it washed away during the high tides and rains.
The set-up is very similar (not as high-tec), as the existing monitoring cameras at Stamp Falls north of Port Alberni.
There are unique challenges to running the Henderson fish fence, namely, access to it and its remote location. It is a one-hour boat ride to Kildonan, plus another 20 minute ATV ride to get to it.
