Bella Coola, British Columbia - Protecting, conserving and restoring wild Pacific salmon stocks in British Columbia is a key priority for the Government of Canada. Pacific salmon hatcheries have a key role to play in this effort and are critical in aiding the recovery of vulnerable stocks.
Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Nuxalk Nation, and Ingenium (Canada's Museums of Science and Innovation), announced the official opening of the new Welcome Centre at Snootli Creek Hatchery. The opening marks the completion of a seven-year major project to refurbish and modernize infrastructure and fish culture systems at the Snootli Creek Hatchery facility. Built in 1978, the facility has been in operation for more than 35 years and needed significant renewal to extend its operational life and enable more efficient and effective operations.
The new Welcome Centre is a key element of the refurbished hatchery and will help to educate and engage the local community and visitors about enhancement, the role of hatcheries in the ongoing effort to protect and support this iconic species and the shared responsibility of all in the stewardship of healthy habitats and ecosystems.
The Centre features dynamic and interactive displays written in three languages: Nuxalk, English and French, to highlight the importance of salmon to Nuxalk people and affirm their deep and historic connection to salmon and rivers in their traditional territory. The Hatchery also serves as a focal point for salmon education and watershed stewardship in the area through its work with the Nation, volunteers, streamkeepers, schools and community partners in helping to support the protection of the Bella Coola Valley's unique cultural and natural heritage.
