12 Amazing Things We Did Last Year


1. Defending vital salmon habitat along the Skeena
Prosecution for the 2017 CN Skeena rail corridor spray ended in guilty pleas and over $2.5 million in fines after years of campaign work led by Luanne.

2. Retrieving lost fishing gear so it can be returned or recycled
Megan facilitated partnerships with fish harvesters to recover 121 lost traps and 11,380 feet of rope, and gathered valuable info on finding and retrieving gear. 



3. Predicting where gear will go missing to prevent it in the first place
Adrienne combined information from fish harvesters, and environment factors to create predictive heat maps identifying locations where fishing gear loss is common.


4. Exploring technologies that could enhance fishery sustainability
Megan is partnering with harvesters to test the impact of knotless nets in the herring and salmon fisheries, and using LED lights in the shrimp trawl fishery to reduce bycatch. 


5. Tracking the nutritional value of Skeena Sockeye
This year Luanne added to our now seven year record of lipid levels in returning Skeena sockeye salmon.

6. Working to ensure access is in harvester and community hands
Jim is an active leader in the Fisheries for Community Network working to move the Blue Economy Strategy, Coastal Marine Strategy, and the FOPO recommendations agreed to at the 2020 gathering forward.


7. Talking fisheries in person
Jim and Cailyn attended the NVI Fisheries Economy Workshop in March 2022 focused on First Nations, recreational and commercial fisheries in North Vancouver Island. 


8. Connecting with harvesters on the dock 
Cailyn has continued a boots on the dock approach to connecting harvester’s with TBuck’s work and to listen to the needs and wants of the fishing community.


9. Exploring methods for community care
Cailyn has been brainstorming methods of community care and support for fish harvesters and our communities centering understanding of fish harvester’s needs around mental health and substance use.


10. Increasing security for independent prawn harvesters
We were part of a successful campaign to push back against a DFO ban of tubbing prawn tails at sea. Hannah worked alongside industry and partner organizations and community members like YOU, on a campaign that resulted in DFO reversing this ban.

11. Creating tools for fishery advocacy
Adrienne worked with fishing associations to create fishery footprints, documenting key locations important to local harvesters. These maps are now tools for the fishing associations to communicate the collective importance of these places and protect the viability of the fisheries they represent. 


12. Presenting our perspective and sharing our stories
Hannah has been strengthening the Foundation’s online presence, through videos, blog articles, social media and reports like this one more people have been able to connect with the work The TBuck Suzuki Foundation does.

 

Believe it or not, this is just the tip of the iceberg! Have a look at our Annual Report to read more about what we have put time into over the past year.