New research confirms that Tsleil-Waututh Nation has consistently and sustainably fished for chum salmon for 1,200 years longer than the archaeological record had previously demonstrated.
This supports Tsleil-Waututh knowledge and further demonstrates that Tsleil-Waututh people have been sustainably living on and stewarding their traditional territory for longer than Western science may recognize.
Researchers from Tsleil-Waututh Nation and UBC analyzed 245 salmon bones gathered as part of an archaeological dig in the 1960s and 1970s from təmtəmíxʷtən, a large and important site for the Nation located near what many British Columbians now know as Belcarra.
Extension of time
The research builds on a previous study which showed that the Nation sustainably and preferentially fished for chum salmon for 1,300 years, from about 400 BC to 1200.
Using carbon dating on eight new samples, the researchers extended this period of time a further 1,200 years, confirming Tsleil-Waututh ancestors fished for salmon from about 850 BC to 1650.
Old chums
They found that chum salmon were the most commonly fished, and were caught consistently over the entire period. This consistency and the fact that chum are particularly sensitive to overfishing both point to a sustainable chum fishery under Tsleil-Waututh Nation stewardship, says co-author Michelle George.
Lessons to learn
The research points to the lessons to be learned from Tsleil-Waututh Nation stewardship, including around sustainable, selective salmon fisheries that focus not on extraction but on long-term ecosystem health, says first author Meaghan Efford, a doctoral candidate in the UBC Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries.
Today, March 3rd, is 100 Days to Go before FIFA World Cup 2026™ is hosted in Vancouver and in our shared, traditional territory.
Our səlilwətaɬ elected leaders, Elders, language teachers, soccer players & champions, and our siʔáḿθət School students are excited to show what 100 Days to Go means to them!
Check out the new Stewardship Initiatives Map created by səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation)’s Treaty, Lands and Resources Department to summarize previous and ongoing work that contributes to restoring the health of səlilwət (Burrard Inlet).
Congratulations to Tsleil-Waututh artist Ocean Hyland for designing the Vancouver Canucks’ new First Nations Celebration logo. Her beautiful work honours our Tsleil-Waututh Nation’s coastal connection, including the orca, the wolf, the eagle, and the raven.
Alongside leaders from Musqueam Indian Band and Squamish Nation, we were recognized on the Power 50 list for advancing the City of Vancouver’s UNDRIP Action Plan, bringing affordable housing to Vancouver residents through the Attainable Housing Initiative, and shaping the hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Vancouver.
The səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation) Natural Resource Planning Team is excited to announce significant progress on the Whey-ah-Wichen shoreline restoration project. This fall saw the completion of the upland portion of the project. Perhaps the most exciting feature is a new picnic shelter, located between the boat launch and Wally’s Burgers, which features səlilwətaɬ red posts and yellow cedar beams.
BCAA’s Evolve E-Bike Share is expanding services to səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), and by extending service along Dollarton Highway into Parkgate and Deep Cove. The new partnership between səlilwətaɬ and Evolve focuses on improving access to transport for Members within the community and enhancing connections with neighbouring communities.
