Haida Marine Traditional Knowledge Study Volume 1: Methods and Results Summary Prepared for: Council of the Haida Nation by: Haida Marine Traditional Knowledge Study Participants, Janet Winbourne, and Haida Oceans Technical Team, Haida Fisheries Program August 18, 2011 Haida Marine Traditional Knowledge Study Participants Massett Skidegate Wesley Bell Diane Brown Oliver Bell Judson Brown John Bennett Conrad Collinson Robert Bennett Dempsey Collinson Robin Brown Willie Davies Stephen Brown Ernie Gladstone Vince Collison Tommy Greene Ernest Davis Tom Hans Robert (Tubby) Davis Herb Jones BJ Dudoward Roy Jones Sr. Dean & Madeleine Edgars David Martynuik Margaret Edgars Roberta Olson Timmy Edgars Paul Pearson Henry Hageman Vince Pearson Francis Ingram Wally Pelton Claude Jones Jack Pollard Kelly Jones Wally Pollard Reynold & June Russ Norman Price Willie Russ Jr. Ed Russ Edgar Sills Frank Russ Monte Stewart-Burton Gary Russ Mary Swanson Gladys Vandal Judy Williams Harvey Williams Martin Williams Percy Williams Rolly Williams Bert Wilson Vern Williams Sr. Ernie Wilson Richard Wilson (Captain Gold) Lonnie Young Companion Reports: Volume 2: Seascape Unit Summary Volume 3: Focal Species Summary Front cover photos (clockwise from top left): Russ Jones interviewing Dempsey Collinson – Dolly Garza; Interview participant Ernie Wilson – Leah Young; Salmon in smokehouse – Lynn Lee; Laskeek Bay kelp forest – Bart DeFreitas; Interview participant Edgar Sills – Colleen Williams. Back cover: North Beach and Tow Hill – Janet Winbourne. All other photos Haida Oceans Technical Team unless noted. Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge the funders of this study, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Gwaii Trust Society, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada through the Aboriginal and Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management (AAROM) program. In addition, we would like to acknowledge each of the 56 participants who took time to share their knowledge with us; this study would not have been possible without them. A short biography and photograph of each participant is included at the end of this report. It is with sadness that we note the passing of seven of our study participants, Chief Skidegate Dempsey Collinson, Madeline Edgars, Chief Iljuuwass of Massett Reynold Russ, Willie Russ Jr., Edgars Sills, Monte Stewart-Burton, and Chief Niis Wes of Skedans Ernie Wilson. We will cherish the wisdom and insights that they have left with us through their words. Dedication “… my hopes and dreams for the future are that my grandchildren, my future grandchildren, and their grandchildren will be able to go out on the low tide, harvest clams, cockles, mussels, abalone, herring roe on kelp, and continue to live as we are, on the bounties of the ocean.” (Diane Brown, Speaking at Gaaysiigang – An Ocean Forum for Haida Gwaii, Jan. 2009) 18 August 2011. Volume 1. i Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................ i Table of Contents ............................................................................... ii List of Figures .................................................................................... iii Haida Names for Some Marine Species in the Northern Massett and Southern Skidegate Dialects .............................................................. iv Introduction – “We came out of the ocean…” ..................................... 1 TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND MARINE PLANNING ............................................................................................................. 3 HAIDA GWAII – “THE ISLANDS OF THE PEOPLE” ................................................................................................................... 4 Study Methods .................................................................................. 8 OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................................................. 8 INTERVIEWS .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 Mapping ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 Ethics and Confidentiality ........................................................................................................................... 11 LIMITATIONS ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 INFORMATION MANAGEMENT, STORAGE AND ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................... 12 COMMUNITY VERIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF INFORMATION ............................................................................................. 12 Results Summary ............................................................................. 16 1. INTERVIEW PRODUCTS .............................................................................................................................................. 16 The HMTK Database ................................................................................................................................... 18 Reporting .................................................................................................................................................... 20 2. HAIDA MARINE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE .................................................................................................................. 20 3. HAIDA TRADITIONS IN FISHING AND GATHERING ........................................................................................................... 24 The Seasonal Round .................................................................................................................................... 29 Marine Harvesting and Movement Patterns ............................................................................................... 33 Activities near the Mainland and Offshore ..................................................................................................................... 36 Fisheries .................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Travel ......................................................................................................................................................................... 38 4. HMTK SAMPLE RESULTS FOR SALMON ....................................................................................................................... 41 5. SPECIES TRENDS AND STEWARDSHIP ISSUES .................................................................................................................. 47 Conclusions and Recommendations for Further Research ................. 52 Participant Profiles .......................................................................... 53 MASSETT PARTICIPANTS ................................................................................................................................................ 53 SKIDEGATE PARTICIPANTS .............................................................................................................................................. 60 Literature Cited ................................................................................ 67 18 August 2011. Volume 1. ii Attachment 1: Traditional Knowledge Interview Guides ................... 70 Attachment 2: Sample Introductory Letter ....................................... 83 Attachment 3: Informed Consent Statement .................................... 85 Attachment 4: Database Field Definitions ......................................... 87 List of Figures Figure 1: The Raven and the First Men, sculpture in yellow cedar by Bill Reid. ............................. 1 Figure 2: Map showing the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area (PNCIMA) and First Nations communities involved in PNCIMA marine use planning, including Haida Gwaii and surrounding marine territory. ......................................................................................................... 4 Figure 3: Part of the Massett salmon fishing fleet anchored at Henslung Cove in the 1990s, when 220 boats protested the expansion of recreational fishing lodges on Langara Island. ........ 6 Figure 4: Project manager Russ Jones and videographer Dafne Romero interviewing Dempsey Collinson. ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Figure 5: Coho fishing areas identified by participants and mapped as a) individual polygons, b) merged polygons, and c) with a measure of frequency of identification. ................................... 14 Figure 6: Skidegate verification sessions. ..................................................................................... 15 Figure 7: Flow chart showing the types of products resulting from the HMTK work to date. ..... 17 Figure 8: Pie chart showing the proportion of cultural and ecological database records. .......... 18 Figure 9: Pie chart showing proportion of records