Fisheries Update
Sockeye
The mii’aht (sockeye) season is once again wrapping up for 2010 with healthy catches all around. The total catch for the two bands saw a total of approximately 100,000+ sockeye being caught with Hupacasath catching one third. The drag seine at Paper Mill Dam was also bountiful this year thanks to the efforts of our fishers and many thanks to Tseshaht for allowing us unto their territory once again Tleco! Tleco! The escapement levels into Sproat and Great Central lakes is also looking moderately healthy with sockeye and still counting.
Monitoring of Spawning Escapements
Counting fence installation, carried out by Hupacasath First Nation technicians and DFO Stock Assessment staff: Hupacasath fisheries program staff commenced installation of the fish counting structures and electronic apparatus at the Sproat River and the Great Central Lake fishways on May 12. Installation of Pulsar Electronic Fish Counters, tunnels and batteries provided by DFO was completed and tested by May 20. Escapement counts and calibrations with passing adult and jack sockeye commenced May 21. GCL counter was removed in early September with Sproat will remain in operation until early October.
Stamp Falls counting facility has been operational since September 2 employing 3 of our members. During the past 12 days. Total escapement through Stamp Falls to September 13 is 6000 Chinook, 9000 Coho and 30,000 Sockeye. Sockeye escapement through both Great Central Lake and Sproat Lake counters requires further analysis at this time. No additional data is available at present. Stamp Falls enumeration has been fully operational so far with no shut downs. River flows are moderate for this time of year. River temperature is 17oC.
The Chinook season started with no sales agreement, our first food fish opening was on Sunday August 28 and again Sept 8, catch to date stands at 1200 Chinook for Hupacasath.
ESSR will commence operation early next week (Sept 28) employing 3-4 of our members. Members who worked in past seasons with experience were rehired; this program will be operational for approximately 4-5 weeks.
A Chum/Coho food fishery is scheduled for noon Sunday to noon Monday with no sales at this point in time. With a boundary at Polly Point seaward, further openings have yet to be scheduled.
Any questions regarding any of the above please forward to the Fisheries Office.
“Chuu”
Forest Resources Report
As per the work plan, there is some fill planting to finish up this month for the spring plant along with some cedar coning maintenance that is ever going. We have a good inventory of cedar now that is planted at the end of Burde Street and will be there for the next generations to use.
There is also have some brushing maintenance that needs to done this fall to control Maple Coppice and any other invasive species from retarding the planted stock.
Regeneration surveys of all blocks will be due this January and need to be submitted to meet compliance. I will be able to create a small amount of employment to complete these obligations.
The Occupational Health and Safety manual will need to be amended and updated along with our auditing submission by the end of December.
We are currently evaluating some logging operations to take advantage of some markets and also finish off some road construction that is under permit.
There are some value added products and Bio-energy opportunities that I am involved in and will hopefully come to fruition in the near future.
B.C. Timber Sales (BCTS)) is trying to work with us to generate employment through Silviculture contracts; we are still in negotiations and starting to understand each others objectives.
There is firewood available for cutting on the woodlot please see me for the key when you are ready to go up there. I will make an effort to try and help members that would like wood to burn wood but are physically incapable and or have no help or means of getting wood.
Please call
Warren Lauder
Forest Resources Manager
Hupacasath First Nation
250-724-4041 ext 27
Report on Housing
At present there are 18 people on the waiting list for rental housing. Mostly singles applications and 4 families. Unfortunately, we are unable to fill those needs as we have no vacancies.
The CMHC RRAP program is always available to residents; the focus of which is renovating to upgrade and increase the energy efficiency in your home. All members are eligible for this program provided that their yearly income does not exceed $37,000. We have 5 RRAP applications approved this year and hopefully we can continue to take advantage of this program.
The Home Adaptation for Seniors Initiative is another CMHC funded program that is offered to pensioners living in their own homes. The scope of the work is geared towards providing devices and or methods that will assist seniors with mobility issues: An example would be access ramps, levered taps or door knobs, lowering kitchen cabinets etc. Again the only requirement is the $37,000 income ceiling.
Please contact me for any and all information regarding these programs.
Kleekhoot Water Service
The pre design phase of a city water service proposal to Kleekhoot has been approved and kudos to Daniel Watts for spearheading this venture.
Housing Committee Posting
The Housing Committee is in need of more member participation, this is a voluntary position; but the pizza and snacks will be priceless. We meet normally every 3 months for a few hours one evening to discuss housing related business: So come early for the good seats as we usually start at 5pm.
Social Development Report – Paulette Tatoosh
The following report is an amended version of the report that was prepared for the band meeting of September 16, 2010.
My work from April 1, 2010 to September 15, 2010 has included the following tasks/activities:
Standard duties related to the social development monthly and yearly cycle: processing social assistance applications; updating files; processing monthly social assistance cheques; matching incentive workers with community work requests; completing a weekly social; development cheque requisition;
Started and monitored the following four Work Opportunity Programs: (1) Cutting Wedge Pizza (Restaurant Worker); (2) Hupacasath Housing (Housing Renovation/Maintenance Laborer); (3) Hupacasath Elders’ Fitness Program Coordinator/Assistant; (4) Hupacasath Office Assistant. Work Opportunity projects are an opportunity for a person to get into employment areas where he or she can learn, practice and development job skills and adapt to a working environment. Along the way, I have noticed that matching incentive workers with community work activities doesn’t always easily happen. For example, we could be more coordinated in our efforts to match incentive workers with community work that needs to be done. For example, we could post a list of incentive activities that need to be done and community members who are receiving social assistance could check the list and get in touch with myself and/or the person who needs the work done. Families with children are allowed to earn an extra $200.00 per month and single people can earn $100.00 per month
Annual Update/Review: (1) Met with Social assistant clients to renew applications and information for the purpose of creating new files starting from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011; (2) Reviewed 2009/10 files to ensure completeness and submitted 10 files to Hupacasath CEO for review. Annual Review form submitted to NTC; (3) stored 2007-2009 client files in the archives
Elders Fitness Program: (1) Completed required funder’s progress report; (2) Working with Elders’ Fitness Program Assistant to get program up and running; (3) Have had two elders’ lunch meetings; (4) Bought some tax exempt equipment (2 big screen TVs, 2 DVD players, 2 Wii Fitness games and six yoga mats; (5) Bought a treadmill; (6) Plans to upgrade exercise room (installing vents in wall and door, setting up a fan and installing high shelves for storage; (7) Watch for October elder fitness program calendar with suggested activities. Depending on the weather, outdoor activities may change to indoor activities.
The elders’ fitness program belongs to our community elders. Thank you to the elders who have been participating and giving feedback on what need to be done to get this program up and running. We are trying to make the activities accessible and inviting for elders with different fitness interests and time schedules.
NCB Family Program: The National Child Benefit Reinvestment Strategy Funding is used for: Assisting parents and youth with employment-related needs, such as work clothes and first aid training; (2) Assisting families with food, clothing and shelter needs; (3) snacks for tutoring program. In August, this program helped with the cultural camp that was hosted at Tseshaht First Nation.
Community Service: During the course of my work day, I respond to calls from other workers and community members requesting assistance with different concerns that include medical expenses, homemaking and Home and Community Care assessments.
Next Three Months – Sept 15/2010-Dec 15/2010
Over the next three months, I plan to complete all job-required duties and reports. Plus my focus will be on encouraging community members to participate in employment-related activities, such as Work Opportunity programs, adult upgrading, trades training and job searches. If there is time remaining within my 25 hour week, I will submit proposals for social programs.
Natural Resource Department
Cathedral Grove
This project entailed bringing a portion of the trail area up to BC Parks standards including split rail fencing to keep visitor on the trails. Work included re-surfacing portions of the trail and installing split rail fencing to prevent the trampling of plants.
MacMillan Park area lies within the Hupacasath First Nation traditional territory and we used seven Hupacasath members to complete the required work. Work started in October and lasted for eight weeks. It should be noted that this project could easily span multiple years should funding be available.
The work was completed through grant money.
Elsie Lake Archaeology
Archaeology takes place for two week every October this is the only time the Lake is at low enough levels to conduct sub-surface evaluations. The Elsie Lake site is the oldest Archaeological on Vancouver Island. If anyone is interested the Hupacasath has an open door policy every Friday and people are more than welcome come in and learn more about this process.
Marmot Recovery
The Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment reintroduced Marmots in one of the Sub Alpine mountains in the Nahmint Valley. We released three females and one male. The work is on-going and grant money is being used to conduct this work.
Sturgeon
Currently we are working with Vancouver Island University on innovative ideas on creating an on land fish farm that may include Sturgeon, trout Tilapia and Coho. We are seeking out grant money to work on a Business Plan and feasibility study.
Petroglyphs Discovery at Great Central Lake
The Department is lobbying for funds to document and make a copy of the five new petroglyphs the Hupacasath field crews discovered on Great Central Lake.
Wikininish Center
Over the last two years I have been working with other NUU-CHAH-NULTH Nations and Parks Canada to incorporate a more accurate account of our history in the Wikkininish Interpretative center the end result will be showcased in 2011 at the Grand opening.
Mediation
The NRD department has been tasked over the last year to do numerous mapping exercises and groundtruthing for the Mediation process I have been working on this in collaboration with the Forestry department, Mediation advisory board, and CEO on these tasks.
Referrals
Referrals are worked on a day to day basis and these are some of the areas I am closely involved in:
CHR surveys
Arrowsmith Mastiff Co-Management Agreement and Plan
Forestry
Integrated Land Management Bureau
Education
School is back in session and we are setting up student allowance deposits. We have to wait until the month ends and then for the schools to send us their attendance reports (some of which we are still waiting for). If your child is in grade 6 this year and eligible for student allowance (HFN Band members only) please come to the office to obtain a direct deposit form.
I attended an Education Coordinator workshop in September which was presented by INAC and the First Nations Education Steering Committee. Some of the topics covered were the Education Programs & Services handbook, Post-secondary education funding (guidelines and methodology), Elementary-Secondary funding & budget, Nominal Roll training and Compliance Reviews. It was a very full 2 days.
VC.
Medical
The nurses are currently setting the schedule for this year’s flu shots; we will let you know as soon as our date has been confirmed (late Oct/early Nov.).
On October 12th Warren and I attended the Nuu-chah-nulth Health Caucus meeting at Tseshaht to discuss the progress of the Tripartite First Nations Health Plan. Cliff Atleo is the NCN representative at the First Nations Health Council where he brings forward our concerns and recommendations. There is a Vancouver Island Caucus in Nanaimo at the end of this month that I hope to be attending on our behalf.
We are now able to process patient travel for any Hupacasath Band member whether you live on or off reserve. This means that if you live in Port Alberni but off reserve, you no longer have to go to the Friendship Centre. Please remember to try and give us 1-2 weeks prior notice to the appointment to allow for processing time.
Vanessa Charlong
