Land & Waters

We assert our rights, title, and Indigenous law over 7,200 square kilometers of combined land and marine ecosystems. Historically, our economic system was based on seasonal movements to family-owned resource procurement sites, including a late-spring zàcxvən fishery on the Wànukv River.

Today, we continue to exercise our responsibility as caretakers to manage our marine resources based on ’Wuìk̓inux̌v laws, knowledge, and values. Through collaborative partnerships like CCIRA, we are actively involved in establishing Indigenous-led marine reserves, such as the Mia-yaltwa Ha’lidzogm hoon initiative, to safeguard vulnerable fish stocks and coastal ecosystems from over exploitation.

We are surrounded by wilderness and wildlife, including both grizzly and black bears. Here in the village, our community guardians and our dogs are the ones who actively protect us from the bears that pass through.

Out on the water, our Coastal Guardians act as the vital first responders for our territory. When a 7,000+L diesel spill threatened Rivers Inlet, our Guardians arrived days before government agencies, safely containing 90% of the spill and protecting culturally and ecologically vital estuaries like Kilbella Bay. Our Guardians are also dedicated to restoring our shorelines. In partnership with the Rugged Coast Research Society, our Guardians, youth, and Elders successfully cleared over 96 kilometers of remote coastlines, removing over 20,000 lbs of hazardous marine debris, including massive abandoned commercial fishing nets.

Our economic and cultural survival is rooted in our ancestral seasonal cycles. In response to declining numbers of the legendary, world-class Wànukv River (aka Wannock) Chinook salmon, the ’Wuìk̓inux̌v Nation partnered with conservation foundations and local fishing lodges to build the Percy Walkus Hatchery. Founded by ’Wuìk̓inux̌v Elder Percy Walkus, his memory continues to inspire young people to cherish and protect the fisheries.

The hatchery initiative focuses on a careful, low-impact egg harvesting and fry release program, which helps the salmon populations rebound without overpopulating the river with hatchery fish. This effort operates alongside a community-wide transition to a 100% catch-and-release ethos, ensuring our salmon are protected for future generations.