Fish Habitat Management

Objectives Management Direction/Strategies Measures of Success/Targets Intent
1. Improve knowledge and access to information about fish habitat and populations 1.1 First Nations knowledge of the plan area fisheries resource should be incorporated in fish and fish habitat inventories Information available about fish populations and habitat
1.2 Forest development proponents and agencies should complete fish and fish habitat inventories according to priorities identified in consultation with agencies and interests. Coordinate inventory efforts with WLAP and MSRM agency workplans
1.3 Identify and map spawning, rearing and staging/holding congregation areas within all streams during inventories
1.4 Identify and classify all fish bearing streams and direct tributaries to fish bearing streams.
1.5 Government agencies, Crown corporations and others completing inventories should provide their data and maps to the Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management
1.6 Maintain and update the fish distribution maps, and the database of fish distribution and fish habitat as new information becomes available
1.7 Government agencies are to make fish distribution and fish habitat information available to resource users and resource managers, including First Nations. Maps and data indicating locations where species are vulnerable (e.g. bull trout congregation areas, key sturgeon habitat) must only be used for resource management planning, and must not be widely distributed
2. Restore and improve integrity of priority watersheds 2.1 Complete priority watershed restoration projects Completed watershed restoration projects Use the Lillooet Forest District Watershed Screen Tool (August, 2000) and detailed watershed assessments
2.2 Annually WLAP, the Ministry of Forests (MOF) and DFO should solicit information from First Nations, tenure holders and the public to cooperatively rank priority watershed restoration projects, and define project responsibilities
2.3 Implement restoration activities, such as road deactivation, and revegetation of riparian zones within priority watersheds, where watershed management plans indicate, to restore watershed integrity to pre-disturbance conditions where possible
3. Establish and/or maintain adequate water flows and hydroelectric reservoir levels to maintain fish and fish habitat 3.1 Gaps in reservoir inflow and outflow data should be filled through further inventory by government agencies and hydroelectric operators Fish habitat supported by hydroelectric reservoir levels and downstream water flows
3.2 Address water flow and reservoir levels in the Seton, Lower and Middle Bridge watersheds through implementation of the Bridge River Water Use Plan, September 2003
3.3 Using procedures defined by the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, operators of existing small scale power plants or proponents of new facilities should determine water flow regimes necessary to maintain fish and fish habitat for review by WLAP and DFO during proposal evaluation
3.4 Consider the following during water use planning for existing or additional hydroelectric facilities:

  • fish and fish habitat should not be adversely affected;
  • the water budget should be reallocated to balance requirements with fish habitat;
  • impacts from regulated flows on natural hydrological and sediment regimes, such as lack of gravel recruitment and disruption of natural fish movement patterns, should be reduced by developing flow and sediment transport regimes that mimic the natural hydrological cycle as much as possible; and
  • the frequency and magnitude of damaging spills should be minimized at facilities on Bridge and Seton River
4. Reduce fish mortality due to funnelling (entrainment) into hydroelectric turbines 4.1 BC Hydro, DFO and WLAP should work cooperatively to improve the understanding of how fish are funnelled (entrained) into hydroelectric turbines Limited fish mortality due to hydroelectric turbines
4.2 During the water use planning processes, alternative operational practices to reduce fish entrainment and mortality should be examined
4.3 Implement initiatives to minimize fish kill in turbines and intakes (i.e., hydro-acoustics, screening, louvers)
5. Develop and implement appropriate practices for designated temperature sensitive streams 5.1 Identify and designate temperature sensitive streams by:

  • Reviewing fish distribution maps and biogeoclimatic zone maps to identify areas where temperature sensitive streams may exist
  • Considering the Crown land versus non-Crown land impacts on temperatures in potentially sensitive streams
  • Collecting additional information on stream temperatures (particularly in upland areas) to identify remaining cool water refugia
Temperature sensitive streams inventoried & designated Development and application of appropriate forest management practices for temperature sensitive streams
5.2 Develop practices that are appropriate for the conditions in the plan area to provide shade on identified temperature sensitive streams and their direct tributaries. Include these practices in operational plans
5.3 Consider aspect, slope, and other biophysical features of the basin(s) around temperature sensitive streams and their tributaries when developing appropriate practices for particular sites
6. Where stream temperatures are currently above tolerance levels for fish, where feasible, implement strategies to reduce temperatures to tolerable levels 6.1 The Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans should communicate the temperature sensitive streams needing rehabilitation broadly in local communities and to stewardship groups to encourage rehabilitation projects Rehabilitation projects completed to reduce stream temperatures to tolerable levels for fish
6.2 Rehabilitation projects should be reviewed by WLAP and DFO for technical feasibility
7. Maintain fish and fish habitat during development of utility corridors, roads and subdivisions 7.1 Development proponents and agencies should communicate through referrals, best management practices, professional reliance and other existing operational level procedures to identify practices and alternatives to maintain fish and fish habitat
7.2 Implement practices during development to minimize sedimentation and loss of riparian habitat