Hatchery Technician

kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation are a distinct BC First Nation whose traditional territory centers on the Coquitlam River Watershed and the surrounding areas. kʷikʷəƛ̓əm draw our name “Red Fish Up the River” from a run of sockeye salmon that once flourished in the Coquitlam River and Coquitlam Lake prior to the construction of the Coquitlam Dam. Our name reflects the strong connection our people have always had to our lands, and the river and lake at the heart of our traditional territory.

The traditional language of the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm people is hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓. Our people descended from Elders who were renowned as spirit and winter dancers, skilled canoe builders and master sturgeon and salmon fishers. The Nation is committed to building a strong, self-governing Nation which honors our rich culture, language and history and is based on ancient Coast Salish laws and protocols. Today, as in the past, we are guided by our teachings of our ancestors to be stewards and guardians of our lands and water for past, present, and future generations.

kʷikʷəƛ̓əm sockeye have been extirpated from the Coquitlam Watershed since 1914 following the construction of the Coquitlam dam.

Since 2003, there have been efforts to re-establish this once vibrant sockeye stock. We have begun to use hatchery enhancement as a tool to better understand the intricacies of restoring this sockeye population.

Come join the team! Be a part of the journey as a Hatchery Technician at the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm t́ák̓ʷ Hatchery.

As a Hatchery Technician (Full-Time 8-month contract), you will help with a wide variety of activities involved with hatchery operations and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm sockeye restoration.

Your work will be mostly outdoors in the Coquitlam Watershed Water Supply Protection Area where the hatchery is located. Under the direction of the Hatchery Manager, your work will follow the seasonal variation of working salmon in the various life stages and may involve a variety of tasks associated with kʷikʷəƛ̓əm sockeye restoration which will include:

• Daily husbandry for fish on site (tub cleaning, feeding, equipment clean up and disinfection)
• Fish trap monitoring & enumeration
• Sockeye processing into holding at the hatchery
• Broodstock care and treatment
• Residualized sockeye brood stock capture and transport
• Gamete collection and fertilization
• Salmon transport and release
• Equipment setup and routine maintenance
• Biological sampling
• Assisting with planning and conducting hatchery tours
• Actively participating in the hatchery safety program
• Safe use of chemicals and treatments
• Facility maintenance (i.e. operating and maintaining the hatchery grounds)

In addition, work activities may involve tasks in support of the Kwikwetlem Salmon Restoration Program including:

• Fish exclusion fence setup/removal
• Rotary screw trap operations
• Thermal refuge works
• Salmon habitat refurbishment and/or habitat enhancement

Minimum 2-year post-secondary school diploma in fish & wildlife, aquaculture (fish culture) or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Any experience in the following areas would be an asset for this role:

• Knowledge in Pacific salmon identification, biology and aspects of Pacific salmon culture techniques.
• Knowledge in the general operation of a salmon hatchery and the specific requirements for culturing sockeye salmon (i.e. Alaska sockeye protocol).
• Knowledge of fish health management plans as they relate to hatchery facility operation and aquaculture license requirements.
• Knowledge of managing and maintaining hatchery records in spreadsheets (MS Excel) and paper files.
• Experience working in outdoor environments. This could include working outdoors on fishery, forestry, and park projects or other labor relevant to hatcheries.
• Experience operating and maintaining equipment (such as pumps, and other mechanical equipment) associated with a fish culture facility / salmon hatchery including hatchery recirculation systems.
• Experience working cooperatively with a diverse range of stakeholders and partners to execute the program (e.g. DFO, other First Nations, volunteers, and other stakeholders including other levels of government (e.g. BC Hydro, Metro…