As of July 9, 2019, about 57,875 Sockeye have entered the Columbia River. It is estimated that
75-85% will return to the Okanagan. In total, we are anticipating there will be 60,000 sockeye
returning to the Columbia, with 45,000 to 51,000 sockeye heading to the Okanagan. These low returns are a result of poor migration conditions that affected the 2015 run. Since these
estimates are below 80,000, neither an economic nor recreational fishery will be considered.

Currently Syilx Okanagan Nation members are actively food fishing at sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ (swuhwuneet-kw) and nʕaylintn (ny-lin-tn) since the beginning of July and river temperatures have not increased where the sockeye have not fallen back into Osoyoos Lake. To support the food fishery the ONA does have two 16ft Lund boats with fishing gear available for community members to sign out. Individuals will require a truck to tow boat and boaters license and will need to return in working condition with same gear/equipment as it left with. We also have ice available at the hatchery in Penticton.

If food fishing, please have status card available as DFO enforcement will be out periodically making sure it is only the ONA Members fishing right now. Due to the low returns, for the time being, the ONA does not anticipate any communal distribution.

The ONA is dedicated to food sovereignty throughout the Nation. We sustain efforts at
diversifying our food fishery, incorporating a wide range of traditional species including bull
trout, sturgeon, and rainbow trout. In addition, we are committed to fostering education and
awareness about the need for protection and rejuvenation of all aquatic life and their habitats.
This includes Nation events, public signage initiatives, education programs like Fish in Schools (FinS), and outreach initiatives like the 2019 Okanagan Nation Fisheries Forum, which focused on the current and expanding operations of our fishery and stewardship responsibilities.

*ONA’s data sets are collected with the support of ONA’s CEC, CCT, PUDs, BPA and DFO, since 1995 using juvenile and adult biological traits such as abundance, age structure and survival estimates. It is one of the top ten richest data sets in the Columbia & BC for sockeye management.

Howie Wright, ONA Fisheries Manager
T: 1-250-718-5215
E: HWright@syilx.org

Tara Montgomery, ONA Communications Lead
T: 1-250-707-0095 ext.120
E: tmontgomery@syilx.org

Community Bulletin – Okanagan Nation 2019 sc’win (sockeye salmon) Return

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sɬuxʷqaynm (Castlegar), Syilx Territory: On June 24, 2019, as part of the Okanagan Nation Alliance’s (ONA) ongoing effort to bring salmon back to the Upper Columbia, a sockeye fry release and cpu taʔstm iʔ xaʔxʔitət uɬ ck ́aʕxtm iʔ ntytyix Salmon Ceremony took place at Millennium Park in sɬuxʷqaynm, BC. These actions are central to Syilx […]

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Okanagan Territory: The Chiefs of the Syilx Okanagan Nation welcome the May 2, 2019 decision of the British Columbia Court of Appeal in R. v. Desautel, recognizing and protecting Sinixt Aboriginal hunting rights in B.C. Sinixt are inextricably linked to our broader Syilx Okanagan Nation, sharing common language, culture, history, traditions and […]

The BC Wildfire Service, the Okanagan Nation Alliance and the Lower Similkameen Indian Band plan to conduct a 192-hectare prescribed burn near Crater Mountain, about 15 kilometres west of Keremeos. The burn is the first phase of a comprehensive, multi-year project that is intended to improve bighorn sheep habitat, reduce wildfire threats to nearby communities […]

scʕaxans nhithitwəl̓ (Peachland Watershed), Syilx Territory: On March 22, 2019, as part of World Water Day, the Okanagan Nation hosted the 5th annual siwɬkʷ (Water) Forum. This year’s theme was ‘Collaborative Approach to Water Resiliency: Protecting Our Headwaters’, and in collaboration with the Town of Peachland, focused on the health and protection of the scʕaxans […]

As part of Budget 2019, First Nations in British Columbia will have a stable, long-term source of funding to invest in their communities’ priorities, through a historic revenue-sharing agreement between the Province and the First Nations Leadership Council. Starting April 2019, approximately $3 billion over 25 years will be shared with B.C. First Nations, meaning […]

BRIEFING NOTE TO: UBCIC CHIEFS COUNCIL FROM: UBCIC EXECUTIVE DATE: FEB 19, 2019 RE: BC SPEECH FROM THE THRONE, 2019 PURPOSE To provide a summary and analysis of the reforms and initiatives presented in the Throne Speech delivered at the BC Legislature in Victoria. BACKGROUND Lieutenant-Governor Janet Austin initiated the spring session of BC legislature […]

Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, BC – On February 13, 2019, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), as part of the Fish in Schools (FinS) program, will deliver the final round of sc’win (sockeye salmon) eggs or fry to participating schools within the Columbia region of Syilx territory. ONA’s FinS is a comprehensive fish education program for […]

We would like to recognize BRIDGES participant Tara Stanley, Wey’ my name is Tara Stanley, my father is Bruce Abel from Westbank First Nation and my mother the late Theresa (Tess) Stanley from Akisq’nuk. My Maternal grandparents are the late Doreen Stanley (?Akisq’nuk) and the late Albert Ignatius (Yaqan Nukiy), my paternal grandparents are Edna […]

We would like to recognize BRIDGES participant Taylor Lezard,  My name is Taylor Lezard, I am from the Penticton Indian Band. An employment goal of mine is to find a career as an esthetician in a high end spa. I am continuously educating myself. I have just completed my esthetics program and am currently finishing off […]

Healthy Schools Cooking in the Classroom update: Since September 2018, ONA has provided to the Okanagan Schools through the Health Promoting Schools programming. Over 90 students, at 3 schools have had the opportunity to participate in cooking, and enjoying foods based learning at school! I hope the pictures convey the absolute excitement and joy the kids […]

One of the lowest returns in the past 10 years of scwin is expected in 2019. ONA biologists have analyzed a number of data sets*, and are currently forecasting lower than average returns of adult sc’win for the 2019 fishing season. In comparison to the previous 10-year avg., our predictions suggest there will be 50% […]

Musqueam Territory, Vancouver, British Columbia: Today, November 28, 2018, at the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Chan Center, ʔaʔsi wɬ  (Grand Chief Stewart Phillip) was awarded an honorary degree. On behalf of the Syilx Okanagan people, we want to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to ʔaʔsi wɬ for his years of hard work. It […]

As part of our continued conservation efforts, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is currently collecting broodstock gathering sockeye salmon eggs for the kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ Hatchery. It is recognized that Skaha and Okanagan Lake are nutrient poor when compared to Osoyoos Lake.  As with previous years, we will be restarting the Marine Nutrient Reintroduction Program. […]

(Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Territory/Kamloops, B.C. – October 3rd, 2018) The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is celebrating its 50th Annual General Assembly (AGA) this week, a gathering of over 100 Chiefs, proxies, and policy experts to discuss significant political and social issues that impact BC First Nations. The event is being held from October […]

As of July 27, 2018 about 193,038 Sockeye have entered the Columbia River. It is estimated that 85% of the return is Okanagan. We are anticipating there will be 209,000 sockeye returning in total. We estimate 70,000-75,000 sockeye have entered Osoyoos Lake with an estimate of about 10,000 to 15,000 sockeye in Skaha Lake. FOOD […]

Placer Mountain Fire Location: Approx. 37 km south of Princeton. Fire is located west of Ashnola River and Cathedral Park. The fire is not in the Park. Date of Discovery: July 17, 2018 Fire Size: 520 ha Status: Out of Control Cause: Lightning Resources: 22 firefighters, 4 helicopters, 8 pieces of heavy equipment and industry […]

At the 2018 ONA Annual General Assembly, on July 18th at saʔtikn at the Manning Park Resort, the Syilx Okanagan Nation Elders present and member Chiefs endorsed the  Iʔ Syilx iʔ sukʷnaqinx scqʷəlqʷiltət Syilx Okanagan Language Declaration. While the Council and Nation members signed as witnesses, drummers and singers provided spiritual significance to the signing […]

saʔtikn (Manning Park), Syilx Territory: The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) are proud to announce that our Annual General Assembly (AGA) will take place from July 17-19, 2018. This event provides Syilx people with the opportunity to gather as a Nation, to celebrate the many successes that have taken place for our people over the last […]

tkwəɬniwt (Westbank), Syilx Territory: The Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) is honored to announce the publication of “Take The Indian Out of the Child: Okanagan Syilx Experiences in the Violent and Forced Assimilation of Indian Residential Schools.” The official launch of the publication will take place on July 17, 2018, at 2:30 pm during the ONA’s […]

snpíntktn (Penticton), Syilx Territory: On July 3, 2018, the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) hosted the ‘Syilx Resiliency: A Day of Discussion on Healing’ Forum. This gathering is as part of the ongoing commitment of the ONA’s Chiefs Executive Council to support and honor the Syilx Indian Residential School (SIRS) Committee, as well as further dialogue […]