Chief Jerry Jack, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation As 2025 draws to a close, we’re looking back at some of the big wins for salmon this year. In September, a threatened population of Chinook salmon benefited from $1.3 million worth of restoration work in the Nootka Sound region of Vancouver Island. Just a month after construction was completed, hundreds of salmon were seen spawning at the restored site. “This project is a big deal,” says Jason Hwang, Chief Program Officer and

A highlight for NSWS in 2025 was connecting with the amazing team at Island Fisherman Magazine in the summer to chat about the unique history of fishing in Nootka Sound, where stunning scenery and world class fishing has attracted anglers for many decades, and how it's evolved to remain a successful and sustainable fishery. If you haven't had a chance to read the Island Fisherman Magazine Publication from July, here it is: This article features the collaborative effort that

December, 2025 Credit - Pacific Salmon Foundation Members of the PSF team, Vanessa Moll (MMFN) and Kent O'Neill (NSWS) at the Muchalat River project site. (photo credit - PSF) " Thank you for standing with us in this critical work — together, we can help accelerate salmon recovery." -PSF We stand with you PSF for salmon conservation and recovery and look forward to continued partnership and recovery efforts in 2026. Thank you to PSF for supporting this project, among multiple

Ha-Silth-Sa Publication December 5, 2025 By Nora O'Malley An excavator places high-grade spawning gravel along the outflow area of Muchalat Lake this August as part of a collaborative Chinook salmon revival initiative. (Photo credit - Kent O’Neill) Nootka Sound, BC Optimism for the future of Chinook salmon is swimming up Muchalat River near the town of Gold River, B.C. in Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nations (MMFN) territory.  Kent O’Neill, president of the Nootka Sound Watershe

Photo credit Pacific Salmon Foundation November 20, 2025

Microtrolling in Nootka Sound is a valuable tool for scientists and researchers to monitor population, study migration patterns, and more.

A project to protect a significant portion of Mowachaht/Muchalaht territory has been pledged $15-million from the federal government,...

In partnership with Ecofish Research and Strategic Natural Resource Consultants , the Nootka Sound Watershed Society prepared an...

Sharing on behalf of Mowachaht Muchalaht First Nation; The NSWS will be aiding in brood stock capture on the Gold River on September 16th...

There are multiple fishing derbies in Nootka Sound and Esperanza Inlet each summer, all with the same goal - to raise funds for local...

Join the Nootka Sound Watershed Society and engage in habitat restoration, fundraising, salmon enhancement, and education outreach in...

Join the NSWS as we monitor the Tahsis River Estuary this spring and aid in coast wide efforts to determine where and when juvenile...

Interpretive signs highlighting the project's key themes and scope were developed and installed as a part of the Coastal Restoration Fund...

The Nootka Sound Watershed Society (NSWS) is pleased to announce that its 3-year riparian restoration project is nearing completion....

September 27, Rivers Day celebrates 40 years - an important initiative started in BC that is now an international event. Bringing...

Part of the plan Karenn and I made was that I'd start my PSfF Stream Walk photo project of the Conuma River separately as it was around...

Steelhead are at-risk in the iconic Gold River on Vancouver Island’s west coast; a river know for over a century as a premier steelhead...

Day Two and Karenn and I were headed back to Tahsis. My focus was the Pacific Streamkeepers Federation (PSkF), Stream Walks project which...

Day one of six volunteer days with the Nootka Sound Watershed (NSWS) and Pacific Streamkeepers (PSkF) with Karenn Bailey. We began our...