The first ever KSNC Sturgeon Cultural Camp was held on September 21-22, 2022.

The event was hosted by Fox Lake Cree Nation (FLCN) at their beautiful Cultural Camp north of Gillam, near Fox Lake and the Limestone GS. Elders, youth, and resource users from FLCN and York Factory First Nation (YFFN), and KSNC committee members participated in the event. Activities included resource users demonstrating how to set sturgeon nets on the Nelson River, Elders filleting sturgeon while sharing stories of traditional uses, boiling and smoking sturgeon, and water quality sampling on the Nelson River.

The importance of sustainable harvest, conservation, and respect were central themes echoed by the Elders and resource users throughout the event.

On June 15, 2017, the KSNC hosted a Lake Sturgeon stocking event at the Butnau marina, outside of Gillam MB. Approximately 30 youth, elders and community members from Fox Lake Cree Nation, Tataskweyak Cree Nation and War Lake First Nation gathered to release Lake Sturgeon yearlings (originating from Birthday Rapids brood stock and reared at the Grand Rapids Fish Hatchery) back into the Nelson River. The intent of the event was to engage community members in sturgeon stewardship activities, and build awareness of the KSNC. Participants had an opportunity to look at and hold the fish, ask questions of KSNC committee members, and complete Lake Sturgeon educational activity booklets. After the release, participants gathered back in town for refreshments, presentation on the KSNC and discussion.

The KSNC was invited to present during the Manitoba Hydro Boat Patrollers Training week.  On May 26, 2017, two KSNC members attended the training and spoke  to the boat patrollers about the KSNC, our goals and strategies, and how we hope the boat patrollers can assist us by acting as KSNC ambassadors on the water.  The presentation was well received, with lots of discussion and questions from the group.

In 2016, the KSNC provided support for War Lake First Nation and Tataskweyak Cree Nation members, elders and students to attend a Lake Sturgeon yearling stocking event in the Burntwood River.  The intent of the event was to engage community members in sturgeon stewardship activities, and build awareness of the KSNC. Participants had an opportunity to look at and hold the fish, ask questions of KSNC committee members, and participate in a ceremonial release.

In 2016, after a series of facilitated committee and community workshops, the KSNC stewardship plan was drafted.

The KSNC identified a need to develop a stewardship plan to guide future activities. To achieve this, the committee decided to pursue a strategic planning process to define the vision, goals and objectives of the committee and to develop a corresponding short list of priority projects and activities.

As a key part of this process, the KSNC hosted a three day workshop on Lake Sturgeon in the Lower Nelson River from February 24-26, 2015, at the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre in Thompson, MB.

KSNC members from each of Tataskweyak Cree Nation (TCN), War Lake First Nation (WLFN), Fox Lake Cree Nation (FLCN), York Factory First Nation (YFFN), and Shamattawa First Nation (SFN) invited community members to participate, including elders, resource users and youth. Representatives from Manitoba Hydro, Keeyask Hydropower Limited Partnership (KHLP), Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship, the Nelson River Sturgeon Board, Rainy River First Nations and North/South Consultants also participated.

Logo Development

To identify the committee in a way that is recognizable and memorable, discussion throughout the year led to the development of five potential logos which were based on artwork by Darcy Wastesicoot and Stanley Spence. Each participant at the February workshop was asked to cast a ballot for their first, second and third choice and an overwhelming favorite emerged, which the committee adopted as the KSNC logo.

The KSNC retained a consultant to use the information from the workshop to produce a stewardship plan. The workshop proceedings were summarized in a report available here.

In January 2015, the KSNC provided funding to send several students from War Lake First Nation to visit the Grand Rapids Fish Hatchery. Hatchery staff showed the students how sturgeon are cared for at the facility, provided educational videos on sturgeon biology and discussed conservation efforts for the species in the province. The highlight of the visit was a relay where students participated in a race that incorporated various production activities including egg collection and stocking. The students learned about sturgeon conservation in an enjoyable tour of the hatchery, and left with a better understanding about sturgeon and the role that the hatchery has in conserving Lake Sturgeon populations in Manitoba.

In June 2014, members of the committee traveled to the Nelson River Sturgeon Board spawn camp on the Landing River. By observing, members learned about the collection of sturgeon eggs and milt and the process by which the eggs are fertilized and sent to Grand Rapids Hatchery for incubation and rearing.

In September 2014, members observed 3-month-old fingerlings during a tour of the Grand Rapids Fish Hatchery. Hatchery staff provided a guided tour, explaining the early life history of the species, the hatchery rearing process and the role of these hatchery raised sturgeon in restoring and maintaining healthy populations in the Nelson River.

In spring of 2014, a successful sturgeon release event at the Burntwood River that included youth and Elders from TCN was organized by KSNC member Marcel Beardy. This prompted the KSNC to fund the participation of students from the York Factory First Nation and a researcher from the Fox Lake Cree Nation in the release of three hundred Lake Surgeon yearlings into the Burntwood River in October 2014. These fish were reared and released for the Keeyask project. Prior to attending the release, Darcy Wastesicoot and Stanley Spence visited the school in York Factory and spoke to the students about the importance of sturgeon and a future for the species that requires active involvement in stewardship.

Each student named a yearling and then released it into the Burntwood River. Each fish was implanted with a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag, which serves to uniquely identify each fish. When these fish are captured in future studies, the school will be notified of the date and location of capture, and the length and weight of their Lake Sturgeon.