Photo courtesy of Charles Menzies

After a 20-year decrease, the prolific little fish that could has returned to the Bella Coola River. Dr. Charles Menzies of University of British Colombia is speaking about the lifecycle and possible causes of the decrease of the oolichan to the west coast of British Columbia.

For the Nuxalk Nation in particular, but also in the Nass, oolichan are central to their national identity. Historically, the return of oolichan to the Bella Coola signaled the end of winter in the pacific northwest.

Then, when the oolichan numbers started depleting for various reasons, both of which Charles Menzies spoke to, a sense of unease took over the Nuxalk community who rely on the oolichan as a important part of their culture, economy and to signal the seasons.

Now there has been a return of the oolichan, though it could be short lived. 

LJI journalist Pamela Haasen spoke with University of British Colombia's Dr. Charles Menzies about the oolichan: