SESSION 2.3: Exploring Stakeholder Relationships at the Adams River Salmon Run, Squilax, BC

Salmon have been returning to spawn in the waters of the Adams River in Squilax, BC for thousands of years. Recently, decreasing salmon returns, assertion of Indigenous presence in traditional territories, and a thriving tourism experience at Ts’utswecw Provincial Park have led to the emergence of a complex network of relationships at the Adams River. Research has demonstrated that relationships can have a positive effect on biodiversity conservation (Pfueller et al, 2011). McCool (2009) expresses the need to thoughtfully engineer partnerships for protected area tourism planning in an era of change and complexity. Decision-making and management in protected areas is becoming increasingly complex (McCool et al, 2013). Often bridging organizations act as mediators between people or groups that would not otherwise have been connected to achieve conservation goals (Rathwell, Peterson, 2012). The Adams River Salmon Society, host of the Salute to the Sockeye Festival at the Adams River, is such a bridging organization. Utilizing Actor Network Theory (Rodger et al, 2009), this research demonstrates how a network of relationships built around a nature-based tourism event, with a strong bridging organization at the core, can address complexity and improve socio-economic and ecological sustainability in a BC provincial park. This presentation will provide a brief description of the research project being undertaken, specifically the history and context of the Adams River salmon run. The methodology and research used to examine the network of relationships will be discussed. Finally, this presentation will present emerging themes highlighting how relationships at the Adams River are affecting sustainability