BURSTThe unlikeliness of a recreational sockeye opening this year could mean an increase in fishing-related disputes on the Fraser River, according to RCMP.
Const. Bradley Holditch is a member of the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment (UFVRD) Indigenous Policing Services (IPS), which has been partnering with Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) for years to maintain a visible presence on the water on the IPS jet boat.
“One of our mandates and duties is ‘peacekeeping’ on the Fraser River during salmon fishing season,” Holditch said.
Earlier this year, a big sockeye salmon run was predicted for 2026, marking the largest forecast return since 2018. But that number has since dropped significantly due to wildfires, drought, lower-than-average snowpack, and strengthening El Nino conditions in the Pacific Ocean, according to DFO.
“The 2026 pre-season forecast for Fraser River sockeye ranged from a return of 1.95 million to 30.6 million, with a mid-point forecast of 7.74 million,” a media relations rep with DFO stated in an email to The Chilliwack Progress. “However, the latest in-season data show that Fraser River sockeye returns are too low to support recreational and commercial openings at this time, with a total estimated abundance of less than 2.8 million.”
Holditch said that conflicts arise over different techniques utilized, and who gets approved to fish.
“A lack of fishing and potential openings could create more conflict especially when Indigenous groups are allowed traditional food fishing and sport fishers remain closed,” Holditch said. “There have been protest fisheries organized by the sport fishing sector in the past.”
When there is a recreational sockeye opening, there are a lot of different groups confined in a small area, “so tensions in the past have become very heated,” Holditch added.
While DFO is on the water enforcing the fisheries act and making sure people are complying with the rules set out for various types of fishing, the RCMP are there to prevent incidents from escalating.
Since DFO officers are on the river more often, they are the experts, not RCMP, Holditch said.
On a sunny day in June, he and fellow IPS member Const. Tisha Parsons were on the Fraser River with DFO for training.
The IPS jet boat, which is designed to go in shallow waters, is the only one of its kind in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley area, and it’s mainly used on the Fraser River and Harrison River.
They also take the boat out to the Chilliwack-Vedder River and Cultus Lake. It has been used as a safety vessel for events such as canoe races, and more recently the Pulling Together Canoe Journey which supports reconciliation efforts and strengthens relationships between public service agencies and Indigenous communities.
The jet boat is used in rescue missions, including one on July 28 where a man was saved from the swift-moving waters of the Fraser River. IPS also assists with criminal investigations and they work and train with RCMP members, including those outside the Fraser Valley along with support sections such as Serious Crimes and Police Dog Services.
DFO helps the IPS team navigate the river by showing them different areas that could be contentious, pointing out specific areas where gravel bars are more popular, and teaching them the nicknames of various Fraser River sections that aren’t mentioned on maps.
It was like a game of follow-the-leader that day in June as Holditch, driving the IPS boat, and DFO officers in their own boat manoeuvred through the back channels around vertical wooden pilings, bridge piers, logs, rocks and gravel bars.
Driving the jet boat is like learning how to use a pistol, or any sort of policing tool, Holditch said. Practise makes perfect.
Holditch has been with the IPS team for two years, but he grew up on the water and is very familiar with the rivers, lakes and ocean.
“I’m constantly reading the water. And it takes time. It’s not something that you can learn overnight. The Fraser is additionally challenging because it’s so silty and it’s harder to see the rocks. Wood blends in and it all looks kind of the same.”
As the water levels of the Fraser are always fluctuating, staying on top of those changes is key, especially when there’s a recreational sockeye opening and the river is packed with all kinds of fishers who may not get along.
“These fish are very valuable, they’re very tasty, they’re very important to Indigenous communities culturally, important for sport fishers. It’s a billion-dollar industry.”
Holditch explained one possible situation that could arise.
IPS and DFO may get wind of sport fishers trying to sabotage a net, such as dumping bales of hay upstream, which would then drift down and get caught in the net.
“We can get out, we can connect, and potentially find out who’s planning to sabotage that net. We speak with them, and prevent that conflict from happening,” he said. “We want to be proactive, at the end of the day. We don’t want to react to something because when we’re reacting to something, usually things have gone sideways at that point.”
Some issues in the past include a violent assault on the Vedder River in 2022, and hostile interactions between intoxicated jet boat operators and Sts’ailes members resulting in the First Nation to ban jet boats on the Chehalis River running through their land.
RCMP will gather intelligence by liaising with DFO, community partners, and Indigenous communities, and talking to fishing guides and other anglers where they exchange information, conduct risk assessments, and identify emerging concerns before they escalate into conflicts.
“These collaborative efforts enable police and community partners to respond proactively to issues affecting safety and public order, to prevent escalation and to prevent criminal acts,” Holditch said. “Even though I have decades of experience, every time I connect with them, I learn something new.”
There are the nine First Nations communities that have a Community Tripartite Agreement with UFVRD IPS: Seabird Island, Sq’ewlets, Cheam, Sts’ailes, Kwaw-Kwaw-Apilt, Soowahlie, Chawathil, Shxw’ōwhámél, and Kwantlen.
“These agreements help guide collaborative policing efforts and emphasize shared priorities, including RCMP visibility, community involvement, relationship-building, communication, and meaningful engagement with Indigenous communities.
“Preventing conflict before it occurs remains a cornerstone of the IPS approach. By working together with communities and partner agencies, UFVRD IPS supports an environment where trust, respect, and co-operation contribute to the safe and sustainable use of this important cultural and natural resource.”