We All Take Care of the Harvest (WATCH): Safe and Secure Harvesting of Marine Foods in the Context of Climate Change

WATCH takes a holistic approach that focuses on interactions among hazards. U.S. plans that have incorporated marine species vulnerabilities, tools such as the University of Washington’s Tribal Climate Tool, and approaches such as those undertaken by Swinomish Tribes that include values-based health indicators and methods to prioritize sites for protection or rehabilitation, have inspired the project’s areas of focus, approaches, and methods.

In meetings and workshops, WATCH network members have come to understand the gaps, barriers, and limitations of its shellfish safety program and how these might be addressed. For example, First Nations communities are more reliant on seafoods for nutritional health, and economic, cultural, social, spiritual health and well-being, than other populations in Canada. They are therefore more likely to be exposed to biotoxins in seafoods yet have less access to monitoring and testing to keep people safe, when compared to other populations.

Climate and species information that’s collected as part of WATCH will be enriched with knowledge gathered in pilot communities in “Issues” workshops (e.g., whether and how some teachings are becoming less reliable for harvesting or food preservation) and assessed with findings from dietary and harvest studies exploring the exposures, sensitivities and adaptive capacities of pilot communities and their members. For example, WATCH expects to determine whether communities rely on a small number of seafoods that are already diminished from other threats and are highly sensitive to climate changes, or whether they enjoy a diversity of marine food species representing a wider range of vulnerabilities. Whenever possible, engagement is combined with events that add value to the communities and their members, such as salmon jarring/canning workshops. Data to inform risk management and adaptation planning is also compiled from WATCH meetings and events with broader audiences. Once the community-based monitoring programs produce sufficient data, these will inform planning as well.

First Nations communities are working collaboratively with a number of partners to create a robust system of monitoring, testing and early warning communications. Through partnerships with BCCDC and Vancouver Island University, and relationships within FNHA EPHS, WATCH is also examining how to address contaminants arising from sanitary systems and stormwater runoff through community-based monitoring and other structures.

WATCH uses developmental evaluation (DE), an approach where shared learning is fed back to project participants in learning cycles, to build upon existing knowledge, allowing the project to be flexible. DE tools such as event summaries and SOAR Reflections (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) support knowledge sharing in key meetings with attendees and, when appropriate, to the entire network and beyond. When lab capacity was found to be a bottleneck affecting seafood safety for First Nations, a sub-group of WATCH came together to lead a laboratory feasibility study with advisors from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Washington State and Alaska. Another sub-group is addressing a significant knowledge gap by supporting UBC students undertaking a trend analysis of biotoxin levels, shellfish harvest area closures, and climate data.

The project has developed community-based monitoring programs in its pilot communities and will onboard new monitoring communities in regional hubs. These actions will increasingly support risk management and adaptation planning. WATCH communities are provided with equipment such as plankton nets and microscopes and receive training to look for toxigenic phytoplankton. The community tracks algal blooms and collects environmental data to better understand how blooms form and dissipate in local waters. Data is entered into the Enhanced Maritime Situational Awareness (EMSA) platform developed by Transport Canada. This allows communities to share as little or as much data as they wish, with whomever they wish. EMSA also has many public data sets that can be layered over WATCH monitoring data to better understand the marine environment.

WATCH supports communities with data management, interpretation, and visualization by providing the assistance of a consulting environmental scientist. Early warning systems now include a Decision Support Tool, Toxic Shellfish bulletins for community members and health care providers, and community-based communication structures that are unique to each community.

The most valuable outcome of the WATCH Project is its integrated, diverse network that continues to grow and develop through shared learning. The respectful sharing of values, perspectives, teachings, observations and other knowledge, ceremonies and songs, and traditional foods has enriched the project in untold ways. The WATCH Project routinely bridges siloes (e.g., health/fisheries/culinary; marine/freshwater/terrestrial) and this attracts people who are eager to move beyond the confines of their sectors and backgrounds.

The BCCDC incorporated recommendations from pilot communities to enhance its shellfish harvest area map with sea surface temperatures and other data, and to develop tutorial videos. At regular intervals, the BCCDC summarizes and interprets marine biotoxin data for their territories.  This map is a valued resource for many harvesters.

Network members have learned that how we engage is as important as what we discover through engagement. Communities prefer engagement that includes meaningful reciprocity – if members are asked for their time and contributions in the form of data, they should receive something of value in return (e.g., jarring workshops, settings for elder-youth teachings, opportunities to meet people from other Nations). For events that include difficult conversations, cultural support workers are essential.

One lesson learned from the project is that it is critically important that the project continues to respect the changing needs, priorities, and capacities of participating communities. For example, harvests and food distributions, important community events, and pandemic restrictions to protect members will no doubt delay research and monitoring. As a result, expanding the project over longer timelines will be necessary, but will have tangible benefits (e.g., new information will become available, and there will be closer relationships and a deeper understanding among participants who have longer-term involvement with the project).

Another lesson learned is that climate information is often outdated by the time it is published, and agencies, organizations and the private sector routinely restrict access to key information. As well, climate-related conditions and hazards often occur in tandem and there is a need to adjust planning tools and resources, which often deal with climate hazards singularly (e.g., Sea Level Rise, ocean acidification). These also layer onto past and present threats and challenges, which must be included in assessments and other aspects of planning.

WATCH is ongoing with next steps to fully on-board new WATCH monitoring communities and to transform the pilot project into a fully-fledged, longer-term program. Early warning systems will continue to be enhanced as capacity grows in each community and the envisioned monitoring and testing system begins to take shape. Educational programs in development for adults and for youth will be tested and refined. Once the adaptation plan is completed with the four pilot communities, a template will be created for communities wishing to do similar work. Finally, the WATCH Project will continue to work with its U.S. partners to create a Beaufort to Baha-WATCH planning and monitoring network from Alaska to Mexico.

Digital Case Story

FNHA WATCH  – includes newsletters, digital stories, Toxic Shellfish bulletins (examples), and public-facing development evaluation documents such as Gathering and event summaries

FNHA Indigenous Climate Health Action Program

WATCH 2021 Gathering Summary