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North Coast Food Security and Access to Resources Survey

Kitsumkalum Food Security and Access to Resources 2023 Survey

The North Coast Cumulative Effects Project Team, in conjunction with Kitsumkalum, was created to promote effective collaboration between First Nations and the provincial government. Since 2014, capital investment in the North Coast region has increased, resulting in more infrastructure and transportation development, power generation, and natural resource development and operations. The increase of these activities has led to impacts and cumulative effects in the North Coast region. Rather than considering impacts individually, cumulative effects consider the accumulation of impacts from human activities and natural disturbances over time and within a landscape. As part of this initiative, the Project Team has created this survey on Food Security and Access to Resources for the members of Kitsumkalum Nation. You may have seen a similar survey in the past.

This survey is intended to support the development of a cumulative effects management assessment, develop policy recommendations, gather baseline information to complement existing data, and identify areas for future research and surveys. The intent is to monitor change over time.
This survey is composed of the consent agreement and the following four survey topics:
1)      Participation in resource-based activities
2)      Understanding barriers to participation
3)      Concerns about harvested resources
4)      Loss of favorite areas/routes
There are 17 questions that may take up to 30 minutes to complete.
YOU WILL RECEIVE A $25 GROCERY CARD FOR COMPLETING THIS SURVEY, AND ONE ENTRY FOR THE GRAND PRIZE DRAW FOR A NEW IPAD! Please provide your name and contact information at the end of the survey. Thank-you for your time! 
1.I consent to participate
2.Please identify which Nation you are responding on behalf of
3.What is your gender?
4.What is your age?
5.Where do you currently live?
Part 1: Participation in resource-based activities
 
The following question asks about your participation in resource-based activities.

Resource-based activities are any activity that collects or uses harvested resources. For example, resource-based activities may include: fishing, gathering, hunting, trapping, preparing, crafting, consuming, sharing, trading, ceremonial activities, or sharing knowledge of harvested resources.

 Harvested resources are any plant, tree, animal, fish, shellfish, or marine mammal that are either fished, gathered, hunted, or trapped on the land or water.
6.Have you participated in any of the following resource-based activities with in the last 3 years: (select all that apply):
7.For those activities that you answered yes to in question 6 (above), has your participation changed within the last 3 years? Options are: increased, decreased, stayed the same, don’t know/not sure.
Participation Change
Fishing (food)
Gathering – intertidal (includes seaweed)
Gathering – kelp
Gathering – plants, berries, trees (includes tree products such as bark)
Hunting (includes trapping) – marine mammals
Hunting (includes trapping) – land mammals
Hunting (includes trapping) – birds
Preparing of harvested resources (e.g. smoking, drying, cleaning, canning, etc.)
Consuming harvested resources (e.g. eating, drinking, medicinal, etc.)
Sharing and trading harvested resources
Ceremonies or cultural activities that require harvested resources
8.Are you interested in increasing your level of participation in resource-based activities?
If participant answered “No”, then do not complete Part 2, skip to Part 3.
Part 2: Understanding possible barriers to participating in resource-based activities


9.We would like to understand if there are barriers to your ability to participate in the resource-based activities that were identified in the previous questions. A barrier is considered to be anything that would limit your participation in a resource-based activity (e.g. harvesting, processing, sharing, etc.). Have you experienced any of the following barriers for each of the activities listed below? Check all that apply.
Safety
Income / Financial Reasons
Access to Equipment (e.g. boat, firearms, etc.)
Distance (i.e., too far to access harvesting locations)
Time (e.g. don't have the time due to other commitments)
Health (includes caring for yourself or others, age-related, etc.)
Government Regulations (e.g. firearms license, etc.)
Industrial Development
Fishing (food)
Gathering – intertidal (includes seaweed)
Gathering – kelp
Gathering – plants, berries, trees (includes tree products such as bark)
Hunting (includes trapping) – marine mammals
Hunting (includes trapping) – land mammals
Hunting (includes trapping) – birds
Preparing of harvested resources (e.g. smoking, drying, cleaning, canning, etc.)
Consuming harvested resources (e.g. eating, drinking, medicinal, etc.)
Sharing and trading harvested resources
Ceremonies or cultural activities that require harvested resources
Part 3: Understanding concerns related to harvested resources

The following questions are to gather information on what harvested resources you are personally most concerned about and to determine the nature of your concern.  You will be asked to comment on each abundance, accessibility and quality separately.  You will also be asked if you personally harvest each resource or if you obtain the harvested resource in another way (i.e.: participate).


Harvested resources are considered to be any plant, tree, animal, fish, shellfish, or marine mammal that are either fished, gathered, hunted, or trapped on the land or water.

Abundance means the amount, or number, of the resource present in harvesting areas.

Accessibility means the ability to access the resource without facing barriers or challenges.

Quality means the condition or health of the resource.

The following four sections on harvested resources are included in this survey:

A.      Fished Resources
B.      Harvested Intertidal Resources
C.      Harvested Land and Marine Animals
D.      Harvested Plants, Berries, and Trees


A.      Fished Resources
10.From the following list of Fished Resources, you will be asked to indicate if you either harvest the resource or obtain it another way (e.g. receive as a gift, trade, etc.). Then please indicate if you are concerned about the abundance, accessibility or quality of the resource.  If participant neither harvests nor obtains a resource, move to the next species/resource
Do you harvest?
Do you obtain another way? (e.g. receive as a gift, trade, etc.)
Concerned about abundance?
Concerned about access?
Concerned about Quality?
Oolichan
Coho
Pink
Sockeye
Chum
Chinook
Steelhead
Herring
Halibut
Other groundfish
Prawn/Shrimp
Crab
B. Harvested Intertidal Resources
11.From the following list of Harvested Intertidal Resources, you will be asked to indicate if you either harvest the resource or obtain it another way. Then please indicate if you are concerned about the abundance, accessibility or quality of the resource.  If a participant neither harvests nor obtains a resource, do not ask about concerns and move to the next species/resource]
Do you Harvest?
Do you obtain another way? (e.g. receive as a gift, trade, etc.)
Concerned about abundance?
Concerned about access?
Concerned about quality?
Abalone
Mussels
Giant/California mussels
Chitons
Clams
Cockles
Sea Cucumbers
Sea Urchins
Scallops
Octopus
C. Harvested Land and Marine Animals
12.From the following list of Harvested Animal Resources, you will be asked to indicate if you either harvest the resource or obtain it another way. Then please indicate if you are concerned about the abundance, accessibility or quality of the resource.  If a participant neither harvests nor obtains a resource, move to the next species/resource]
Do you harvest?
Do you obtain another way? (participate)
Concerned about abundance?
Concerned about access?
Concerned about quality?
Deer
Moose
Mountain Goat
Porcupine
Bear
Wolf
Otters
Other furbearers (e.g. marten, mink, etc.)
Seals
Sea Lion
Waterfowl
D.   Harvested Plants, Berries, and Trees
13.From the following list of Harvested Plants, Berries, and Trees Resources you will be asked to indicate if you either harvest the resource or obtain it another way. Then please indicate if you are concerned about the abundance, accessibility or quality of the resource.  If participant neither harvests nor obtains a resource, move to the next species/resource
Do you harvest?
Do you obtain another way? (participate)
Concerned about abundance?
Concerned about access?
Concerned about quality?
Bunchberries
Elderberry
Highbush cranberries
Huckleberries/blueberries
Salal Berries
Salmon Berries
Stink Current
Thimbleberry
Crab Apple
Wild Rhubarb
Wild Rice
Hellebore
Labrador Tea
Lichen
Devil's Club
Licorice Root Fern
Alder
Hemlock
Red Cedar
Yellow Cedar
Yew
Part 4 of 4: Understanding Loss of Favorite Areas and/or Routes
 
If you indicated that you harvest any of the resources listed in Part 3, please complete Part 4. If you are not a harvester, please skip Part 4 and proceed to Part 5.
 
The following questions ask about your personal experiences that may have contributed to a loss or reduction of any favorite areas where you have harvested resources. 
14.Have you experienced the loss or reduction of a favorite harvesting area or route?
15.If you can no longer harvest a specific resources in an area, please indicate what you believe caused the loss.
Industrial Development
Contaminated Resources
Not Enough Resources
Physical or Structural Barriers
Recreational Users
Commercial Users
Other
Fishing (Food)
Gathering – intertidal (includes seaweed)
Gathering – kelp
Gathering – plants, berries, trees (includes tree products such as bark)
Hunting (includes trapping) – marine mammals
Hunting (includes trapping) – land mammals
Hunting (includes trapping) – birds
Ceremonial or cultural sites
16.When thinking about the places you like to go to harvest or for cultural reasons, how important are the following conditions? (Assume that the resources are plentiful and easy to access).
Not at all important
Slightly important
Neutral
Moderately important
Extremely important
Harvesting is in my clan or house’s traditional territory
Harvesting close to where I live
Harvesting where my family and/or ancestors harvested
Harvesting where I have had success in the past
Being away from disturbance
Being away from other people
Easy to get to or accessible
17.To receive a $25 grocery card, please let us know your name, phone number, email, and address.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. This Survey is now complete.