As a result of the heap leach facility failure at Victoria Gold Corporation’s Eagle Gold Mine in June 2024, Dr. Sudit Ranade, the Yukon’s chief medical health officer, has no information that would prompt him to restrict fishing activities on the South McQuesten River.
A notice dated April 11, 2025, and posted to Facebook by First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun (FNNND) indicates Ranade had been asked to make recommendations related to fishing in the river located south of the mine site.
After discussing with other Yukon government departments, Ranade figures the fish in the South McQuesten River likely came from other waterways rather than having spent the winter in Haggart Creek, according to the notice.
“Short-term fish toxicity would result in dead fish — I advise not to consume these,” reads Ranade's notice.
The notice goes on to describe that more time will be needed to understand and deal with the potential long-term health risks due to the bioaccumulation of contaminants from eating fish.
Ranade continues to advise against eating fish that are already dead or appear unwell.
As a precaution, Ranade is also recommending avoiding eating fish from Haggart Creek because of the “instability of the ongoing situation at the mine.”
On Aug. 2, 2024, 68 fish were found dead in the creek after Victoria Gold Corporation began discharging water from Eagle Gold Mine’s water treatment plant, following the cyanide-laden heap leach breach at the facility weeks prior.
The Yukon government and FNNND have technical experts monitoring fish at about 50 locations throughout the Haggart Creek watershed and the South McQuesten River.
As noted on the Yukon government website, fish are being sampled for heavy metal concentrations and signs of tissue damage. Changes to fish populations and habitat changes like sediment load or contamination from the mine are also being assessed.
Throughout the summer, the fish-monitoring program sampled tissue from Arctic grayling and slimy sculpin for contamination from heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. The website notes the sampling will allow the teams to determine a baseline for these fish populations and the metals that are accumulating in their bodies.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
