Ritualized whaling practices seek to attract animals to strand in the territories of specific chiefs. However, the traditional knowledge about whales that has been developed over centuries, that has found a way into the every day lives of the Ahousat has not been recorded, and is in danger of being lost to the people themselves. In the system are archival photos such as this photo of a warrior and a picture of the village in the 1900 s. Ethnographic literature has been searched for documentation and traditional knowledge of Ahousat-whale interactions. The importance of historical hunting activities both for subsistence and to strengthen community ties.
Archeological evidence shows equal numbers of humpbacks and gray whales being captured.
Present realization of this knowledge is an important factor not only for cultural health, but could play a key role in local resource management strategies. One of the major issues brought forth in the present treaty negotiations of the Ahousat is the conservation of wildlife in their ancestral territories. A Biophysical Shoreline prototype was first developed by the British Columbia Ministry of Environment in 1979 to inventory physical and biological characteristics of the shore zone. Aerial video imagery and aerial photos have been taken of almost the entire coast. Shoreline field surveys have been done in 400 sites along the coast.