Against the Current follows the struggle of a small native band in British Columbia, the Uchucklesaht on Vancouver Island, in their struggle to restore a once-healthy salmon run. By creating a sockeye salmon hatchery on the reserve, the band hoped to renew the cycle of returning salmon, provide food for their people and bolster the community. They faced a crisis, however, when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans reneged on a promise to provide support for their hatchery after the first four years of operations.
Interviews with Chief Charlie Cootes are interwoven with scenes fo the hatchery operation, including collecting salmon roe during spawning and releasing fingerlings into the open lake. Chief Cootes' fight to keep the hatchery running is inspiring, and his efforts bring to light the serious environmental crisis that currently plagues Canada's fisheries.
