"We have proven we can be both salmon stewards and salmon farmers in our sovereign territories, and by asserting our rights and title with this comprehensive plan, we fully intend to lead this process to achieve what’s best for our communities," said Dallas Smith, spokesperson for the Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship (FNFFS) on the salmon farming plan presented yesterday in the Canadian Parliament. A plan that the FNFFS describes as "responsible, realistic and achievable".
"As conservationists, our coastal Nations have travelled thousands of kilometres to Parliament Hill to present a solution to what’s been a divisive issue in BC: a real, achievable plan for salmon farming that enables our remote communities to continue to thrive socially, economically, and culturally while working to revitalize wild salmon," Smith stated.
Backed by science and supported by industry, it is not unusual for this plan to be Nations-led when you consider that 100% of salmon farmed in BC today is raised in partnership with coastal First Nations. According to the FNFFS, their plan seeks to drive five key outcomes for their rural communities.
Interestingly, the first outcome the Coastal First Nations of British Columbia in favour of salmon farming are seeking with the plan presented yesterday is the revitalization of wild salmon. In addition to that goal, they also seek economic reconciliation, an indigenous-led blue economy, social and ecological well-being for their territories and communities, and, fifth, food security and affordability for their communities, and for all Canadians.
"If Canada is going to walk the talk on true reconciliation, I think every Canadian would agree that the future of modern salmon farming in BC must be shaped by the coastal First Nations in whose territories the farms are located," Dallas Smith added.
According to the Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship, the plan presented yesterday ensures the future of salmon farming in British Columbia is led by the nations in whose territories the farms operate. Those nations participating in the Coalition range from west and central Vancouver Island to the central BC coast.
All of them have been working together with the Department of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard (DFO) and the Province of British Columbia to develop this framework to modernize salmon farming in their traditional waters.
"With new technology and best practices, and the guardianship and monitoring of our Nations, the salmon farming industry is even more modern than it was ten or even five years ago. Salmon farmers have innovated far more quickly than any other industry I work with, and at our request," said Dallas Smith.
"But our Nations want to keep working with the industry to truly elevate the potential of our rich marine spaces. To do that, we need the government to also partner with us, sit together at the table to implement this plan for modern, sustainable, in-ocean salmon farming that provides a realistic solution for our Nations," he continued.
The spokesperson for the Coalition insisted that, given the impact on remote communities, any decision on the future of the sector must be made with the participation of nations with rights and their communities as a priority.
Precisely, regarding the impact of the industry on indigenous coastal communities, the FNFFS recalled that the closure of 40% of BC fish farms in recent years has resulted in the loss of almost 400 jobs. It also affected small businesses, and, according to Smith, food bank lines are longer in communities like Port Hardy on Northern Vancouver Island. However, that was not the only example given in the plan presentation of how the salmon farming industry is influencing them.
"Because of the work and dignity that comes with the salmon farming industry, we have had no suicides in my community of Klemtu for the past 18 years. Think about that," said Isaiah Robinson, Deputy Chief Councillor for Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation - located 800 km north of Vancouver, on the Central Coast, and owner of several salmon farming licenses operated by Mowi Canada West. "My community now has 99 per cent employment and 51% of our income comes from the salmon farming sector. It makes no sense to shut it down. There is no industry that can fill that space," he concluded.
The FNFFS 'Indigenous-led Finfish Aquaculture Transition Framework' plan was delivered to new DFO Minister Diane Lebouthillier last week. While maintaining good, sustainable, year-round jobs, it also seeks to build economic and scientific capacity in indigenous communities.
Indeed, among the highlights of the FNFFS plan is the creation of a new Indigenous Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences (ICAHS) in Campbell River, BC, to bring together Western science and traditional knowledge with modern scientific methods. The ICAHS would also provide a coastal training centre for Guardian Watchmen and scientific capacity building for Indigenous communities.
In addition to the creation of this center, the Coalition's plan also calls for other specific commitments from DFO to succeed. Government investment in territory-specific indigenous science, technology, and management, or increased investment and broader, territory-specific deployment of new barrier and surveillance technologies, are two.
Likewise, they also call for social and economic impact studies in First Nations communities to understand the importance of the presence of the modern salmon farming sector, as well as greater trust and transparency in data sharing between DFO, industry, ENGOs, and First Nations.
Finally, among the demands included in the plan, the Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship called on the Department of Fisheries, Oceans to immediately renew the long-term licenses of salmon farms - specifically 9 years - "for investment security and growth."