Walcan Seafood partners with the We Wai Kai First Nation at the Quinsam Hatchery to sustainably harvest wild Pink salmon.
Photo: Walcan Seafood.
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced this week that the Walcan Quinsam River Pink Salmon fishery (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) in British Columbia, Canada, has achieved certification to the MSC Fisheries Standard for environmentally sustainable fishing.
Licensed by First Nations for the receipt and marketing of the catch, Walcan Seafood Ltd. can now offer Pink salmon bearing the MSC blue fish label—one of the world's most recognized marks of environmentally sustainable seafood.
"This MSC certification reflects decades of stewardship and collaboration," said Cameron Pirie, President of Walcan Seafood. "Working alongside the We Wai Kai and Wei Wai Kum Nations to harvest only surplus salmon we're able to protect the resource while bringing a premium product to market."
The announcement marks a milestone because this First Nations-led fishery becomes the only MSC-certified salmon fishery in British Columbia.
"As a species that is central to the cultural and economic fabric of coastal communities in British Columbia, we are thrilled to have wild Canadian salmon in the MSC program," said Kurtis Hayne, Program Director for MSC Canada.
Founded in 1974 and headquartered on the coast of Quadra Island, BC, Walcan is a Canadian seafood processing company specializing in the acquisition, processing and sale of wild and farmed seafood, boasting a track record based on quality, sustainability and trust.
In the specific case of the now certified Walcan Quinsam River Pink Salmon fishery, the Marine Stewardship Council explained that its unique location at the Quinsam River weir—a tributary of the Campbell River on the east coast of Vancouver Island—enables precise, selective management and careful handling.
The fishery takes place during the Pink salmon migration from late July to October, but only in years when the salmon return exceeds the needs of natural spawning and hatchery broodstock. Furthermore, non-target species are intercepted in small numbers and released upstream unharmed, minimizing environmental impact.
MSC also highlighted that, under the Reconciliation Framework Agreement for Fisheries Resources (RAFR)—signed last March—, fishery operations including monitoring, science and harvesting are largely coordinated by the A-Tlegay Member Nations: We Wai Kai Nation, Wei Wai Kum First Nation, Kwiakah First Nation, Tlowitsis Nation, and K'ómoks First Nation.
Moreover, the Marine Stewardship Council also noted that revenues from fish sales are reinvested directly into member communities, supporting local economic development.
"The Walcan Quinsam River fishery is an example of strong Indigenous leadership, careful stewardship, and science-based decision-making that delivers positive outcomes for both ecosystems and communities," the Program Director for MSC Canada, Kurtis Hayne, concluded.
