Fish Farm Updates & Events

Momentum is building to get fish farms out of the migratory routes of wild salmon on the BC coast. Here are the latest news updates & events:

UPDATES — January 23, 2018

First Nations’ Government to Provincial Government

The Chiefs of 5 First Nations from the Broughton Archipelago will meet Premier John Horgan and other provincial Ministers on January 30^th in Vancouver. The purpose of this meeting is for the BC government to indicate how it will respond to the First Nations’ demands to not renew fish farm licenses on their territories when they come up for renewal in June.

Federal Government

• DFO is proposing to download responsibility for farmed salmon inspection to Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which has no mandate to protect wild fish.
• DFO’s conflict of interest – it can not, or will not protect the industry and wild salmon at the same time.
• Bill C262, NDP Bill to make all Canadian laws consistent with UNDRIP, is in second reading in Parliament. Liberals have indicated they will support it. Vote is in March 2018.

‘Namgis, Swanson Island Camp

• Issued eviction notices to Marine Harvest on January 20th.
• Chief Ernest Alfred observing a Swanson farm and occupying a camp on Swanson.

Musgamagw Dzawada’enxw, Midsummer Island Cedar Camp

• Monitoring 18 farms in their territory for re-stocking.
• Molina Dawson and Karissa Glendale observing farms and occupying Cedar camp on Midsummer.

Matriarch Camp, Victoria

• Tsastiqualus Ambers Umbas and Shawna Green were arrested on January 18, later released until their court date in Victoria on February 19.
• The camp will be moved to another location, details tba.

RALLIES & EVENTS

• January 30, 8AM – 1PM, Rally, Vancouver . “Wild Salmon Forever Rally”. 300- 999 Canada Place, outside the meeting with Premier & Ministers.
• January 30, 6:30 – 9 PM, Evening Event, Vancouver. “From the Front Lines – Speakers & Footage”. Grandview Calvary Church, 1803 East 1^st Ave.
• January 31, 7 – 9 PM, Evening Event , Victoria. “From the Fish Farms Front Lines”, Human and Social Development Building, A240, UVic.
• February 2, Rally, Nanaimo.   Justin Trudeau’s Town Hall.   Time and location TBA. Updates on:
• February 19, Rally, Victoria. Court date for Matriarch Camp protesters. Time and location TBA on “Fish Farms Out Now” facebook page.

PETITION

• Please sign and distribute the Lead Now petition “Remove open-net fish farms from our waters”

FUNDRAISING

• Fundraising is happening at all the above Events, and links are on many of the facebook or websites of the following organizations.

WHO IS INVOLVED IN THIS ‘MOVEMENT’

• Five Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations in the Broughton Archipelago: Musgamagw Dzawada’enxw, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis, ‘Namgis, Gwawaenuk, and Mamalilikala
• Cleansing Our Waters
• Fish Farms Out Now
• Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance
• Council of Canadians
• Gathering Allies
• Alexandra Morton
• Clayoquot Action
• Watershed Watch Salmon Society
• Watershed Sentinel

Compiled by Alice de Wolff, Council of Canadians. This is a fast moving moment. Please forgive any errors & omissions – they are all mine!