Indigenous Group: Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw, Namgis, Tlowitsis and Mamalilikulla First Nations

Business: Marine Harvest Canada

Issue: Long struggle with federal and provincial governments to fully recognize and address the threat of salmon fish farms to wild salmon

Comment: Wild salmon is an integral part of the ecosystem and a central part of First Nations cultures on the west coast. The release of 350,000 farmed atlantic salmon into the pacific ecosystem threatens the spawning grounds and survival of pacific salmon. The Indigenous community has opposed the industry since it was first introduced and has never signed an agreement with any company operating in its traditional territories. The province has disregarded the First Nation’s opposition when issuing permits. First Nations have established peaceful protests at Wicklow Point salmon farm & Swanson Island.

Latest Updates: August 12, 2019 – The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) – writes in support of the ‘Namgis First Nation’s position that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO should prohibit introductions of Atlantic salmon infected with PRV into open-net fish farms. The scientific evidence continues to show that PRV was likely introduced to British Columbia (BC) from Europe and is a foreign virus that can cause significant harm to populations of native, wild Pacific salmon. Unfortunately, the DFO continues to ignore this.
http://nationtalk.ca/story/open-letter-fisheries-and-oceans-canadas-dfo-policy-not-to-test-for-the-piscine-orthorevirus-prv-before-transferring-atlantic-salmon-to-the-open-net-fish-farms-the-prv-policy