A Feast and Evening of Culture Sharing: A Fundraiser to Protect Wild Salmon

In 2018 the Mamalilikulla, Kwikwasut'inuxw Haxwa'mis and 'Namgis First Nations reached an agreement with the Province of BC to phase out salmon farm tenures in their territories in the Broughton Archipelago. In December 2020 then-Federal Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan pledged to phase out salmon farming in the Discovery Islands over an 18-month period, ending in June 2022. In Nov 2022, the shishalh First Nation removed 8 salmon farms. In 2023 the Gwawaenuk First Nation closed the four salmon farms in their territory and in 2024, the Nuchatlaht closed two salmon farms near Tahsis. While nearly 50% of BC salmon farms are now closed, many farms remain in operation along the west coast and northern tip of Vancouver Island and on the Central Coast. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised his government would phase out all ocean net pen salmon farms by 2025, then pushed it back to 2029.

Since then, the three Norwegian-based salmon farming companies have filed four lawsuits against the open pen closures, and against the Minister of Fisheries for losses. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) continues to fail in its responsibility to protect wild salmon from the effects of viruses from the remaining salmon farms. This means that while salmon are protected in some territories, they are at risk of infection as they migrate north, and can transport the industrial salmon farm pathogens into spawning grounds as they migrate south. In the areas where salmon farms have been removed, wild salmon survival has sky-rocketed at levels biologists did not think possible.

In 2024 there were incredible salmon returns on the east coast of Vancouver Island and adjacent mainland coast, contrary to the very low returns forecasted by DFO. These salmon directly benefited from the removal of disease and lice-laden fish farms on their out-migration path. We know this can happen all along the B.C. coast, but devastating disease transmission and outbreaks will continue until all salmon farms are removed. It's for these reasons we're heading back to court.

Alexandra Morton who has published extensively on impact of salmon farms on wild salmon says the actions of 'Na̱mǥis "are the single most important effort in the fight for wild salmon in B.C today."

Come find out why. And how you can help us win this fight once and for all! This is about all of us, the orca, eagles, bears, wolves, coastal forests and our future.

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Category: Lifestyle | Nature / Outdoors Artists / Speakers: Alexandra Morton, First Nation, Justin Trudeau