Community and First Nations
The issues identified here affect many of the First Nations people who have lived on the B.C. Coast for thousands of years. They have seen their traditional fisheries collapse and despite many documented objections to fish farms in traditional territories, the salmon farm industry and governments continue to place open net-cage farms where they are not wanted.[1],[2] This disrespect of First Nations' values poses a threat to the health, culture, economy and future of B.C.'s First Nations and has led to the filing of a class-action lawsuit against the British Columbian government.[3]
Chief Bobby Joseph, hereditary chief of the Kwicksutaineuk Ah-kwa-mish First Nation voiced the concern of many First Nations people, "The demise of wild salmon is tantamount to genocide because it reflects the demise of our culture, way of life and spirituality. Since the advent of salmon farming in our territories we have seen an apocalyptic decline in the state of our wild salmon stocks in the Broughton Archipelago."[4]
Further to impacts on the First Nations, coastal fishing communities are suffering the impacts of open net-cage salmon farms.
