Indigenous community will manage fish farming and fisheries in First Nations, British Columbia with or without the Canadian government

Two Indigenous peoples in British Columbia today (25 March) re-asserted their authority over their territories “with or without the Canadian Government,” including how fish farming and fisheries will be managed. The Gwa’sala and the ‘Nakwaxda’xw peoples – now known collectively as the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nation since being forced to relocate and combine as a single tribe in 1964 – plan to administer its own fisheries and aquaculture licensing regime “after a failure of the Canadian government to conserve their fish stocks through permitting of overfishing and adequately mitigate impacts from resource development.” “Implementing local First Nations management practice is the only pathway to recovering fish stocks and supporting their local community economy at the same time,” they said at this morning’s cultural boat-blessing ceremony that celebrates their joint success in the marine economy. The First Nation’s marine business has been working for the salmon farms along the BC ...