North Coast Fish Farm debate returns with the summer

The debate over the future of fish farms along the north coast jumped back onto the front pages, as the Daily news recounted the events of Tuesday’s demonstration at the site of the special committee on aquaculture, which had set up shop at the Coast Prince Rupert Hotel.

The crowd which assembled along the street and directly in front of the hotel was unanimous on their position against the introduction of fish farms to the north coast. A situation that leaves them at odds with the First Nations of Kiktatla who are presently working on a project with Pan Fish, the world’s largest fish farm operator.

You can discover the full details on the day of protest and the state of fish farming on the North coast in the following article from the Daily News.


SKEENA DECLARED A ‘NO FISH FARM’ AREA
By Leanne Ritchie
The Daily News
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Pages one and three

Waving banners, drumming and singing, representatives from more than half a dozen northern First Nations marched through Prince Rupert yesterday in support of making the Skeena watershed a fish farm-free zone.

The demonstration, which included people from the Wet’suwete’en, Gitxsan, Gitanyow, Haida, Kitkatla and Allied Tsmshian Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams, was directed toward the province’s special committee on aquaculture, which held a hearing in Prince Rupert yesterday.

“We are here as a united front of First Nations from all over the Skeena River. We bring you a message today – don’t bring fish farms into northern waters. We won’t have it, “said Stan Dennis, speaking for the Allied Tsmishian Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams.

“If we have to take the Province to court, so be it.”

Currently, Pan Fish, the world’s largest fish farm operator, is working with the community of Kikatla on a $75 million project on the North Coast. The project initially entails setting up three fish farm sites and providing employment in a community where unemployment is currently upwards of 90 per cent.

The company has approval for two sites and needs a third in order to begin operations. Pan fish and Kitkatla have plans to expand into other forms of aquaculture in the future.

There are no operating fish farm sites north of Klemtu, although there have been fish farms on the North Coast in the past.

However, other First Nation communities believe Pan Fish’s plans to establish new salmon farms near the mouth of the Skeena River will significantly impact juvenile salmon, shellfish and the marine environment, which provides the with sources of traditional foods.

Eugene Bryant, who recently returned from a trip to Norway where he expressed Lax Kw’alaams’ opposition to Pan Fish’s plans, said there will be a ripple effect through the Skeena watershed if fish farms open.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, what we do here on the waterfront matters,” he said.

“We rely on salmon for survival,” said Glen Williams, chief negotiator for Gitanyow. “The Skeena and Nass Rivers are intact, the wild salmon runs are healthy and we plan to keep them that way.”

The group then spent two hours passionately presenting their opposition to committee, leaving the MLA’S struggling with the question of how to acknowledge Kitkatla’s rights and title within their own territory, while also acknowledging the rights of other First Nations within the watershed.

Mark Ayranto, a representative from Pan Fish, said he does not believe there would be any ripple effect, nor would the Kitkatla allow any.

The company has worked with the band to develop extensive environmental monitoring programs that will provide baseline data and ongoing monitoring of the marine environment during site operation to ensure there are no impacts.

He added that there are clauses that allow the Kitkatla to close the sites should any damage be detected.
”Most of the employees up here will be from the Kitkatla First Nation and you cannot hide anything from your employees,” said Ayranto.

Allan Okabe, of Ganhada management, who has been working for the past three years on the Pan Fish agreement, said the experience Kitkatla has been through to get approval for the sites is beyond reason, given there are thousands of people employed in the industry in the southern portion of the province.

“We shouldn’t be sitting on the treadmill since 2002 – with 4,000 other people employed in the industry in this province. To me it’s a double standard,” he said.

“If we were in any other business we wouldn’t have to talk to anybody but there we are on display for the entire province.

“Kitkatla says very loudly and distinctly they have done their due diligence and have se themselves up in such a way that they are not flailing around blindly into an industry that will kill the last sustainable resource.”