Ha-Shilth-Sa January 15, 2004

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Canada’s Oldest First Nation’s Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product haas^i>sa “ Interesting News” Vol. 31 - No. 1 - January 15, 2004 Sales Agreement No. 40047776

Barkley Sound First Nations

reject fish farms By David Wiwchar Southern Region Reporter Port Alberni - The six Nuu-chah-nulth Nations surrounding Barkley Sound have joined together to reject fish farms within their territories. In a letter to Ted Needham, Director of Operations for Heritage Salmon Aquaculture Co., leaders of the six nations demanded that any restocking or expansion plans be cancelled at the company’s two Alberni Inlet fish farms, and the farms be moved out of Nuuchah-nulth territory.

“If necessary, we will oppose your continued operation and proposed expansion in Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet to the fullest extent. We trust that you will respect this decision, and terminate your existing and proposed operations in Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet,” the Chiefs’ said. “We respectfully request that you cease expansion plans for Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet, and that as soon as possible, you relocate your existing farm sites at MacTush and San Mateo Bay to areas outside of our territories. We will not accept any new fish being placed into net pens in our territories,” the Chiefs said in their letter. “If necessary, we will oppose your continued operation and proposed expansion in Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet to the fullest extent. We trust that you will respect this decision, and terminate your existing and proposed operations in Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet,” they said. “Our community is absolutely opposed to open net pen fish farms. We’re working really hard to get our wild salmon back,” said Huu-ay-aht Natural Resources director Larry Johnson. “We signed on to that letter to unite with other tribes and have a united front against these fish farms. They [Heritage Salmon] were really taken aback because of this letter, and we’ll be meeting with them over the next few weeks to discuss the issue further,” he said. In a separate letter addressed specifically to Heritage Salmon’s Penny Creek fish farm, Hupacasath Chief

Councillor Judy Sayers said, “a fundamental objective of Hupacasath is to restore wild salmon runs to the streams and rivers in their traditional territories. Fish farms are widely regarded as a major impediment to reaching this objective,” she wrote. “Our community is definitely opposed to the way fish farms are being run and we’re working hard to have the Penny Creek fish farm removed from our territory,” said Sayers. “Heritage Salmon is looking to relocate and we want them to relocate, but the province is renewing them for another two years. The original application was never referred to us. We’ve never had a say. The government said First Nations were not in opposition to the fish farms, but that was because they never talked to us,” she said. “There are already enough stresses on our wild stocks. We don’t need to add any others.” An overall declaration from the Barkley Sound area Ha’wiih and Chief Councillors regarding open net pen fish farming in their territories was included with the letter: “We, the First Nations Barkley Sound/Alberni Inlet, comprised of Huu-ay-aht, Hupacasath, Toquaht, Tseshaht, Ucluelet, and Uchucklesaht First Nations own and possess Aboriginal Title and Aboriginal Rights to the land and sea resources of our territories. The wild and enhanced Pacific salmon and other fisheries resources of our territories are critically important to our people as food, in countless spiritual and cultural ways, and to our economies. “We have invested heavily in the rebuilding and restoration of our wild and enhanced Pacific salmon. “We are concerned with any and all activities that threaten the health and well being of our aquatic resources. “We have particular concerns with the existing and potential negative impacts of open net cage salmon farming on our wild and enhanced Pacific salmon and other aquatic resources. “As Ha’wiih and Chiefs of our First Nations, we declare our opposition to open net cage salmon farming in Barkley Sound and Alberni Inlet.” Ha-Shilth-Sa tried to contact Mr. Needham from Heritage Salmon for his response to the letters, but as of press time he had not returned our calls.

Tim Paul mask makes Post front page .................. Page 2 Away-from-home people discuss treaty ............... Page 3 Kyuquot students hatching future plans .............. Page 5 College connects communities ............................... Page 6 Ahousaht Ha’wiih releases book ............................Page 7 NEDC Business News ............................................. Page 20

Snowfall caused closures as both NTC and various First Nations’ offices were closed on January 6th and 7th as more than two-feet of snow fell in many areas along the west coast of the island. Offices of the NTC and many member First Nations reopened for regular business on Thursday January 8th, 2004.

Nuu-chah-nulth claim Fishing Territories through courts Ten Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations are proceeding with a lawsuit against the Crown by filing their Statement of Claim in B.C. Supreme Court on December 16, 2003. The lawsuit, which was commenced last June with a Writ of Summons, claims aboriginal fishing rights in respect of the territories of the ten First Nations. Through this litigation, the Ahousaht, Ditidaht, Ehattesaht, Hesquiaht, Hupacasath, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, Nuchatlaht, Pacheedaht, Tla-o-qui-aht, and Tseshaht First Nations are seeking to have their rights to fish and to sell fish recognized in order to sustain and develop their economies in their communities. “It is unfortunate that it has come to litigation” said Shawn Atleo, NTC Central Region Co-Chair. “Nuu-chahnulth First Nations have been trying to negotiate a fair and reasonable fisheries agreement at the Treaty table for over eight years. Canada and B.C. are stuck on what they want to ‘offer’ Nuu-chahnulth, with little understanding of the needs of our communities,” Atleo continued. “We have told Canada and B.C. in person and in writing that we are

willing to negotiate, but they have suspended negotiations with Nuu-chahnulth and are withholding funding from non-treaty related economic development projects to penalize Nuuchah-nulth for taking this legal action.”

Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations are proceeding with a lawsuit against the Crown by filing their Statement of Claim in B.C. Supreme Court on December 16, 2003. The lawsuit, which was commenced last June with a Writ of Summons, claims aboriginal fishing rights in respect of the territories of ten First Nations. The claims of the ten First Nations are based on aboriginal rights to fish and sell fish, and on aboriginal title to fishing territories and fishing sites throughout their territories. Since before the arrival of Europeans in North America, the Nuu-chah-nulth Nations have owned and used fishing territories

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If undeliverable, please return to: Ha-Shilth-Sa P.O. Box 1383, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 7M2

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ISSN 0715-4143


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Ha-Shilth-Sa January 15, 2004 by Hashilthsa - Issuu