Coastal First Nations reaffirm support for salmon farming in traditional territories.
The Coalition for First Nations Finfish Stewardship (FNFFS) has reiterated its backing for salmon farming in coastal British Columbia, stressing that aquaculture in the region continues only with the consent of Rights Holder Nations.
In a statement issued 29 September, the group said that decisions about salmon farms lie with First Nations who host the operations in their traditional territories, not with outside organizations. The FNFFS said groups such as the First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance and the First Nation Leadership Council “do not speak for us or our territories.”
The coalition warned that enforcing a federal phase-out of net-pen salmon farming would damage coastal communities, citing the sector’s $1.17 billion annual economic impact and its role in supporting thousands of jobs and own-source revenues used for housing, health and social programs.
“Our message is clear: telling us to remove salmon farms from our territories is an attempt to override us in our rights, our governance, and our self-determination,” the statement read.
The FNFFS said its members remain committed to balancing stewardship of wild salmon with responsible aquaculture, adding that Canada “cannot afford, economically, socially, or morally, to shut down a modern, sustainable, Indigenous-led industry” given pressures on food security and global trade.
