Aquaculture: First Nations push for collaboration over conflict
First Nations summit aims to move decades-old aquaculture conflict to a new place of collaboration led by Indigenous seafood partnerships. By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews The Federal government should not make any decisions on open-net salmon farming in British Columbia without having…
Brown’s Bay Packing – Community and Innovation
Blending their ingenuity with advanced processing techniques helps them ensure the salmon they process is fresh, sustainable, ecologically sound, and of incredibly high quality and value. Celebrating British Columbia’s seafood industryBy Samantha Bacchus McLeod Brown’s Bay Packing Company Ltd. (BBP…
First Nations must lead salmon farming in BC
“Working together with First Nations who are interested in aquaculture is essential to our future on the west coast,” said Diane Morrison, BC Salmon Farmers board chair. By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews First Nations right to self-determination and reconciliation must lead the…
First Nations assert traditional rights to farm salmon
Aquaculture-dependent First Nations in BC set to defy government agenda to remove salmon farms from their traditional territories By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Aquaculture dependent First Nations say they will assert their traditional rights to allow salmon farming in their territorial waters,…
Land-based salmon farming not for us: First Nations coalition
Aquaculture-dependent First Nations decry Ottawa’s lack of understanding on what transitioning open-net salmon farming to growing fish on land means to remote Indigenous coastal communities. By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Moving to land-based salmon farming is not an option for aquaculture-dependent coastal…
BC First Nations in Ottawa to fight for salmon farming rights
“As the original stewards of Canada’s coastal waters for millennia, we are calling on you to re-issue salmon farming licences in the territories of the Nations who want to pursue it.” – Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship By…
First Nations want ‘Aquaculture Zone’ off Vancouver Island
“We are working towards sustainability of both fisheries and aquaculture…they can both exist in our waters, but it should be our community that decides what that looks like for our Traditional Territory,” – The Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Two…
Respect our rights to salmon farming say First Nations
“Our coalition is opposed to the federal government disregarding science and bowing to unfounded activist claims on salmon farming that, if heeded, will severely damage our communities, and deny our rights and title,” – Coalition of First Nations for Finfish…
Coastal communities at risk if salmon farm licences expire: Premier Horgan
If Ottawa does not renew 79 soon-to-expire salmon farming licences, it would eliminate hundreds of aquaculture jobs, undermine the economy of dozens of coastal communities, and violate First Nations rights, says B.C. Premier John Horgan By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews B.C. Premier…
Calls to renew BC salmon farming licenses grow
“I’ve been involved in B.C.’s salmon industry for over 40 years and have witnessed the benefits that aquaculture brings to our people and traditional territories,” – Richard Harry, executive director of the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association. By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews The Canadian…
First Nation’s raised and smoked salmon hits Walmart shelves
First Nation-Mowi seafood product featuring smoked Atlantic salmon, which is hitting Walmart shelves this Christmas, hailed as an indigenous partnership success story. By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Raised in the pristine waters of British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, a First Nations made…
Salmon farmer Mowi tops global sustainable protein rankings
Salmon farmers at the forefront of sustainable food production in the latest Coller FAIRR Protein Index, which ranks the world’s key food producers on sustainability BySeaWestNews As the debate over maritime aquaculture rages on in British Columbia, two of the…
Anti-salmon farm activists trample on First Nations’ rights
Anti-salmon farm activists are signalling that the collective and individual rights of First Nations should be disregarded when it comes to marine aquaculture operations in traditional territories By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Anti-aquaculture activists in British Columbia are calling on the federal…
Just how opposed are First Nations to open-net aquaculture in BC ?
We Wai Kai First Nation, said to be opposed to open-net aquaculture, gets tax-dollars to investigate sablefish farming in BC oceans By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Canada’s Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan has been saying the decision to oust fish farmers in British…
First Nations leader calls for more indigenous partnerships with salmon farmers
“As much as there seems to be controversy about the business, we believe many First Nations should be looking at long-term relationships with salmon farming partners,” – Thomas Smith, Councillor for the Tlowitsis Nation. By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews A Vancouver Island…
Federal Court snubs First Nations in salmon farming dispute
In a disturbing ruling, the Federal court has rejected intervenor status by five First Nations in the Discovery Islands’ salmon farming dispute, opting to hear submissions from activists perpetuating the ‘Big Lie’ about aquaculture in BC. By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews The…
Social licence trumps science in Discovery Islands’ salmon farming decision
But it does not mean First Nations have veto powers over salmon farming operations in their traditional territories, says Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans By Fabian Dawson and Samantha McLeodSeaWestNews The decision to stop salmon farming in the…
BC salmon farmers plan $1.4 billion in investments
First Nations, coastal community leaders hail plan by BC salmon farmers that will create about 10,000 new jobs and bolster Canada’s post-pandemic recovery By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Salmon farmers in British Columbia are ready to lead Canada’s post-pandemic recovery by directly…
Anti-salmon farm activists vilify scientific facts to push fiction
“These activists are playing with our lives and our livelihoods…Unfortunately some of our First Nations brothers and sisters have been influenced by these activists, who really don’t know what they are talking about…they should be listening to us, and the…
“Indigenous reconciliation is about respect not rhetoric”
Grieg Seafood’s new Director of Reconciliation has walked-the-walk of indigenous life in Canada By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Growing up in the isolated hamlet of Aklavik, about 200km north of the Arctic Circle in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Orland “OD” Hansen lived off…
Getting a grip on UNDRIP and what it means for British Columbia
Event in Vancouver will look at how First Nations are succeeding in business relations with companies in the energy, mining, aquaculture, and forestry sectors By Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews From resource extraction to harvesting the oceans and to creating energy corridors, British…
Canada’s new Fisheries Minister saddled with a mandate of contradictions
Bernadette Jordan, the new Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, deserves a mandate that compliments Canada’s vision to lead the Global Blue Economy, not contradict it AnalysisBy Fabian DawsonSeaWestNews Justin Trudeau’s mandate letter to his new Minister of Fisheries and Oceans,…
First Nation hails new salmon farming pact with Mowi
“Mowi has shown respect for our waters, and our people, we look forward to seeing sustainable salmon farming and processing continuing in our Territory”. – Chief Roxanne Robinson, Kitasoo/Xai’Xais First Nation. By SeaWestNews Mowi Canada West has entered into a…
First Nations hail new pact with B.C. salmon farmers
Agreements highlight importance of supporting wild salmon populations while building aquaculture capacity within the First Nations By SeaWestNews Three First Nations are hailing a pact, that gives them oversight into the operations of salmon farming companies in their traditional territories…
Choctaw Nation in search of partners at BC Seafood Expo
The BC Seafood Expo is one of the largest seafood industry trade shows in the Pacific Northwest. By SeaWestNews The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, one of America’s most successful Native Tribes, is heading to the 2019 B.C. Seafood Expo in…
New $142 million fund to enhance B.C. fisheries
Money will be used to leverage local Indigenous monitoring, guardianship programs and community-led habitat restoration efforts By SeaWestNews Ottawa and Victoria will pump $142.85 million over the next five years to support the protection of BC’s wild fisheries and enhance…
New lab, Indigenous program to build B.C’s fisheries future
Traditional knowledge and a new lab at Vancouver Island University will help boost economic, social and spiritual well-being of coastal communities. By SeaWestNews The new Centre for Innovation in Fish Health on Vancouver Island plans to support the next generation…
Aquaculture Ambassador: Kathleen Allen
“Part of the reason I like aquaculture is because we are not an industry that gets to rest on our laurels. We have engaged stakeholders and communities who push us to do better every day,” Kathleen Allen, Council of Emerging…
“It is clear the world needs aquaculture.”
“Currently, over 90% of the planet’s wild fish stocks are being either fished to the legal maximum or overfished. It is clear the world needs aquaculture.” A note from Jonathan WilkinsonMinister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard We’re…
Aquaculture Ambassador: John B. Relyea-Voss
“We are going to be working towards sharing information, experiences and stories of the new and exciting things happening within the aquaculture industry in British Columbia,” John B. Relyea-Voss, Council of Emerging Leaders in Aquaculture. By Samantha McLeodSeaWestNews Aquaculture in…