Nuxalk Protest at Ocean Falls Fish Hatchery, 3 December 2002. Amber Schooner, Irish Siwallace and Nadine Schooner. Amber says: "We must speak out and fight against all fish farms. They are threatening to destroy all of our traditional westcoast foods; not only the natural sealife but also part of our spirit, identity and our sacred bond to the ocean." Nuxalk Protest Outside the Royal Norwegian Consulate, Vancouver, 20 January 2003 Nuxalk Demonstration against farmed salmon, Vancouver, 20 January 2003 Nuxalk Blockade against farmed fish transport truck, Bella Coola, 11 December 2002 Nuxalk demonstration against farmed salmon, Vancouver, 20 January 2003 Nuxalk protest against farmed salmon, Qwatsinas, Safeway, Vancouver, 3 April 2003 Nuxalk protest against farmed salmon, Chief Snuxyaltwa, Safeway, 3 April 2003 Nuxalk anti farmed salmon demonstration Safeway, Vancouver, 3 April 2003 Nuxalk anti farmed salmon demonstration Safeway, Vancouver, 3 April 2003

Caring for the salmon by the Nuxalk, the significance of sharing, the stewardship of the Nuxalk salmon, the recognition and the respect placed on Nuxalk salmon will always be there. Its cultural significance as our heritage, and the importance to the survival and continued existence of the Nuxalkmc is defined in our position. The salmon within our traditional territories were placed here by "Tatau," the Creator, as a gift to our people for our sustenance since the beginning of time. Our treatment of salmon is embedded within the cycle of life for Nuxalkmc and within the laws of our people. We the Nuxalkmc are opposed to the fish farms: we do not want them within our traditional territories. We do not want fish farm products or its feed supply transported through our territories, because we do not condone fish farms. We understand the dangers of fish farms to the wild salmon and the environment on which they depend. All species of salmon are born in Nuxalk streams and rivers; they migrate through the Kitasoo waters. Kitasoo must recognize and respect this, as traditional neighbours. Kitasoo must ensure our wild salmons' safety. We protect the spawning grounds and habitat of the salmon for their healthy returns. Kitasoo must protect the wild salmon as well. Kitasoo Chief, Archie Robinson, states: "Our ancestors shared the resources;" the Nuxalkmc respond: "Protect the wild salmon; never put them at risk or expose them to any threat. Fish farms pose major threats to all our wild stocks of salmon." The fish farms are an international commercialized salmon business that is driven by profit margins; we have never used "farmed salmon" in our potlatches or ceremonies. Farmed salmon are not part of our Indigenous Title & Rights. Wild salmon is part of our Indigenous Title & Rights, used in our potlatches and ceremonies. "Tatau," the Creator gave us the wild salmon as a gift to take care of, so we can exist as a people. Our Indigenous laws and spiritual beliefs are enshrined in wild salmon; we cannot change our own laws for monetary gain. The fish farms are not a sharing enterprise; only a few will profit from them. The salmon product of the fish farms will become the "mad cow" disease of the ocean foods in the future. The Canadian and British Columbian authorities have mismanaged the salmon and marine resources for too long. They must clean up, sort out the mess they have created, and must not use the decline of the wild salmon stocks and the related commercial fisheries as an excuse to accept fish farms as the "business of the future." What is wrong with what we have? As Nuxalkmc; our ancestors left us to share our resources too; fish farms are not a way of sharing but are profit driven. We'll stop any shipment of fish farm products transported through Nuxalk territory; this message is very clear. This message is not to be compromised by any party. We recommend that all supporting parties give a letter of support or a simple expression of support to the media, indicating their feelings against fish farms. Many efforts and attempts are made to break our support base; we must stand strong. The OKNTC [Oweekeno (Wuikinuxv) Kitasoo Nuxalk Tribal Council] clearly compromises the health, the well-being of all citizens in the Nuxalk territory by accepting and supporting fish farms. Why have Kitasoo been allowed to violate the moratorium on fish farms in the northern waters of BC? Kitasoo's installation of fish farms immediately broke traditional and sovereign protocol, because they did not consider the impact or consequences against the Nuxalk salmon food fisheries and our people. Assumptions that Nuxalk approved the fish farms and the transporting of its products through our territories have broken our trust. The arrogance and greed of Nutreco, Kitasoo, and the BC government, by installing fish farms without consulting Nuxalk or obtaining their approval is insulting. These fish farms were installed prior to approvals from the authorities of BC or Canada and while the moratorium was still in place. A public inquiry must look into this corruption; those who are imposing these fish farm threats upon our communities must be held accountable. We demand that a moratorium immediately be placed on fish farm expansion on the northern British Columbia coastal and inland waters. Nutreco states; "7 out of 16 Nutreco's fish farms installed before the moratorium was lifted; involved First Nations." They use it as a "selling or promotional point" of fish farms for other First Nations, and it is misleading. Nutreco's fish farms at Jackson pass were installed before the moratorium was lifted; we resent this, because it gives the false impression that First Nation's support fish farms. There is a fight brewing, involving on the one hand "Indigenous rights as a First Nation" and on the other "commercial rights" (in joint venture with as a First Nation). Our Indigenous Title & Rights must not be included in the same context as a commercial business venture of a First Nation, because the latter requires extinguishing Indigenous Title & Rights, regrettably with the compliance and consent of some First Nations' leaders. Some First Nation's are given pretend powers to use Indigenous Title & Rights as collateral. It is using Indigenous Title & Rights as a "bargaining chip" for economic/joint venture projects. It attempts to give credence to the process but fools the transactions while obtaining First Nations' consent for the extinquishment of Indigenous Title & Rights. The existing commercial, and experimental fishery destroyed our eulachon run; now it's the wild salmon. The Nuxalk sovereign position does not rely on any legal actions, treaty negotiations, or consultations against the Omega fish farm hatchery or the BC government; it is based on the Nuxalk Indigenous Title & Rights Question. The Omega fish farm hatchery at Ocean Falls is a major threat against the wild stocks of salmon, Nuxalk food fishery, the environment, and the conventional commercial fishery. We do not want this development to happen there! Ocean Falls is in the gray area of traditional protocol between the families of the Nuxalk and Heiltsuk Nations. Therefore, this makes it off limits to any treaty negotiations. The Omega fish farm hatchery is the nucleus to the threat that fish farms place on the northern British Columbia coastal and inland waters. So this threat must be stopped from happening. It would create a domino effect of the man-made disaster about to happen to our British Columbia wild salmon stocks and the marine environment. We feel that First Nations involved or in partnership with fish farming companies in BC have done so without the well-informed, educated consent of the citizens of their people. This is corruption for profit. Qwatsinas . . . . 17 February 2003 Qomqots (Bella Coola)