Three months after celebrating a victory in court, the hereditary leadership of five Nuu Chah Nulth First Nations are prepared to exercise their right to harvest and sell fish B次元官网网址� with or without co-operation of the federal department of Fisheries and Oceans.
B次元官网网址淭he Five Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations of Ahousaht, Hesquiaht, Ehattesaht/Chinehkint, Mowachaht/Muchalaht, and Tla-o-qui-aht will no longer stand by, as our fishers remain tied to our docks, while non-Indigenous users benefit from the resources of our traditional territories,B次元官网网址� reads a joint-statement released Aug. 4.
In April, the British Columbia Court of Appeal that found CanadaB次元官网网址檚 regulation and management of commercial fisheries unjustifiably infringed on the First NationsB次元官网网址� rights to harvest and sell fish.
B次元官网网址淭hey cannot wait any longer for Canada to work with them on fishing plans and will be fishing under the authority of their HaB次元官网网址檞iih and asserting their rights as they have done since time immemorial,B次元官网网址� said Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council President Dr. Judith Sayers. B次元官网网址淚t is what must happen since Canada continually leaves them out of the commercial fishery to the detriment of our fishers while favouring those that only have a privilege to fish.
B次元官网网址淲e have fought hard through the courts and politically and now it is time to act on their rights and participate fully in economics that will support their families as they rightfully should.B次元官网网址�
The statement suggests the Nations have tried to work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada for more than a decade to develop fisheries in line with their rights.
B次元官网网址淔rom the beginning, weB次元官网网址檝e been willing to share B次元官网网址� that was our approach right from day one,B次元官网网址� said Ahousaht First Nation lead negotiator Wickaninnish, Cliff Atleo. B次元官网网址淔ishing is at the center of Nuu-chah-nulthB次元官网网址檚 pre-contact activities, our way of life, and our cultural practices. We are a fishing people. By failing to breathe life into our negotiation agreements, the Government of Canada is pushing us to exercise what our HaB次元官网网址檞iih have the authority to do. WeB次元官网网址檙e creating our own fisheries management plans within the framework of conservation, and we will enact them within our traditional territories.B次元官网网址�
The five Nations say their right to fish and sell fish is B次元官网网址渟econd only to conservation and has priority over the recreational and commercial sectors.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭he DFO and the rest of Canada need to understand that our traditional territories, and the resources within, are ours to manage,B次元官网网址� said Ahousaht First Nation Hereditary Chief Richard George. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e fighting for these resources so that our next seven generations will be able to participate in fisheries into the future.B次元官网网址�
andrew.bailey@westerlynews.ca
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