"Our territory has been undermined by the creation ofB次元官网网址� the Indian Act,B次元官网网址� said hereditary chief Eric Pelkey (WICKINEM) of the Tsawout Nation. B次元官网网址淲e now claim our territories back on behalf of the Saanich people.B次元官网网址�
These were the first words spoken by Pelkey during a declaration as the hereditary chiefs of four Saanich Peninsula First Nations gathered on the morning of Nov. 13 in SidneyB次元官网网址檚 Tulista Park. For the first time in 40 years, they united to call for a complete moratorium on this yearB次元官网网址檚 herring fishery.
Their statement followed Fisheries and Oceans CanadaB次元官网网址檚 (DFO) recent release of the 2024-2025 Special Use and Food & Bait Herring Fishing Plans, published less than a month ago. The plan permits commercial fishers to harvest up to 6,994 tons of herring in the Strait of Georgia and Prince Rupert between Nov. 24 and Feb. 12.
The chiefs argued that suspending this yearB次元官网网址檚 fisheries is essential to rebuilding South Island herring populations, which were decimated by commercial fishing in the 1970s, according to Pelkey.
B次元官网网址淲e saw it gradually decreasing over the years,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 remember fishing herrings, in the '70s, in the Saanich InletB次元官网网址� but it's not there anymore.B次元官网网址�
The chiefs also noted that this declaration serves as a renewed commitment by the PeninsulaB次元官网网址檚 First Nations to protect their millennia-old cultural practices and stewardship of their traditional lands, without interference from the federal government.
B次元官网网址淭he governmentB次元官网网址� needs to recognize who the real chiefs are in our territory and recognize our traditional way of governing,B次元官网网址� said Pelkey. B次元官网网址淭he authority that we hold is from times immemorial, passed on for thousands of years, that now comes down to us.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淸The government] never consulted us,B次元官网网址� added hereditary chief Vernon Jack (Xalate) of the Tseycum Nation. B次元官网网址淭hey've got to sit down and consult with us on all issues. It's about time.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e can't be controlled by Indian Affairs all the time by our white government.B次元官网网址�
Proud of the historic collaboration, Jack emphasized the symbolic importance of the event in reaffirming the regionB次元官网网址檚 Indigenous heritage.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a happy day today,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淥ur elders that left us [would be] happy that weB次元官网网址檙e doing something for our people, especially the youth. We have to teach our youth what this really means.
B次元官网网址淸IB次元官网网址檓] proud of who we are, that's why I'm not afraid to say anything. We have to protect [our ancestorB次元官网网址檚] legacy.
In the days preceding their declaration, Pelkey noted that the federal government had taken notice of their demand, with DFO reaching out to him.
B次元官网网址淭hey're starting to notice that there is an uprising, not only amongst First Nation people, but the residents in the Gulf Islands now have been demanding the closure of the herring fisheries,B次元官网网址� he said.
The hereditary leaders are now urging elected chiefs of their respective nations to follow suit and support the call for a moratorium.
More than a fish
The herring, a small silvery forage fish, has long been crucial for B.C.B次元官网网址檚 coastal First Nations, explained Pelkey.
B次元官网网址淥ur people have lived on herrings for thousands of years and it's a food that's always been available for us right through the winter [and] spring,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淗errings were a staple food on our tables to feed all of our visitors. Now, we don't see it anymore and our people really miss it. ItB次元官网网址檚 another thing lost to our people.B次元官网网址�
This fatty fish, Pelkey highlighted, also offers numerous health benefits, including being a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and essential oils, which his people have relied on for their health.
Beyond their dietary importance, herrings have also played a vital role in the social development of the Salish Sea Nations.
B次元官网网址淥ur people used to smoke them and trade up and down the coast,B次元官网网址� Pelkey said. B次元官网网址淭hey used to dry them and make necklaces of herring. They'dB次元官网网址� walk around wearing the necklaces and people would come forward and buy them. It was a real delicacy.B次元官网网址�
Emerging tensions
During the announcement, Pelkey used the opportunity to expose increasingly strained relations between the Peninsula Nations and the federal government.
The Saanich people had been collaborating with Parks Canada and residents of Sidney Island on a long-term restoration plan to eliminate the invasive fallow deer population that had damaged the islandB次元官网网址檚 undergrowth and driven out the traditional black-tail deer.
After years of effort, Parks Canada halted the project, leading the Saanich people to feel that their trust had been B次元官网网址渂etrayed,B次元官网网址� explained Pelkey.
B次元官网网址淲e ask the government of Canada to restore that projectB次元官网网址� so that we can, once again, enjoy the medicines plants and the black-tail deer that used to thrive on that island.B次元官网网址�
