North Coast Review
[This story originally appeared on The North Coast Review, a blog based in Prince Rupert that contains “items of interest to those living on the North Coast of BC.”]
The union that represents fisherman and shoreworkers in British Columbia has launched a petition to call attention to its concerns over fisheries closures by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, calling it a “misguided approach” that doesn’t address the root problems of the salmon crisis.
Making note of the 79 wild salmon fisheries recently closed by DFO, the petition, which is available online, outlines four key elements that UFAWU-Unifor would like to see the federal government address.
The four elements include:
Take immediate steps to produce more wild salmon by protecting and restoring salmon habitat, reducing fishing pressure on wild salmon by increasing hatchery fish for harvest in First Nation, sports and commercial fisheries and reducing known pinniped threats.
Oversee the immediate implementation of a made-in-B.C. regional salmon development structure that includes input from working commercial fish harvesters and their union.
Monitor compliance with allocation agreements and collect good data on the health of the wild salmon stocks.
Prioritize reconciliation as a principle in all decisions.
The petition also points towards the “Future of BC Commercial Salmon Fishing” report, which was created by the Union earlier this year following a provincial conference on the fishery.
That document provides a range of recommendations that UFAWU-Unifor believes the government needs to consider towards a response to the salmon crisis, including reducing industrial activity near salmon habitat and fighting climate change.
