Marine Harvest backs down from First Nation
Marine Harvest files Discontinuance against "John and Jane Doe"
On May 25, 2017 Marine Harvest dropped their trespass charges against the First Nations who boarded their salmon farm last summer. They filed a Notice of Discontinuance against John and Jane Doe. This establishes a significant precedent for all Nations trying to protect their territory from the ravages of salmon farming.
On August 23, 2016, 60 Musgamagw Dzwada’enuxw (Broughton Archipelago) and neighbouring Nations boarded a Marine Harvest salmon farm, called Midsummer Island. They served an eviction notice and performed a “cleansing ceremony.” The ceremony was a peaceful symbolic gesture defending their aboriginal rights and title from the damage being caused by Marine Harvest to their fish and territory. They have been saying no to salmon farms in their territories for 30 years
I boarded the farm with them, lowered a GoPro camera into the pens and captured the first footage of farm salmon attacking wild fish trapped in the pens. “Hard Evidence” has drawn over a million facebook views and was aired on Icelandic TV.
One month later in September 2016 Marine Harvest sued Alexandra Morton and John and Jane Doe and all other persons unknown to the plaintiff occupying, obstructing, or physically impeding the plaintiff’s aquaculture sites seeking damages and an injunction against them.
Then on May 12, 2017 the three Dzawda’enuxw traditional leaders who led the ceremony in August, including chief councilor Okwilagame (Willie Moon), came forward and filed an affidavit stating their names, they were not John Doe and furthermore they contested Marine Harvest’s right to occupy the sea and sea floor in their territory.
Just 13 days later Marine Harvest quietly withdrew all charges against John and Jane Doe. Marine Harvest took one look at the three First Nation leaders and backed down. Were they afraid the court might rule against them, that they may not have the right to occupy First Nation territory without permission? This is a highly significant indicator for all nations trying to protect their fisheries from the ravages of the salmon farming industry.
Musgamagw Dzawda’enuxw and Namgis have said no to salmon farms for 30 years and yet 1/3 of the BC salmon farming industry is using their waters. They have suffered enormous losses due to sea lice from salmon farms, and today 80% of the salmon farming industry is infected with the piscine orthoreovirus, a salmon blood disease, with linkages to Norway.
While they don't need science to contest these companies use of their territorial waters to flush their pens, the weight of scientific evidence does support their concerns.
I still face trespass charges by the multi-national Marine Harvest, but will cross that bridge later, for now this is a very significant win for the wild salmon of BC. They need protection from the viruses, bacteria and sea lice spilling out of these farms and as far as I can see, only First Nations have the power to do this. I am grateful to the Dzawada'enuxw leaders who opened the door through which the salmon farming industry can leave.
Meanwhile here is a 2 minute update from June 1 on the damage that salmon farms are doing to the salmon of this territory.
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