Is a Virus Killing our Wild Salmon?
From Dec 15th-19th, the Cohen Inquiry is opening for three extra days of hearings on the impacts that Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) may be having on wild salmon. People around B.C. have been organizing days of action, calling for our government to take seriously the presence of ISA on our coast and do something about it. On Dec 14th, Caitlyn Vernon spoke at the Victoria day of action. Below is an excerpt from her speech.
I’d like to acknowledge that we are here today on Coast Salish territory. And I don’t say that as just a token acknowledgement. Let’s remember that First Nations on this coast managed their salmon fisheries, sustainably, for thousands of years. Each year, as many salmon were harvested as we take today in the commercial catch. Communities feasted on salmon, depended on salmon. And the salmon came back, year after year. The fishery was managed with respect, with the knowledge that if you mess up, you will starve.
This respect, this is something that we the newcomers to this land need to learn. Respect for the rights of Aboriginal peoples to govern their lands and waters. Respect for the land and the salmon that sustain us all.
Salmon are the lifeblood of the rainforest up and down this coast. Each year, salmon travel up the rivers into the forest, bringing nutrients from the ocean. The salmon feed us. And there are salmon for the whales, salmon for the wolves. Even the halibut eat salmon. Trees grow faster in years with good salmon runs. Nutrients from salmon are found in tree tops and in the feathers of birds. This coast as we know it depends on salmon.
If the ISA virus decimates our wild salmon, like it did in Chile, what would our coast look like then? Truly it is hard to imagine.
I can tell you a story. A few years ago a black bear walked into a Subway in Kitimat, on the north coast of B.C. You can watch the video on YouTube. The bear pushed open the door, walked in. Jumped over the counter and poked its nose around in the sandwich fixings. The young woman who was working that day hid in the bathroom and was fine. But the bear was shot after it left the Subway. Because people were worried it would come back into town, looking for food. That’s what happens when bears eat sandwiches instead of salmon.
This bear, it lived in the Great Bear Rainforest, the strip of coastline along B.C.’s central and north coast. I asked the First Nations up the coast if they had any messages about the ISA virus. Here is some of what they had to say.
From Chris Wilson of the Haisla Nation, in Kitimat: “This is potentially the worst environmental issue, along with the tar sands and tankers, that could affect the health and economy of the whole coast for many generations.”
From Jennifer Walkus of the Wuikinuxv Nation, in Rivers Inlet where the virus was discovered: “They said that the reports of the virus were unconfirmed. But the samples were stored in a manner that wouldn’t preserve the virus for the length of time required before testing. We need to do more testing to determine if this year’s run are infected as well.”
- Photo: Don Staniford
It is putting at risk, the salmon that still sustains our people. We are still here today because of this important food source, and we are salmon people. Because this ISA virus is now in our wild salmon stocks, it concerns us that we may one day lose our food source and way of life! My main message is that, we need to bring this ISA virus to light so that it is not swept aside, all while significantly contributing to the decline of our wild salmon stocks. We need to hold DFO and fish farms accountable, and need them to quit hiding from the issue, and their role of managing and standing up for our salmon, we always do as aboriginal stewards, so, so should they!”
So here we are. When I studied biology in university, I learned about the precautionary principle. The precautionary principle advises us that if there is some chance that we are doing harm, even if we aren’t sure, that we should err on the side of caution in order to minimize any possible impacts of our activities.
In school we learn about the precautionary principle. But in life, it so often seems that we throw caution to the wind. It’s time we remembered this principle of trying to do no harm. It’s time we listened to the scientists and the First Nations who are telling us to be more cautious. They aren’t just telling us, they are jumping up and down with huge red flags. Let’s pay attention, let’s stop playing some risky betting game with our salmon, our future, our coastal way of life.
Let’s remind DFO of their mandate, to protect and manage wild stocks and species. On the one hand DFO does all it can to promote aquaculture. On the other hand they have a policy of no net loss of fish habitat. These two goals are not reconcilable. Wild salmon and habitat protection must come first.
Salmon are not some private commodity, they are the lifeblood of this coast. So often DFO seems to forget this. It’s time our government takes responsibility, shows some restraint against the constant demands of private interests, respects the First Nations who are demanding better, and remembers that when there is evidence that we might be doing harm, good management requires us to err on the side of caution, just in case.
We urgently need more testing for the ISA virus, up and down the coast. The situation must be monitored carefully, with frequent sampling and lab testing. And a reporting process that is transparent and open.
I can tell you another story. One evening last summer I was out in a rowboat in the Great Bear Rainforest, sparkling phosphorescence all around. As we neared the mouth of the river – where salmon had been jumping all afternoon, waiting to go up the river - as we got to the estuary the water was shallow and the rowboat disturbed the salmon. They darted all around us, lit up in sparkles from the phosphorescence, a trail of glitters behind them. It was one of the most magical things I have ever seen. This coast is amazing. Let’s keep it that way.
For more information on the ISA virus and how to get involved, check out www.salmonaresacred.org.
