Salmon are Sacred

Last weekend in Victoria, thousands of people stood up to make their voice heard and to save our wild salmon.  To be a part of this historic gathering was a moving, inspiring experience.  My mind is still swirling with all I saw that day, and my heart is hopeful that we are building the movement and the momentum to get fish farms out of the ocean and save our wild salmon.

The entire 30 km of hot pavement from Sidney to Victoria was crowded with hundreds of determined walkers.  There were kids in strollers, babes in arms, and the elderly.  There were fishermen, conservationists and First Nations in regalia.  There were people on horseback, people in wheelchairs, and people who pushed a canoe the entire length of the highway (after paddling it across from Vancouver the day before).  There were people who had walked all the way from Sointula and people who joined just for the one day.  There were so many of us, we took a lane of the highway.  All day long there were honks of support from cars passing by, and one man even leaned out his window to sing to us.   Hundreds more joined as we walked, and by the time we reached the steps of the Legislature we stood thousands-strong.

I joined the walk because we risk losing our wild salmon and that possibility really scares me.  I joined the walk because we know, despite what industry tells us, that farmed fish do escape, they do swim up the rivers, they do spawn, they spread disease, and they compete with wild salmon.  We know what the sea lice from fish farms are doing to juvenile wild salmon.  We know that our government and the fish farm companies are making decisions that benefit international shareholders at the expense of our salmon, our livelihoods and our communities.

And we are witnessing the loss of our wild salmon.  I hear stories of rivers empty of fish.  I hear stories of bears with their ribs sticking out, because they can’t find enough salmon to eat.  I worry that future generations aren't going to know the taste of wild pacific salmon.

And so I walked a long stretch of highway, with hundreds of other people, because we know that it doesn’t have to be this way!  We were standing together, to choose a different future.  A future with wild salmon in the rivers and jobs in the fishing industry.  A future where the bears are so stuffed full with salmon that their bellies drag on the ground.

It was a day to experience the words of writer and activist Arundhati Roy, “another world is not only possible, she is on her way.  On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”  On this day, a future with wild salmon felt tangible.  And it was more than just the salmon.  It was a glimpse of a future where there are strong communities, where people talk to each other on the street, where First Nations are respected and recognized, where youth take leadership, and where citizens are actively engaged in determining what future they want for their communities.

And let me tell you, the glimpse of this future brought tears to my eyes with all the hope and inspiration it gave me.  Because we’re not just talking about the salmon.  We know that the future of the salmon is linked to our own future.  Even the trees of the coastal rainforest depend on salmon, and grow faster in years with good salmon runs.

But we also know that there are determined economic forces out there pushing for things like fish farms and tankers on our coast and mines that take the tops off mountains.  We know that a sustainable future means standing up together, stopping these earth- and community-destroying projects, and promoting the green jobs and sustainable alternatives that build community and put people before profit.  Standing with thousands of people, it felt like we can do this.

We also know that there can be no ecological justice without justice for First Nations.  Any lasting solutions to environmental issues need to respect Aboriginal title and rights.  And so the incredibly strong alliance between First Nations and environmentalists that I witnessed walking along the highway, and listening to songs and speeches at the rally, gave me hope that we can work together towards a common future, a future where First Nations are given the respect they are long overdue.

All day long, I kept thinking about all the people who have done so much for the salmon.  Everyone who walked a piece of highway during the Get Out Migration, everyone who organized rallies and cooked food and drove support vehicles and painted banners and provided places to sleep along the way.  Everyone who signed the petition and wrote letters.  Everyone who drummed and sang as we walked.  Everyone who crafted elaborate salmon costumes.  Everyone who refuses to eat farmed salmon, and who explains to their friends and family why they shouldn’t eat farmed salmon…

This world we glimpsed, it was full of wild salmon, and it was also full of passion and beauty.  People were speaking from their hearts.  People were standing together in solidarity, in community.

And so I am filled with hope.  That another world is possible.  All of us standing together, we can save our wild salmon.  It’s time for government to listen to the people of this coast, and get fish farms out of our ocean, now.

To get involved, visit the Salmon are Sacred website for more information and sign the petition to get fish farms out of our waters. Check out more photos from the rally in our Salmon are Sacred photo gallery.