Press release - April 13/10: Streams of Support

April 13, 2010 by Megan Adams

Streams of Support

Salmon Are Sacred today unveiled a new video – “Everyone Loves Wild Salmon, Don’t They?” [1] – ahead of ‘The Get Out Migration’ which leaves the rivers on Earth Day (22 April) and ends with a Mother’s Day blessing on 9th May.

‘The Get Out Migration’ has been inundated with support from across the world. Mini-migrations and wild salmon blessings are now being planned in the Fraser and Adams Rivers, the Bedwell and Ursus Rivers in Clayoquot Sound, in Washington as part of the Salish Sea Blessing Ceremony and in rivers in Ireland, Scotland and Norway. A ‘Paddle for Wild Salmon’ is meandering down the Fraser River from 28th April and a ‘Walk for Wild Salmon’ is leaving Tofino on 25th April.


The main migration route leaves Sointula via Port McNeill on 23rd April with public events scheduled in Tofino (25th April), Quadra Island (27th April), Campbell River (28th April), Comox (29th April, Fanny Bay (30th April), Big Qualicum River (1st May), Qualicum Beach (2nd May), Nanaimo and Gabriola Island (4th May), Ladysmith (5th May), Duncan (6th May), Sidney (7th May) and Victoria (8th May).

Salmon Are Sacred artwork is spreading word of the migration:

“I am humbled by the response from people around the world,” said Alexandra Morton who will be honoured at the 2010 WINGS ‘Women of Discovery Awards’ in New York later this week in an event hosted by Uma Thurman [2].

“Governments forced this industry into places many, many people tried to protect. I think this is why this has become a movement with individuals forming their own migrations, like the salmon. People know wild salmon are a life-support system for First Nations, our forests, bears, eagles, orcas, communities and our local economies. As we stand up for our fish, juvenile wild salmon are running the gauntlet past salmon farms once again and be will burdened with disease and sea lice. Norwegian salmon farms have become the gatekeepers. Government said salmon farms are good for us, but look again.

The way this industry has been run is a huge mistake and while government did not protect wild salmon people, they should offer a safety net for salmon farm families by moving salmon farming onto land, allowing a Canadian industry to develop and allow wild salmon to be restored. The tragedy of the commons is very common, but we do not have to be this tragedy”.

Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, said:

“I am deeply honored to be asked to support such a sacred cause as the protection and defense of our precious wild salmon stocks. We urgently need to save wild salmon from sea lice infestation by immediately moving the farms off migration routes. First Nations communities up and down the coast should support this noble cause and join Alexandra Morton on her migration”.

Ogwila'ogwa (Molina Dawson), a 14-year old girl from Kingcome Inlet, who is raising money to join the migration all the way from Port McNeill to Victoria [3], said:

“I, for one, am not going to just sit around and watch while our Indigenous wildlife slowly gets picked off, only to be replaced by a bunch of freaky farm fish! Fish farms cause a series of harmful problems in our home and territory, such as the continuing decrease in our salmon population, on account of the sea lice. At the rate we are losing our Coho, Chinook and Pink Salmon, we could end up losing them for good. With them, the rest of our wildlife as well, because everything relies on our salmon. Bears, eagles, whales and seals all rely on them as a food source. There are other problems caused by fish farming...All in all, fish farms are just not worth it!”

Martin Davis, Councillor in the village of Tahsis, said:

“The Village of Tahsis has concluded that the current economic model of open net fish farms is harmful to the economy of Tahsis. We depend largely on the sport fishery here and we cannot risk further damage to our wild salmon populations from the sea lice outbreaks that emanate from these farms. They provide no economic benefits to Tahsis.”

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