| Every spring migrating salmon return to
British Columbia's rivers to spawn. And every spring new reports detail fresh
disasters that befall them. This year is no different; The fisheries committee
of Canada's House of Commons and a former chief justice of British Columbia,
Bryan Williams, have just. examined separately why 1.3 m sockeye salmon
mysteriously "disappeared" from the famed Fraser river fishery in 2004. Their
conclusions point to a politically explosive conflict between the survival of
salmon and the rights of First Nations, as Canadians call Indians. In 2004, only about 524, 000 salmon are thought to have returned to the spawning grounds, barely more than a quarter the number who made it four years earlier. High water temperatures may have killed many. The House of Commons also lambasted the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for poor scientific data, and for failing to enforce catch levels. Four similar reports since 1992 have called for the department's reform. In vain: its senior officials are "in denial" about its failings, said the committee. Mr Williams' report added a more shocking twist. He concluded that illegal fishing on the Fraser river is "rampant and out of control", with "no-go" zones where fisheries officers are' told not to confront Indian poachers for fear of violence. The judge complained that the DFO withheld a report by one of its investigators which detailed extensive poaching and sale of salmon by members of the Cheam First Nation, some of whom were armed. Some First Nations claim an unrestricted right to fish and sell their catch. Canada's constitution acknowledges the aboriginal right to fish for food and for social and ceremonial needs, but not a general commercial right. On the Fraser, however, the DFO has granted Indians a special commercial fishery. To some. Indians, even that is not enough. Both reports called for more funds for the DFO, to improve data collection and enforcement. They also recommended returning to a single legal regime for commercial fishing applying to all Canadians. On April 14th, Geoff Regan, the federal fisheries minister, responded to two previous reports from a year ago. One, from a First Nations group, suggested giving natives a rising share of the catch. The other proposed a new quota system for fishing licences, and the conclusion of long-standing talks on treaties, including fishing rights, with First Nations. Mr Regan said his department would spend this year consulting "stakeholders" (natives, commercial and sport fishermen). It will also launch pilot projects aimed at improving conservation, enforcement and First Nations' access to fisheries. |