Marine Harvest and bcaf Consultation meeting PR June 27^th

Editorial Comment on

‘scripting’, consultation and spontaneity

On my image above one can hardly read the names—and I have not bothered with their titles.

Funny, how meetings even well planned, orchestrated ones—just don’t move/ be remembered/ according to their ‘desired’ script.
Allowing the people to speak is a dangerous exercise for our ‘rulers’. Once the planned presentations ended the “consultation” became a forum for local speakers’ concerns about impacts from aquaculture--- to the environment, to the peoples whose bodies are nourished by the land, and from those who worried for social and economic consequences over time.

The Scripts—

	STAR POWER Percy Starr --Kitasoo Xaixais 1^st Nation		Lost Eden and new reality An obligatory theme for those pro and against open netpen aquaculture is comparing the abundant recent past with the ’hard times’ of present. Percy contrasted ‘cannery culture’ days of his youth with present day 90% unemployment in Klemtu. Percy gave the most interesting offering: his subtext was technology moves on, each lurch forward presenting its +/- upon small communities. Gas engines, power blocks “iron chinks’ all came and the people had to adapt. Now it is salmon aquculture. We will adapt, and survive (my paraphrase)
			Kitasoo’s Biologist Understanding local biology and making it accessible to people could be Larry’s mission statement		Biologist Larry Gerba
BORING!! Bureaucratese speak		Al Martin explained the process for siting 11 netpens from south to north (I think, his speech was so dry I could not keep paying attention)		Data as information Andy Thomson ‘proved’ to all who could remain awake that escaped Atlantic salmon were ‘in reality’ no concern because his ‘facts’ did not see them hardly anywhere.

Giving corporate giant NUTRECO a human presence

Linda Sams-Marine Harvest Canada biologist

“I agree, no more Bull Shit”, was one of her memorable quips as she spoke to an audience that seemed skeptical. Of all the “experts” she was most at ease with the audience.

Non-scripted: Speaking for the land and its peoples

Alrita Leask

Chief Councillor Metlakatla

Remain skeptical??

Community leaders were either plaintive or diplomatically distant. Leask was choking back her emotion as she peered into a possible future that her peoples food could be contaminated for sake of a few ‘promised’ jobs.

While Jeffrey was diplomatic and deferred to autonomy of seven constituent nations, even she warned “without our consent, it won’t happen”

Debbie Jeffrey of TTC

More Voices of concern

Arnie Nagy

Cliff Tolmie Kitkatla

Lois R, a fisher from SE AK

Councilor from Metlakatla

Arnie Nagy pointed out that escaped Atlantics have been taken as far up the Skeena River as the Morice, and less well reported—Kitwanga etc. Lois spoke of the falling salmon prices she attributed to farmed fish., while the Metlatla councilor said the forum should come to his peoples village to present their message—not make them come to PR.

Cliff Tolmie’s message was not clear at the presentation, but has been elaborated in Daily News article by Don Smith. New (aquaculture?) “guidelines” by DFO (now called FOC or Fisheries and Oceans Canada) which suggest/ require(?) ‘informed consent’ by affected first nations; plus some wording (in unspecified “new FOC Guidelines”) that implies netpens can’t be sited on “salmon migratory routes”

What the Script Called For

It did not happen but presumably the forum and consultation was to have us naïve locals respectfully ask the “experts” to clear up those nasty, nagging questions we might have lingering in our minds about the evils/ myths of Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture

The Debate that didn’t happen

Former maritimer and aquaculturist Dave Ralston spoke of the “disingenuous” use of data by DFO speaker Andy Thomson.

I interpret Dave to mean the data presented was very iffy in methodology and interpretation, and more warning flags should have been given in the presentation to warn a lay audience.

The Forum was told the Discussion Will Go On, this was only the first meeting.

Presently a local ‘non partisan’ group is being struck to discuss more fully the accuracy and usefulness of Thomson’s data among other matters aquacultural.

NATURE

Sea, land, river