Crying Wolf?

The local politicos blamed Suzuki for “fear mongering” (Mayor Don Scott) or misrepresenting scientific reports (Al Sheppard).

You judge for yourself who is the wolf and who is the sheep.

Succinctly the message was net caged salmon farming is wrong:

• Escapees could usurp local native salmon habitat
• Waste from farms pollute seabed under farms and unknown distances from farms
• Chemicals used as pesticides or food additives have unknown human health and ecosystem effects
• Diseases new and old can be magnified, spread into wild stocks
• Using wild fish to feed farmed salmon is unsustainable

Spoken from the heart

Yvon Gesinghaus of the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Tribal Council spoke quietly, but so forcefully did we hear her lament for lost bounty of her ancestral territories that some were moved to tears, and she was given a standing ovation by all except a few local politicos. Our PR “leaders” later told the media (who did not bother to even mention Yvon) that these people were “fear-mongering” (Don Scott Daily News June 21^st.)

While one can disagree on the extent or repercussions of the degraded food fishery items, I believe it is disrespectful to spit on the messenger’s integrity. Let us feel the shame that our ‘leaders’ would not.
Here is a short video clip of Yvon’s lament for a lost heritage. The RealMedia format is only 45K while the AVI format is 1,000K and much better quality.

Jim Fulton was in fine shape

It looked like Jim enjoyed himself this time in town. He did not have to ward off the fishers’ anger this time. Arny (sitting beside Lynn Hunter) even came up to be one of the panelists answering questions. (Local politicos, firm in their own “knowledge” asked none.

We are the Salmon People

Debbie Jeffrey speaking for the Tsimshian people presented David Suzuki with a school reader that conveys the elders message to another generation: ‘respect the salmon” and they will return to feed us’, (my paraphrase).

Archeologist can trace salmon protein from bones of people thousands of years ago. It is only recently that “locals” have relied more on Supermarket packaged meats than the Skeena River for animal protein in their diets.

Catching the last salmon

 REFERENCES SOON -- lots here

NATURE

Sea, land, river

ECONOMY

Regional

PLACE

Books+

PEOPLES

Community

REALTY

Coming soon