Solidarity Rally for Indigenous Rights and Fish Farm Occupation
Media Advisory
Solidarity Rally for Indigenous Rights and Fish Farm Occupation
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Vancouver Supreme Court, 800 Smithe Street
Time: 9:30 am
The Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance (WSDA), a diverse network of concerned people, scientists, artists, groups and organizations, will be rallying at the Vancouver Supreme Court in defense of Indigenous territorial and resource stewards Molina Dawson, Carla Maxmuwidzumga Voyageur, Karrisa Glendale and Ernest Alfred’s right to continue to peacefully board Marine Harvest’s fish farms to observe and report any aquaculture activities that pose threats to wild fish and their habitat. We acknowledge and support the constitutional obligation of governments to seek the consent of Indigenous titleholders on any and all industrial activity that may bring harm to wild salmon in their respective unceded territories.
We expect at least 100 people to be present at the courthouse, including members of our Alliance, Chapters of the Council of Canadians, the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, and others. Independent biologist, Dr. Alexandra Morton, will be available to speak about the threat of the much feared piscine reovirus. We expect others to make statements regarding the issue of fish farm processing plants contaminating oceans with virus-laden blood water, sea lice problems, as well as the cumulative hard evidence that fish farms are hazardous to wild fish and the marine environment. We press upon Premier John Horgan to speed up the enforcement actions against illegal discharge of blood water, and to investigate the potential conflict of interest of Gary Marty, a fish pathologist at the province’s Animal Health Centre, due to his connection to the aquaculture industry. We urge Premier John Horgan and Minister Lana Popham to continue to meet with the Musgamagw, Namgis and Mamalilikala Nations, who are seeking federal and provincial collaboration in evicting Marine Harvest and Cermaq open net pen fish farms, until this crisis is resolved.
Eddie Gardner, President
Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance
604-792-0867 (H)
604-316-2607 (C)
