Atlantic salmon caught in Saanich Inlet; Tsartlip chief alarmed
First Nations worried about effects of mass escape from San Juan Islands pen
The chief of the Tsartlip First Nation says he was not impressed after learning that what appeared to be a farmed Atlantic salmon was caught in Saanich Inlet.
Chief Don Tom, who tweeted about it Wednesday morning, said he was so concerned about the discovery he will be meeting with other Saanich chiefs this morning to discuss the issue.
“I can say that other First Nations chiefs are having these same discussions,” said Tom, who expressed alarm over the escape of thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon in Washington state on Aug. 19.
It is believed the salmon caught by Tsartlip band member Pete Henry was one of thousands that escaped when Cooke Aquaculture’s fish-farm enclosure in the San Juan Islands with 305,000 Atlantic salmon ruptured.
The Saanich Inlet discovery followed reports that members of the Shishalh First Nation in Sechelt caught three of the Atlantic salmon on Sunday, according to a statement from Shishalh Nation.
Its anglers were seeking pink salmon for elders, exercising their food, social and ceremonial rights in Sechelt’s Sabine Channel, when three specimens of the invasive species were caught.
After a necropsy was performed, the nation identified two female and one male Atlantic salmon, weighing between three and 4.5 kilograms, concluding there was a “high probability” they were escapees, it said.
“It must be recognized that invasive species do not recognize borders,” Shishalh Chief Warren Paull said.
“Now the question is not if, but when, these species are going to gain access to our streams. Our nation has repeatedly raised questions and concerns for over 15 years about the farming of Atlantic salmon. The discovery of escaped Atlantic salmon in our waters is a source of grave concern.”
He said the First Nation does not support farming of nonIndigenous salmonid species within its territory.
The Shishalh Nation said its resource-management department has contacted Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the hopes measures would be taken to address the crisis in a collaborative manner.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has confirmed one Atlantic salmon was caught off southwestern Vancouver Island on Saturday, and officials were investigating reports that two more were caught off Sooke and Esquimalt. The agency has asked anyone who catches what is believed to be an Atlantic salmon to keep the fish and report it by calling 1-888-356-7525.
Tom said his initial reaction to news reports about the Atlantic salmon escape near Cypress Island, across the Salish Sea from Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula, was concern that the invasive salmon species would exacerbate an already delicate situation.
“We don’t need one more thing to happen so that our wild salmon continue to decline,” he said.
“We have further reasons to be concerned because it’s so close to the Fraser River, the world’s largest salmon run.”
Washington state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has urged the public to catch as many of the escaped Atlantic salmon as possible to reduce chances they’d compete with wild salmon species for food, or prey on them.