Nuxalk First Nation closes its territory to recreational fishing

The Nuxalk First Nation on B.C.'s Central Coast has issued a closure notice for all recreational fishing in its territory citing provincial emergency health orders barring non-essential travel and the risk posed by COVID-19 variants.

Provincially, declining COVID-19 infection counts and increasing vaccination levels have sparked discussions about when more normal activities might resume.

However, travel restrictions remain in place and “hunting and fishing (are) not essential,” said Peter Siwallace, a Nuxalk hereditary chief. “That comes from the province itself, to tell people not to travel to go recreational fishing.”

The waters around Bella Coola, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest, are popular fishing destinations and Siwallace said they have already seen anglers from outside the community travelling to the waters, which is a cause for concern.

“We voluntarily asked at least two to turn around and leave, and they did respect that,” Siwallace said, but others have driven in to launch boats and all Nuxalk Guardian Watchmen can do is observe and report what they believe to be unauthorized travel to the RCMP.

The province put a priority on immunizing all residents in remote First Nation communities in particular and Siwallace said most Nuxalk elders have been fully vaccinated, though younger members of the community have still only had the first shot of a two-shot vaccine.

Bella Coola only has one 15-bed hospital, and “if we get really a lot of COVID cases, our hospital can't accommodate that,” Siwallace said.