We write to you today with respect to our deep concern about the current discussions taking place in British
Columbia, particularly those driven by the commercial sportfishing lobby, with respect to the division of
halibut quota in B.C. We are aware that sportsfishing groups are hosting meetings and heavily pressuring
DFO to provide them with additional ‘opportunity’ to catch halibut this year.
We would like to provide you with the perspective of the members of the First Nations Fisheries Council on
this issue, which is gleaned from discussions with First Nations from around British Columbia.
First and foremost, B.C. First Nations are concerned about the protection of aboriginal Title and Rights.
Based on our past discussions with DFO, we are not confident that a proper accounting system is in place to
assess and protect the amount of halibut which is required today and which will be required in the future for
food, social and ceremonial purposes (FSC) by B.C. First Nations. If there is a crisis in halibut management
today, it is that we together (DFO and First Nations) cannot say that we are confident that we are protecting
the rights of First Nations for FSC under the current halibut management regime both in terms of the amount
of halibut required and the protection of the spatial range and distribution of halibut required for our people
to meet their FSC needs. This should clearly be a priority in the future, and we trust that the issues which are
contributing to this problem will be addressed through our joint FSC working group.
Also, with respect to the issue of protection of Title and rights, many First Nations are concerned about the
current proposals of the commercial sportfishing fleet to obtain additional access. As the B.C. Treaty Process
is still underway, and processes like PICFI and court challenges are still shaping what access to halibut First
Nations will have in future fisheries, it would be a breach of trust at this point for Canada to erode the
amount of halibut which would be available in these negotiations. Clearly halibut is a species of interest with
respect to First Nations Title and rights throughout the coastal areas.
In early 2011, a number of First Nations responded to discussions taking place in B.C. about recreational allocation of halibut. The commercial sportfishing lobby has been heavily pressuring DFO to provide them with additional 'opportunity' to catch halibut in this year's fishing season; meanwhile, coastal First Nations groups have expressed serious concerns about what this means for their constitutionally protected right to access halibut. With processes such as B.C. Treaties, PICFI, and various court challenges still underway, the Fisheries Council has expressed that it would be a breach of trust at this point for Canada to erode the amount of halibut which would be available in these negotiations. As of February 2011, no large scale consultations had occured with First Nations about the issue of halibut allocation.
Below is a series of links to a number of items concerning the halibut issue, including letters from First Nations communities and organizations.
There are also a number of news items about the halibut issue posted on our Fish in the News page.
