We woke up at half past four. The Briggs & Stratton powered clinkers were already warming in Brentwood Bay.
Guide boats from Jimmy Gilbert’s and Mike Keepence’s marina’s filled with tourists as we stood on the docks quietly chatting about the hotspots in the Saanich Inlet.
I have told the story often. I am a Brentwood kid who grew up on the water. Just one in a long line to fish the Salish Sea. We come by it honestly, descendants of the Coast Salish reefnetters, the Pacific salmon are part of our family.
“Chum”
It is why it is on my wedding ring, formed the circle of life as my campaign logo and shapes the art hung proudly on my walls. Like many British Columbians, I have #MySalmonStory.
Some stories evolve from a mostly modest morning, into a mythical tale of a mighty hero. An epic battle, man versus tyee, with four hundred feet of line rapidly unspooling in hand. Others, celebrate the elusive one that bounced free just seconds before the net could scoop it up.
They are stories of time spent silently bobbing at a gentle trawl, back and forth, forth and back, as the sun rose over the southern Gulf Islands. Sometimes we would talk, sometimes it was just the salty fresh air that filled the void.
These are the times that a “Chum” and his dad reminisce about. They are the mornings that filled our freezer with the protein of a wealthy people. They are the inspiration of my work in local and provincial politics.
The Saanich Inlet was once a plentiful salmon spot. When I was elected in Central Saanich, I began to understand more clearly that the we did not “fish out” the Inlet. But, that decisions made about our watersheds were a likely culprit. I became an advocate for stormwater management and a better relationship with our Inlet.
As an intervenor in the National Energy Board hearing for the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project, I highlighted substantive and unanswered questions about the unknown impact an oil spill would have on the gathering grounds of the Fraser River fishery in the Salish Sea.
Speaking for salmon…
Now I am an MLA in the B.C. Legislature, I continue to fight for the most important renewable natural resource on our coast.
Pacific salmon runs have crashed, unceremoniously replaced by farming Atlantic salmon. Climate change is challenging even the most dedicated spawner. Despite this, I will continue to speak for the salmon.
Salmon policy is spread across several Ministry’s. The provincial government defers to the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans relinquishing all authority on even areas that we clearly have jurisdiction.
So, I have made it my mission to speak for the salmon in the B.C. Legislature; raising their plight day after day in question period; canvassing each ministry that claims to have salmon jurisdiction in estimates. Nearly every answer has been some version of “I care about wild salmon too, but, unfortunately, that’s not my job.”
Amidst the ministerial finger pointing and confusion about who is doing what, I have found a possible path forward – B.C. needs to establish a Wild Salmon Secretariat or Commissioner to streamline all the work being done within the B.C. government and – importantly – be a strong defender of wild salmon in negotiations with the federal government.
What’s your story?
We know that Pacific salmon are important to our coast. Whether you are a multi-generational British Columbian or you have just arrived on the west coast, you likely have salmon close to your heart. But, with every passing day, and each new generation born, the power of the wild Pacific salmon is quietly diminishing.
That is why we need your story. Whether it is in picture or in words, share #MySalmonStory on social media and don’t forget to tag me @AdamPOlsen (Twitter) and @adamphillipolsen (Instagram). Please also send it to me at Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca and leave your story in the comment section below.
Hansard Transcripts
The following are transcripts from Adam Olsen and Sonia Furstenau outlining the work done so far in the Legislature on fisheries related issues.
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Some years ago when I was struggling with my graduate thesis looking at a land use conflict in southeast BC, I sought the spiritual aid of a shaman. Through an intense process, she connected me with a spirit guide that was to help me through the next couple years. When I encountered a challenge or anxiety, an image of a salmon would faintly appear in front of my forehead when I’d close my eyes and it seemed to give me great strength and perseverance. I feel I was able to get through writing and other personal challenges in my life with that help.
I had a particularly profound experience one afternoon. That summer day, I traveled out to the West Kootenay to complete a couple interviews as part of my thesis research. First off, I was to meet with a Sinixt leader in the Slocan Valley. I pulled over into the tiny hamlet of Winlaw and called her, but I received no reply. Although I might have been disappointed (I had come this far for the interview), honestly, I was a bit relieved. I am an introverted person and find it challenging to initiate contact / impose on people. I was about to start up the car and continue to my other planned interview when the salmon appeared there in my mind and prodded me to try a bit harder. I found myself wandering into the little store in Winlaw and asking whether anyone knew my interviewee. There was an Indigenous lady in the store shopping who indeed did know her and gave me directions to the Sinixt land – “across the blue bridge, turn right, follow the road until you see a teepee, turn in and the big house will be there… I’m pretty sure you’ll find her there.” I got back in the car thinking there’s no way I was going to show up at the Big House uninvited and unannounced, but once again the salmon appeared there in my mind. I found myself driving across the blue bridge, turning right, seeing the teepee – and with another nudge from the salmon – turning in and driving right up to the Big House. Indeed, the Sinixt leader was there. She greeted me and we sat for many hours that afternoon around the fire in a reconstructed pit house talking about her people’s history of struggle. It was truly a magical afternoon.
As our conversation wound down, I felt comfortable sharing the story of my anxiety and reluctance to come and how the salmon had prodded me. She listened with great interest. The salmon was sacred to the Sinixt people. They had been salmon people until the dams on the Columbia River had cut off the migratory routes of the fish and indeed had flooded a good portion of their territory. In the 1950s, the Sinixt were declared extinct by the Federal government, although numerous Sinixt existed in their territories across the line in Washington and in neighboring communities in BC. In the 1980s, some had moved back into the Slocan Valley and were trying to restore their cultural connection there. My host turned to me and noted that the Sinixt would be restored when the salmon once again returned to these waters. It seemed the salmon had its own reasons for prodding me there on that day. I would like to think that what happened that afternoon foreshadows the return of the salmon and the resurgence of a people.
Thank you for sharing your story! Very powerful and moving.
“I would like to think that what happened that afternoon foreshadows the return of the salmon and the resurgence of a people.”
I believe this is exactly what is going to happen! Well done! <3
…..yes, your salmon story is deeply influential; and the decrease is salmon is a concern for many, both terrestrial and marine residents…….including, especially humans.
However, I must say, that the increase of human population is definitely a greater concern for the sustainability of life in both the realm of marine and the earthly worlds. My hunch is that with the increase of human population there is a direct relationship to the decrease in salmon population. What part of that side of the story is to be told and attended to ?
My salmon story is somewhat different and likely will attract a lot of attention for the wrong reasons. I am a Salmon farmer, I do it because I love pacific salmon. We have a need to farm salmon and the best and realistically most sustainable way is in the ocean where they belong at that life stage.
I don’t fish, but there is definitely something majestic about the mighty Pacific Salmon. People say that the only way to safely farm Salmon is on land, but let’s ask some questions about this, especially considering the groups that you represent Adam Olsen. If we move to a land system we need a lot of concrete, steel, pumps, oil etc. To produce the facility that will total around 100acres. Let alone the running needs of power (I guess we can say that Site C is a good go ahead plan then?). Let’s also question the cost to produce the facilities, estimates would be at around $1.3 billion to match BC’s current production let alone allow for expansion. The industry would be expected to cough this up on the basis that small scale works at 7 tines production cost at present. Do we want to keep aquaculture in BC? It seems that may not be the case for many, expecting the industry to lock stock into untested systems.
The BC aquaculture industry works hard to maintain and exceed global standards continuously, tirelessly, working to mitigate any and all impacts, this isn’t the 80’s or 90’s.
I love wild salmon, I love my job, they can coexist. I know nobody in the industry that does not love wild salmon. I just hope that people look to some of the real issues facing our salmon runs. I also hope that my story entices a dialogue between others as well as the minister.
**to quantify my statements please understand I have a degree in environmental sustainability**
I was born and raised in far off Ohio, USA. Many weekends were spent with my grandfather in a little aluminum boat fishing for all sorts of Bass and Sunfish. I didn’t catch my first Salmon until about 2000 when my wife (a Washington State native) and I started coming out this way to visit her family. Her Dad is an avid salmon angler and I benefited from his years of experience and plentiful gear. I can still remember that first thrill of catching a salmon during a fishing trip in Oregon – monster fish compared to what I caught during my youth growing up and fishing back in Ohio! Fast forward to 2009 and my wife, daughter and I had moved to B.C. to be closer to her family. When I was approached about joining the Pacific Salmon Foundation to help with fundraising, it was an absolute “no brainer”. It has been one of the real high points of my life to become a part of the “salmon community.” PSF has supported more than 35,000 grassroots stream keepers and they are my inspiration. The most important lesson I have learned traveling around B.C. is that the story of salmon is a story of interconnections … these aren’t just fish for our enjoyment, they are the connective tissue of B.C. – connecting diverse peoples and connecting us all to the amazing ecosystem we call home. I’m proud to have the opportunity to be a part of the “salmon community” and contribute to the restoration and preservation of these amazing, resilient fish and their habitats. I commend MLA Adam Olsen for working to try to make Pacific salmon the priority they should be for our provincial government, and for making salmon restoration a top focus of his public service.
My salmon story is very different to everyone else’s, I also suspect it will draw some criticism, but I hope that is opens dialogue with people as well as the MLA.
I love pacific salmon, they are majestic and powerful. Truly an amazing species. I don’t fish, but I love to see the salmon jump and return to their rivers.
I am also a salmon farmer who has a background in Environmenral Sustainability. I work in a hatchery growing Atlantic Salmon for the aquaculture industry. I am concerned about the declines also, but I am also concerned about my job and the industry I hold dearly. It is an industry that loves wild salmon also. I know of no person in the industry who would hate to see the demise of wild salmon. The industry works tirelessly to improve its practices and meet and go beyond the requirements of its agreements with the governments. That’s part of havin the best and strongest regulations.
I am concerned because the provincial government keeps rumbling about moving to land based systems – something which I cannot get my head around. These facilities are huge environmental impacts from concrete to power consumption let alone the impact to economy and business (estimates of $1.3billion to move all of the B.C. industry to land based). I am concerned that if the government tries to strong arm this industry into moving that we may also see the end of the industry in B.C. is that something we want? Lose a prosperous industry that -may- have a small impact on the wild salmon. Forgetting about a multitude of problems that are having a very real impact on the stocks – logging, urbanization, climate change, Ranching in Alaska, Russia and Japan.
I don’t want to see the end of the wild salmon as much as anyone, but I also don’t want to see the baby being thrown out with the bathwater, especially following the release that Washington State fisheries told the government that there was nothing but lies involved in closing their farms. Please remember the people that this will impact directly and indirectly as well as the salmon. We work hard, we strive to do better and that’s a common goal – protect wild stocks through as much mitigation as we can. Our industry is sustainable as it is.
Please remember all those that are impacted when you try and make such large decisions.
In the late 1990 as local politicians and first nation leaders we approached NDP Clark government to establish a Ministry of Fisheries, he did with Corky Evans being the probably the most engaged representative. We travelled to Ottawa several times to lobby Minister of Fisheries, Miflin for better partnership between feds, prov. and coastal communities to manage complexities of habitat security, fishing economy (first nations, commercial sport, and recreational), species survival rates, enhancement funding, fish farm locations, licencing allocations and enforcement. We even engaged US Pacific coast states in attempts to coordinate efforts.
From my background while I understand and agree Prov. needs to coordinate its fisheries strategy, because impacts on salmon nor the wanderings of salmon know no borders, the longer health of salmon needs partnerships.
I would suggest instead of continuing cycle of division, wild vs farmed, (the crash of wild stocks is far more involved and began before fish farming was even considered) ask Min. of Ag. in partnership with Fed. Minister to host Future of Fisheries forums around coast, try to identify key issues and suggested strategies to resolve issues. The impact on wild stocks whether; lack of funding for SEP (Salmon Enhancement Program) to allocation battles (percentage of each species which go to each sector – first nations, troll, net or sport fisheries) to Pacific Salmon Commission bilateral agreements, all need to be consider in the debate on wild salmon management coordination. Press for big picture partnerships the opportunities for success still exist.
From Lee-Ann Foster…
I caught a two-headed coho once. I was 13 that summer dad took me on a salmon charter out of Neah Bay Washington. The boat charter was full and I was the only kid as I remember. The weather was clear and sunny but it was rough and there had been a week or two of skunked excursions but the day we got out the lines started going crazy. Out of the 9 men I, the boat boy and the skipper were the only ones not sea-sick so we went around bringing in the lines with salmon. My first line had a two-headed salmon. Decades later there were some school children letting a few hatchlings into a stream and one had a two headed fry. They wondered how it would do. I mentioned the one I caught and brought home had grown up into a fine age. Then I wrote the whole story a decade later to win a fishing trip for my dad of 86 at the time.
Thanks for a great idea!
Lee Ann Foster
From Tom Toynbee…
I read your piece in last weeks Driftwood and you brought back fond memories . I was born on Salt Spring and in the 40s, as a young boy, spent many, many hours fishing in Ganges Harbour and Captains Passage. We didn’t have a motor boat but my uncle acquired a used dugout canoe from someone at Helen Point on Mayne and he equipped it with a seat and oars and it served me well. I could count on catching grilse and or bigger fish every time out.
During my university days I got a guiding job at Painter’s Lodge, Campbell River. What a great job ! We used clinker – built rowboats built by Ed Painter with three horse outboards which we used to get to the fishing spot where we would tip them up and row. I also got the chance to meet and converse with interesting folks from around North America.
My affection for wild salmon continued and I took an interest in PSF . I was a member of the board for several years and continue as a supporter to the present. In fact , after reading your article I wrote Mike Meneer to suggest he contact you only to find that had already been done. I was looking forward to talking to you at the SS Derby in June but Corey tells me you were forced to cancel.
I appreciate you efforts on behalf of wild salmon.
Tom Toynbee