#fishtweets urge province to protect, restore, coordinate

One of the glaring omissions from Budget 2019 is the government’s commitment to wild salmon.

Wild salmon continues to be a central feature of my policy work in the Legislature.

Like for many British Columbians, it’s personal for me.

As we move into Spring, this is the time of year that my W̱SÁNEĆ ancestors began preparing their reef nets and their families to make the transition into the Southern Gulf Islands. This is the time of year we renew a sacred, and ancient, relationship with the SĆÁÁNEW̱ (salmon).

We are nearing another fishing season. So, the anxiety increases.

What are we doing for salmon? Well, so far we have done a good job of talking about how salmon are an important part of our provincial narrative. But, our action remains to be seen.

I have had countless meetings, over countless hours, with people from all aspects of the wild salmon story. While there are many layers of “interest” in salmon – Indigenous, commercial, recreation/sport, conservation, and science, just to name a few – the message flowing to me has been exceptionally consistent.

#fishtweets

As a result, I have taken to Twitter to share the message.

Some of the responses to my Tweets has been encouraging me to broaden the discussion outside the provincial jurisdiction. I accept the complexity involving local, provincial, national and international jurisdictions.

There is no doubt that increasing ocean temperatures from climate change, pollution, predators, and decisions about harvests, are all critical aspects of the health and wellbeing of wild salmon. And, we must consider them all if we are serious about recovery.

But, until we get our provincial house in order, we have a weak voice at those tables.

In the coming days and weeks, I look forward to hearing how the provincial government is going to take action on the wild salmon file.

Until then, I will continue to repeat, and Tweet, my mantra.

Protect, restore, coordinate

Your daily reminder that the BC government has vital jurisdiction over #wildsalmon & #steelhead and it is failing to deliver. We need to:

1. Protect habitat
2. Restore habitat
3. Coordinate and streamline the responsibility for wild salmon within the BC government#bcpoli

— Adam Olsen (@AdamPOlsen) March 1, 2019

Saving #wildsalmon & #steelhead is not impossible, we know where to start:

1. Protect habitat
2. Restore habitat
3. Coordinate and streamline the responsibility for wild fish within the BC government

I will be reminding government of this every day from now till March 31st.

— Adam Olsen (@AdamPOlsen) February 25, 2019

The BC government remains stubbornly defensive of its current organizational structure – a structure organized to fail #wildsalmon & #steelhead. #bcpoli

1) Protect habitat
2) Restore habitat
3) Coordinate and streamline the responsibility for wild salmon within the BC gov't

— Adam Olsen (@AdamPOlsen) February 26, 2019

It's not just DFO – the BC government is failing #wildsalmon & #steelhead. We know where to start to save them:

1. Protect habitat
2. Restore habitat
3. Coordinate and streamline the responsibility for wild fish within the BC government

— Adam Olsen (@AdamPOlsen) February 28, 2019

Photo credit: “Rearguard Falls” by “JvL” used under the “CC by 2.0” license.

Find out why Rearguard Falls is so applicable to this story here.