PRV - First Nation Sues DFO... Yes, Again, After Winning Twice Before. Yes, for a Third Time.

The Namgis are suing DFO to stop it allowing PRV infected Atlantic salmon be put in fish farms in the Broughton Archipelago (BA).

See: https://www.trailtimes.ca/news/namgis-first-nation-sues-dfo-again-says-they-arent-protecting-wild-salmon/?utm_source=Watershed+Watch+Email+List&utm_campaign=7a25dc6706-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_11_13_11_15&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_405944b1b5-7a25dc6706-166907249&mc_cid=7a25dc6706&mc_eid=5777c92bcd.

Here is what the Namgis have to say - do note DFO is refusing to use evidence and science. Yes, that is what they say they use... but don't:

"“Sadly the good faith we demonstrated throughout the consultation process was not reflected in the conduct of the DFO officials,” explained Chief Svanvik. “DFO did not respond to many information requests, gave us incomplete drafts of documents and did not respond to information we supplied about our title, rights and reliance on wild salmon. DFO did not complete the required analysis of impact on our constitutionally protected rights. Submissions from our experts were ignored. We attended two full-day meetings to discuss the science of PRV with DFO and we brought five experts on PRV. DFO refused to bring their scientists, saying it wasn’t worth it to ‘re-hash’ the science with us.”

“We are a small First Nation but the importance of wild salmon to our people and to our future generations, and indeed, the health of the ecosystem that all British Columbians share, means we can not stand by while DFO fails to protect and conserve wild salmon.”"

Yes, that says 'DFO refused to bring their own scientists, saying it wasn't worth it to 're-hash' the science with us.' And the Namgis brought five experts. As in DFO refuses to use science and evidence. Yes, this is the opposite of what they say they use, as in S&E, or is that S&M?

Well, I don't think anyone else was confused about S&M. And on S&E, it is clear that DFO is closed on the subject and won't consider the S&E from the other side. You will note that this does not deal with the precautionary principle (PP) either.

As the wild salmon of BC harvest this year was only 2.8% of 1993 when 35M were harvested - 1M in 2019 - wild salmon are now in a crisis, and DFO is intransigent on this and other issues. Not to mention that wild salmon are in crisis after 50 years of DFO mismanagement.

They should not be allowed to be sued three times for PRV, and still not using the PP to save crisis level wild salmon. But there is more:

"The relase [sic] also noted that “Under this PRV Policy, smolts are to be tested for two supposed ‘strains’ of PRV prior to transfer into open net pens but will not be tested for a supposedly ‘native strain’ of PRV. DFO has not produced any evidence that such a ‘native strain’ of PRV exists. DFO will not prohibit stocking fish farms with fish infected with PRV.”

And as you may guess:

"“This is a flagrant disregard of the precautionary principle, scientific research, our constitutionally protected title and rights, and the findings of the Federal Court,” says Svanvik via press release." He is part of the Namgis.

DFO had been chastised for not consulting the Namgis, who, most reasonably, agreed to a four month consultation agreement, after winning twice in court. Guess what happened?

This:

“As soon as we signed the consultation agreement, DFO breached that agreement the very next day by announcing an ‘interim’ policy without any ‘consultation’, says Chief Svanvik. ‘Then after four months of supposed consultation, DFO announced the exact same policy.”

That is why the Namgis have no choice but to take DFO to court to stop PRV infected smolts FOR THE THIRD TIME!!

Wouldn’t that make you mad? It makes me mad. 

Finally, do remember this is DFO who says they use S&E, even though it is more like B&S. Doesn’t it make you want to fire a few of the recalcitrant staffers? Is it just me who notices that we pay their salaries… and they kill our salmon?

Maybe, if we didn't pay their salaries... they wouldn't kill our salmon. Hmmmmm.

Let's get the Wild Salmon Advisory Council, a made in BC staff structure, and give it some cash to get on with freshwater habitat restoration.

Please tell Horgan he has this legitimate avenue to move forward. Salmon are in crisis, and we need our Premier to save them. 

PLEASE SEND HIM A NOTE:

John Horgan: John Horgan (premier@gov.bc.ca)

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 And... . Here in BC, DFO has refused scientific evidence on harm and killing of wild salmon by PRV four times now, as of Feb 11. 2020:  https://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2020/01/the-virus-prv-brings-out-the-worst-in-dfo.html?fbclid=IwAR1RVl5HttXekuttvJChNOwu51SufY3oxLT3uc7hZ_TScKjBL5nyr0siMuE.