Leaders from the Tsilhqot'in National Government (TNG) are calling for governments to show leadership on saving salmon in the wake of the Chlicotin River landslide.
Chief Joe Alphonse, chair of the TNG and chief of Tl'etinqox-t'in, and Chief Francis Laceese, of Tl'esqox First Nation, both spoke at a press conference at the TNG's South Lakeside office in Williams Lake on Aug. 6.
Alphonse used strong language to express his frustration with fisheries management from other levels of government.
"We need government to show leadership, not be sitting there counting your votes, do what you have to do to protect the resource," he said.
"If they're scared to provide that leadership, hand it over, I'll provide that leadership," said Alphonse.
He said the TNG wants to see limits to commercial and recreational fisheries in response to the possible impact on salmon returns, after a landslide blocked the Chilcotin River for more than five days.
Both men emphasized the importance of salmon for First Nations communities and the role of interior habitats for the critical species.
"We have to be the voice for the clean water," said Laceese, noting they are fighting for their traditional food source.
"How many of these cases are we going to see before government starts conducting itself in a way that's going to be protective of our environment," said Alphonse.
"If you look after the environment, the environment will look after you," he said.
Alphonse said it will take a lot of cooperation from a lot of partners in order to support salmon recovery in the Chilcotin region, what was one of the last strong salmon runs in the province. The chiefs said First Nations along the Fraser River will work together to support one another, something they have done throughout history.
Laceese said the Fraser River is often treated as a "garbage river" and mentioned it's use as a wastewater dumping grounds for Mount Polley Mine, Gibraltar Mine, and pulp mills along it's length. The Fraser River also receives sewage outflow from communities as it flows to the Pacific Ocean.
"We could have been the richest First Nation in all of Canada," said Alphonse, referring to the New Prosperity gold mine proposed for the Taseko River watershed, which runs into the Chilcotin River. The TNG fought against the proposed mine and rejected offers from Taseko Mines.
"We have one of the last pure rivers in North America," he said, crediting the clean water with the strong salmon returns in the region.
"As far as we're concerned, the planet is screaming for Indigenous voices and values," said Alphonse.
"How much forest do we have to lose every year due to fires, how many landslides and flooding do we need before we're going to change our approach — the time for action is now."
The leaders were leaving the press conference to take a helicopter flight over the river to examine traditional fishing sites and assess impacts to salmon in order to work on making plans to support the salmon return. They later issued a release stating TNG will be initiating an emergency salmon task force to address impacts to sockeye and chinook salmon runs. They also called on all harvest of Tsilhqot'in-bound salmon to halt by all parties until the impacts can be assessed.
A sockeye salmon return usually begins around this time of year, one of four salmon runs on the river, with timing depending on water levels and temperatures. Alphonse said there were salmon in the river near the junction of the Chilcotin and Fraser Rivers just before the slide dam broke on the Chilcotin River on Aug. 5.
