Magazines & Publications

The Pacific Salmon Foundation was proud to sponsor the Adams River Salmon Society’s Salute to the Sockeye festival at Tsútswecw Provincial Park, aptly renamed in 2018 with the Secwépemc word roughly translated to “many rivers,” referring to the numerous side-channels that comprise the river.

Hosted by SKWLAX Little Shuswap Lake Band, the festival opening on Sept. 30 marked the second annual observance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a date to recognize the multi-generational impact of Canada’s residential schools on Indigenous people.

The festival opening integrated traditional ceremony to welcome the sockeye and brought together five First Nations along with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, BC Parks, the Adams River Salmon Society, and hundreds of individuals who care about salmon.

The experience served as an important reminder of the cultural importance of salmon to First Nations. It also served as a reminder that it’s going to take all of us, working together, to rebuild and protect wild Pacific salmon.

This notion of working together is the driving force behind the Pacific Salmon Action Dialogue Series, a coordinated effort between the First Nations Fisheries Council (FNFC) of B.C. and PSF convening those who share the belief that we must unite for salmon.

The first four Dialogues engaged a diverse coalition of leaders including First Nations, federal and provincial governments, and non-governmental conservation organizations, and resulted in unwavering support for a collaborative framework to drive action for salmon. All agreed it is imperative that First Nations continue to play a leadership role in rebuilding wild Pacific salmon.

With continuous input from Dialogue participants, we are working with FNFC on the outline of a collaborative framework. (See p. 4
for details.) In closing, I want to sincerely thank our partners: Jordan Point, executive director of the First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C. and team, our Steering Committee, and all participants, as well as the Sitka Foundation for their generous support of the Dialogues.

It’s salmon first, salmon always, and we don’t go it alone.

Sincerely,
Michael Meneer
President & CEO, Pacific Salmon Foundation