The Broughton Aquaculture Transition Initiative
Choosing a Wild Salmon Future
The Mamalilikulla First Nation, the ‘Namgis First Nation, and the Kwikwasut’lnuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation — three of the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw Nations in what is currently called the Broughton Area of British Columbia, Canada — have led the development of government-to-government agreements, recommendations, and frameworks to activate and oversee the recovery of wild Pacific salmon in their territories. Recognizing that wild Pacific salmon are harmed by multiple aspects of salmon farming including sea lice infestation, pathogens, and pollution, the agreements specify a schedule for salmon farm removals, and they provide frameworks and support for an Indigenous Monitoring and Inspection Plan to oversee and regulate salmon farm operations and decommissioning. The framing agreements also provide for the development of a Wild Salmon Restoration Project that includes assessments, prioritization, and restoration of salmon habitat throughout the watersheds and estuaries of the territories of the three First Nations, and an Independent BC First Nations Genomic Lab to monitoring the health of fish and the broader biodiversity in these Nations’ territories and throughout the region.
Framing Agreements
Letter of Understanding
Between Broughton First Nations Governments and the Provincial Government to address finfish aquaculture in the Broughton Area, including recommendations on Provincial tenure replacement decisions
Steering Committee Recommendations
Toward Collaborative Solutions for Finfish Aquaculture Farms in the Broughton Area. This sets a schedule for closure and removal of salmon farms in a defined ‘Broughton Area’
Indigenous Monitoring and Inspection Plan
Agreements between three Broughton Area First Nations and two salmon aquaculture companies for First Nations monitoring and inspection of aquaculture operations
BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund Projects
(1) Indigenous Monitoring and Inspection; (2) Broughton Wild Salmon Restoration; (3) Independent BC First Nations Genomics Lab
Innovative interim management appraoches
Toward Area-Based Sea Lice Management
The three First Nations are promoting implementation of area-based considerations when developing farm-specific sea lice threshold limits for Broughton area salmon farms with the goal of reducing the exposure of wild Pacific salmon to the increased concentrations of sea lice associated with farms in or near the migration corridors of wild Pacific salmon.
Taking Care of the Territories
Indigenous Monitoring and Inspection
The Broughton Aquaculture Transition Initiative is designed to manifest First Nations’ authority to monitor and oversee activities in their territories, and to build and restore capacities to undertake those activities for the long-term recovery of salmon populations and other components of healthy and productive ecosystems and communities.
