Your voices at the HELIT TŦE SȽOṈ,ET (Let the Herring Live) Forum in February have been heard. One of the leading recommendations emerging from the discussion was getting a legal opinion on changing herring management in BC. This is the route being taken right now by W̱SÁNEĆ Hereditary Chiefs in their ongoing efforts following their Herring Declaration last November. Our legal advisor, John Rich, recommended that the W̱SÁNEĆ Hereditary Chiefs would have the best chance of leading the court challenge under their Douglas Treaty rights to fish in their territories. 

We have now raised all the money for the legal opinion and are awaiting the last funds to come in. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated, and to Conservancy Hornby Island and the Fairbairn Society for helping kickstart the fundraising. Your support is greatly appreciated!

If the legal opinion recommends taking the issue to court, the Georgia Strait Alliance is committed to supporting us and the Chiefs through the process for the long term, as this campaign fits with their organization’s mandate. We also have Ecojustice interested in brainstorming with us on this case. 

We will be putting the legal opinion by Ratcliff Associates here on the blog when it comes out in the new year. From the recommendations, the Tsawout Hereditary Chiefs will be planning their next steps.