Letter re Moratorium on Pacific Herring Fishery - July 19, 2019

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Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola Galiano  Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
 
July 19, 2019 
 
via e-mail to: 
File Number: 5020-30 Fisheries-Herring 
 
 
 
 
BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin) First Nation  
Cowichan Tribes  
Halalt First Nation  
Homalco First Nation  
Klahoose First Nation 
K’ómoks First Nation  
Lake Cowichan First Nation  
Lekwungen (Songhees) Nation  
Lyackson First Nation  
MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) Nation  
Penelakut Tribe 
Qualicum First Nation  
Scia’new (Beecher Bay) First Nation  
SEMYOME (Semiahmoo) First Nation 
shíshálh First Nation 
 
Snuneymuxw First Nation 
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wú7mesh (Squamish) Nation  
Snaw-naw-as (Nanoose) First Nation  
SȾÁUTW
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 (Tsawout) First Nation  
Stz’uminus First Nation  
SXIMEȽEȽ (Esquimalt) Nation 
Tla’amin (Sliammon) Nation  
Tsawwassen First Nation 
Tsleil-Waututh Nation  
T’Sou-ke Nation  
Wei Wai Kum (Campbell River) First Nation 
We Wai Kai (Cape Mudge) First Nation  
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JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip) First Nation  
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SIḴEM (Tseycum) First Nation 
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əm Musqueam 
 
Dear Chief and Council/Hegus and Legislators/Respected Leaders: 
 
Re:   Moratorium on the Pacific Herring Fishery in the Salish Sea  
 
On behalf of Islands Trust Council, I am writing to you to request your support in signing a letter that the 
Islands Trust has drafted (attachment 1) requesting to place a moratorium on the Pacific herring fishery in the 
Salish Sea.  The proposed moratorium would last until an ecosystem-based management plan is in place that 
considers the current and future effects of climate change and the potential impact of the fishery on predator 
species; in particular, Chinook salmon, and Southern Resident killer whales.  We are asking for your support 
because we believe that if we stand together, we can affect change in the management of this critical forage 
fish.   
 
Islands Trust Council on March 14, 2019, passed a resolution on the Pacific herring fishery stating:   
 
That Trust Council write a letter to Minister Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian 
Coast Guard, asking for a moratorium on the herring fishery in the Salish Sea until an ecosystem based 
management plan is in place that considers the current and future effects of climate change and the 
potential impacts on predator species, in particular, Chinook Salmon and Southern Resident killer 
whales; and that Bowen Island Municipality and First Nations in the Trust Area be invited to participate 
as signatories to this letter. 
 
We are concerned with Pacific herring management issues because Pacific herring are foundational to the food 
web of the Salish Sea.  Pacific herring play a critical role in the functioning of regions ecosystems.  Pacifi

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