To: The Government of Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and Relevant Authorities

From: Concerned First Nations and Coastal Communities

Subject: Protection of Marine Food Security and Sustainable Fisheries Management

We, the undersigned, petition the Government of Canada to take immediate action to address the excessive and unsustainable harvesting of marine resources in Haida Gwaii, Tsimshian, and Nisga’a territorial waters.

BACKGROUND

First Nations, as the original inhabitants of these lands, have long depended on the abundance of food from our coastal marine waters. We have been the stewards of these resources for generations, ensuring sustainability and balance within our ecosystems before contact with outside forces.

Access to marine food is not only crucial for our nutritional needs but is deeply intertwined with our cultural identity and way of life. However, recent patterns of excessive harvesting driven by industrial "factory freezer trawlers" pose a severe threat to our marine food security, endangering fish stocks and disrupting the ecological balance of our territorial waters.

CONCERNS AND EVIDENCE

The decline of key fish species is well-documented on the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ (DFO) online database, which clearly illustrates how overfishing has led to drastic reductions in both quotas and actual harvest levels.

Hake Catch and Quota (in tonnes):

Year    Catch    Quota
2024   3,263    58,034
2023   24,090  104,985
2022   31,796   100,898
2019   86,612   126,063
2016   67,142    117,742

Turbot Catch and Quota (in tonnes):

Year    Catch    Quota
2024   3,723     5,100
2023   3,731      5,634
2022   4,481     6,420
2019   7,648     18,925
2016   12,507    21,625

As the data above demonstrates, the largest total allowable catches (TACs) on the British Columbia coast are experiencing significant declines. This is unacceptable, and continuing with business as usual will only exacerbate the problem. As the original stewards of these waters, we insist that these issues be addressed immediately, as First Nations food security is at critical risk.

IMPACT OF FACTORY FREEZER TRAWLERS

Currently, factory freezer trawlers are operating in key marine zones, including:

Rose Spit (Pollock midwater trawling)
Cape James (Turbot bottom trawling)
Rennel Sound (Rockfish bottom trawling)

The rockfish species, which are harvested within Haida Gwaii, Tsimshian, and Nisga’a territorial waters, have much lower TACs than hake and turbot. These are long-lived species, and the destructive harvesting methods used by factory freezer trawlers will devastate their populations. If immediate action is not taken, the ecological and cultural impact on First Nations communities will be irreparable.

OUR DEMANDS

We, the undersigned, formally demand the following actions be taken:

1. Immediate Ban on Factory Freezer Trawlers in the northern territorial waters of Haida Gwaii, Tsimshian, and Nisga’a nations to prevent further depletion of marine resources.
2. Stronger Regulations on Industrial Fishing Practices to protect marine biodiversity and ensure sustainable fisheries management.
3. Priority Access for First Nations Communities to marine resources as a means of upholding food security and Indigenous rights.
4. Implementation of Traditional Stewardship Practices to align modern fisheries management with First Nations knowledge systems that have successfully maintained ecological balance for generations.

We urge the government to act now before it is too late.

This petition is a formal request for immediate intervention to preserve our waters, protect our food security, and respect our inherent rights as First Nations stewards of these lands.