Consortium of First Nations Along BC- Alaska Border Declare State of Emergency Over Dwindling Salmon Populations

A consortium of First Nations along the BC-Alaska border has declared a state of emergency over the on-going decline of salmon populations.

Issued during their annual meeting last week, the declaration comes from the Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission.

Made up of members from 15 Tsimshian, Tlingit, and Haida Nations, the Commission seeks to protect both pacific ecosystems and their way of life.

Talks at the meeting, held in Washington last Friday, also centred around the creation of an international Indigenous Organization.

If created, the intitative would focus on protecting critical habitats and waterways using traditional knowledge, rather than western methods.

Heiltsuk Hereditary Chief Frank Brown says that western science is what caused this mess, and Indigenous leadership is needed to end it.

It all comes after a year and a half of First Nations groups advocating for the shutdown of Alaska fisheries intercepting Canada-bound salmon.