Transboundary Indigenous Summit - Statement 

November 9 - 10, 2021

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We, the Indigenous Peoples of the Pacific Northwest have thrived for millennia in an ever-changing world. Much more than a food source, wild salmon are the backbone of our society, culture, and ceremony, tying us together with the land and water. 

 

Industrial impacts and now runaway climate change threaten wild salmon, the land, and the waters that feed us. 

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Guided by our ancestral teachings in consideration of future generations, we commit to ensure the survival of wild salmon. The Pacific Northwest, from coastal BC through Alaska, represents a last stand for sustainable natural systems that can still provide food sovereignty and refuge for all species that inhabit these lands and waters. 

Humanity has got to work together to maintain wild salmon within healthy ecosystems for future generations. We believe economies do not have to destroy the planet to thrive. 

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The fishing industry must be managed to end wasteful harvesting practices and restore sustainability. International cooperation should ensure that wild salmon return to their spawning systems. 

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We call on all levels of State, Provincial and National Governments, NGOs, science and Indigenous Nations to work together to protect our wild salmon and shared watersheds from further degradation. Industrial and economic activity must be managed to consider downstream and upstream effects, and particularly the effects on salmon. 

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We call on all people of the Pacific Northwest to work together to protect our oceans.