AFN steps into B.C. fishing fray

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The Assembly of First Nations has formed a committee to develop a national fisheries strategy for bands across Canada.

Wendy Grant, Assembly of First Nations vice-chief in B.C., said the committee will speak with one voice on resource and fishing rights for all First Nations people.

"The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has been put on notice that this committee will try to force the federal government to deal with Aboriginal fishing rights

in both Inland and coastal fisheries," she said.

The committee is designed to foster a national perspective for Native fisheries without interfering with individual band operations in different regions, Grant said. Nominations will take place until the first week of March, AFN spokesperson Karen

Isaac said.

The Feb. 17-19 gathering in Ottawa marked the first time that First Nations from across the country met to discuss Native fishing rights.

Assembly of First Nations grand chief Ovide Mercredi told 150 conference delegates that a united front on resources is the only path to a better life for Natives. Fishing rights could be jeopardized in the next federal election because the economy

will be the central issue, he said.

"Will our needs be considered? Not unless we force them onto the agenda," he said.

The issue was also a concern for several other Native leaders at the conference. Chief Amos of the Haisla Nation in B.C. predicted an increase in opposition from non-Native fisheries as an election approaches.

"Day after day, we see opposition by commercial fishermen to our right to be responsible in the fisheries resource," he said. "It is imperative for us to speak to that."

AFN Atlantic vice-chief Leonard Tomah said Ottawa must recognize Native rights to resource management.

"The killing of the resource is almost tantamount to killing our identity," he said.

Native fisheries on the west coast have already clashed with non-Native fisheries over the right to catch and sell food fish. The crisis reached a high point last fall when about 500,000 sockeye salmon seemed to disappear on their way to spawning grounds

in the Fraser River system.

A federal government report released last December concluded that over-fishing was the cause of the disappearance but did not lay blame on either Native or non-Native fisheries.

Federal Fisheries officials are currently talking with the 97 bands along the Fraser River watershed to work out an effective fishing policy. The talks have met with opposition from non-Native commercial fisheries who feel they have been locked out of the negotiations.

Meanwhile, B.C. Fisheries, Minister Bill Barlee has said the provincial government will refuse to support Ottawa's plan to turn fisheries management on the Fraser River over to First Nations groups.

The program was a failure last year, the said, and could result in violence if enforced.

Tension between the two fisheries is also growing over the coming high-stakes herring fishery season due to start in late February. Eleven representatives of fishermen, fish processors and wildlife groups were in Ottawa last week to stall the federal government's plans to expand Native fisheries in B.C.

Dennis Brown of the United Fishermen's and Allied Workers Union said, however, that they haven't been successful and that tensions will likely only increase.