Federal court sides with Haida Gwaii and rules against opening herring fishery in the territory in 2015

A federal court decision sided with the Haida Gwaii and ruled that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans cannot open a herring fishery in the territory this year. The Haida were granted an injunction that prevented the re-opening of a commercial herring fishery on the nation’s north coast.

“This win is another step to building herring stocks, and in doing so, contributes to an economy that will provide a reasonable living for our people, and the path of reconciliation with Canada,” said Haida Nation President Peter Lantin in a statement.

The Haida insists the herring stocks have not rebuilt enough to support an opening, and that the department’s management process was flawed. A similar argument put forward by the Nuu-chah-nulth in a separate court hearing for the herring stocks on the West Coast of Vancouver Island was lost and the commercial herring industry was allowed to go forward.