Broughton Archipelago Transition Initiative

On June 30, 2018, the Provincial government signed a historic Letter of Understanding (LOU) with the ‘Namgis, Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis and Mamalilikulla First Nations. The Agreement provides for the orderly phase-out of salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago, beginning with farms most affecting the outmigration of local salmon runs. The Nations play a lead role in monitoring and conducting scientific analysis of the operation of farms in the territory, which helps inform a decision to be made in 2022 concerning the fate of the farms remaining in operation at that time. 

The letter of understanding followed after 30 years of incursions into the territories of the Nations by salmon farms, to which they have always objected. It put UNDRIP principles to work, for the first time acknowledging the rights of First Nations to informed consent and management of their unceded territories.