Thank you for those introductory remarks, Mr. Chair. I very much appreciate them.
Good afternoon, everyone.
It's great to be with you virtually. I'm coming to you from the traditional unceded territory of the Kwikwetlem First Nation and the Coast Salish peoples.
Thank you for the opportunity to present to the standing committee regarding the state of Pacific salmon. My name is Fin Donnelly. Iyem Yewyews is my Squamish name.
Last August, I had the honour of presenting to this committee in my role as chair of the board of a non-profit charity called the Rivershed Society of British Columbia. This year I'm here in my new role as British Columbia's parliamentary secretary for fisheries and aquaculture for the new provincial Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.
One main reason I am grateful to be in my new position is to support the value that so many British Columbians place on our marine environment and our wild Pacific salmon. When I was last here, I stated that we can't have healthy salmon and salmon runs if we don't have healthy watersheds. I was concerned about the need for increased government action on watershed conservation, protection and restoration. I encouraged the federal government to work with the British Columbia government, indigenous governments, scientists and academics, conservation organizations, fishers, labour groups, coastal communities and others to conserve, protect and restore salmon. None of us will be able to succeed in restoring wild Pacific salmon on our own. We must work together to ensure they are supported for their whole life cycle.
In my new role I am fully committed to working with first nations, other organizations and the federal government to restore wild Pacific salmon and their habitat. In fact, the mandate given to me by Premier Horgan states just that: “Lead work with the federal government to develop new strategies to protect and revitalize B.C.'s wild salmon populations”.
When I was here last, I also asked if you have the political courage to make the tough recommendations needed in your report. Now I too am representing a government, and I can assure you that B.C. does have that courage. We will be demonstrating it in our bold, new, made-in-B.C. wild salmon strategy that is currently being developed and in working to double the size of the B.C. salmon restoration and innovation fund. Additionally, the province is preparing both a new coastal marine strategy and a new watershed security strategy. These three initiatives will help ensure timely, coordinated provincial action in areas of significance to wild Pacific salmon and their habitats.
The Province of British Columbia was pleased to see the proposed funds for restoring wild salmon in B.C. in the recent federal budget, as well as the additional commitment for the B.C. salmon restoration and innovation fund, which B.C. is working towards supporting as well. The province looks forward to discussing in detail how our governments can work together on these objectives, including through support of watershed restoration and innovation in community fish hatcheries. We also noted the funds that have been proposed for developing a plan to transition from open-net pen salmon farming in B.C.'s waters by 2025.
Given the recent decision in the Discovery Islands, we would like the federal government to commit to ensuring that any transition plan also includes economic supports for communities—the people who are directly impacted by these decisions—while the transition and the return to a wild salmon economy unfolds.
When I was here last, I said we needed bold action and leadership, along with a commitment of resources and support to help wild Pacific salmon. No one wants B.C.'s salmon populations to go the way of the Atlantic cod, but we are at a real risk of extirpation of some of B.C.'s once-renowned salmon runs. British Columbians want us to work with indigenous leadership, as well as our federal, local and community partners, to ensure these iconic species not only survive but thrive into the future. We're going to continue to build a made-in-B.C. wild salmon recovery strategy that we can all be proud of.
I hope you will join me in taking the actions needed to ensure their abundance and diversity for this generation and generations to come.
Thank you, everyone.