Coast Salish Territory, Vancouver, British Columbia – Leaders of the BC Assembly of First Nations, First Nations Summit and Union of BC Indian Chiefs met this morning with the Hon. Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to sign a BC First Nations Fisheries Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
The MOU (attached) “establishes and defines a collaborative relationship to achieve concrete outcomes that are mutually beneficial to all Parties, and supports the aspirations of First Nations in BC, through establishing a joint dialogue process regarding general and specific issues related to fisheries and aquatic resources in BC.”
“We are pleased that we have finally signed this important MOU, which has been in development for more than a year”, said Grand Chief Edward John of the First Nations Summit political executive. “Fisheries issues are critical to First Nations in BC. This MOU provides a much needed mechanism that will provide opportunities to discuss key fisheries and aquaculture issues and will hopefully lead to collaborative efforts to achieve concrete outcomes that are not only mutually beneficial, but also address the aspirations and needs of First Nations in BC.”