[BCFSN] MEDIA ADVISORY - Kinder Morgan Salmon Mats Violate Indigenous Peoples Food System

[Dawn Morrison]

*Media Advisory* - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


*Kinder Morgan “salmon mats” violate Indigenous peoples food system*


Members of the massive territory of the Secwepemc in the BC Interior say
Kinder Morgan is putting wild salmon at serious risk by blocking sensitive
spawning grounds with “snow fence mats”. They want the mats removed from
salmon-bearing rivers and streams and the spawning grounds protected.


For thousands of years, the Secwepemc have been stewards of some of the
best and largest salmon spawning grounds in the world, including the Adams
River Run. They say the health and integrity of the complex system of wild
salmon bio-diversity and cultural heritage is under attack by Kinder
Morgan's unregulated use of the mats and construction of the Trans Mountain
pipeline.


Secwepemc elders, fishermen, and matriarchs are gravely concerned about
current and future access to wild salmon, their single most important food
source. Secwepemc Matriarch, Bernice Heather says “we are grieving at the
dwindling numbers of wild salmon and at the ways extractive resource
projects like Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain pipeline threatens wild salmon
habitat and spawning grounds”.


Dawn Morrison, from the Working Group on Indigenous Food Soveeignty, says
that “in addition to totally disregarding Secwepemc title and rights and
lack of adequate prior informed consent for pipeline expansion through our
territory, Kinder Morgan is contributing to the destruction of fragile wild
salmon runs.


“Our Secwepemc fisheries knowledge and traditional conservation methods are
among the most sustainable in the world, yet our elders, matriarchs and
fishers have little or no say in the decision making impacting wild
salmon,” says Morrison.


The Working Group is calling on all Canadians to demand that the federal
and provincial governments demonstrate deep and meaningful truth and
reconciliation by removing the salmon mats and stopping the harmful
expansion of the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

-30 -


Media Contact:

Dawn Morrison,         dmo6842 at gmail.com ,      778 879 5106


Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty
C/O 555 East 55th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C, V5X 1N6
Mobile: 778.879.5106
Email: dmo6842 at gmail.com
Websites: www.indigenousfoodsystems.org
https://wildsalmoncaravan.wordpress.com/
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