Category Archives: Indigenous Nations

Indigenous Nations, Rivers & Oceans

Fish farms underreport sea lice when not being audited, study says

1 Comment

“Our results suggest that sea-louse counts reported by the salmon farming industry are lower than the true abundance of parasites on their fish. When the federal government audited a sea-louse count, the industry’s mean counts for that month increased by a factor of 1.18 for L. salmonis and by 1.95 for C. clemensi.” – Sean Godwin et al, Bias in self-reported parasite data from the salmon farming industry.

Dr Sean Godwin is the lead author of eight of the fifteen scientific papers listed on his website. The bulk of these explore interactions between wild and farmed salmon. One of the most troubling, published in the journal Ecological Application, is a survey that showed fish farms underreport sea lice when they are not audited by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Continue reading Fish farms underreport sea lice when not being audited, study says →
Environment, Indigenous Nations

Feds fund 10 First Nations guardians Initiatives

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

It’s abundantly clear Canada has much to learn from Indigenous Peoples when it comes to conservation and stewardship, said Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, hours after announcing $600,000 in funding Thursday morning for 10 new First Nations Guardians initiatives across the country.

Continue reading Feds fund 10 First Nations guardians Initiatives →
Forests, Indigenous Nations, Justice

The Last stand: Fairy Creek

By Melissa Renwick, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Port Renfrew, BC – After over a decade of documenting B.C.’s last remaining old-growth ecosystems, TJ Watt said he hadn’t come across anything quite like the grove of red cedars hidden in the upper reaches of the Caycuse watershed, near Port Renfrew.

“It was truthfully one of the most stunning old-growth forests I’ve been in,” said the co-founder of the Ancient Forest Alliance. “The sheer volume of giant cedars was mind-blowing – every direction you looked was another 10 to 12-foot-wide ancient cedar that could be 800 years old, or older.”

When he returned later that year in 2020, only their stumps remained.

Continue reading The Last stand: Fairy Creek →
Education, Indigenous Nations

Telling children about residential schools

By Anna McKenzie,  The Discourse, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

This article contains content about residential schools that may be triggering. Support for survivors and their families is available. Call the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066, 1-866-925-4419 for the 24-7 crisis line. The KUU-US Crisis Line Society also offers 24-7 support at 250-723-4050 for adults, 250-723-2040 for youth, or toll free at 1-800-588-8717.

In the aftermath of the shocking news of 215 children’s bodies being discovered in a mass burial site at the Kamloops Indian Residential School, IndigiNews spoke with educators to gather resources on how to engage with children and youth.

Continue reading Telling children about residential schools →
Cost of Climate Change, Indigenous Nations

Another insurer drops Trans Mountain

By John Woodside, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Following pressure from Indigenous and climate activists, Trans Mountain insurer Argo Group is slashing ties with the Crown corporation.

Continue reading Another insurer drops Trans Mountain →