Haida Nation finds success at the court; No Commercial Herring Fishery off Haida Gwaii this year

Certificate of Order from Federal Court
bringing an end to any
Herring Fishing plans for Haida Gwaai

The Haida Nation was celebrating a victory in the court over the weekend, with an injunction granted to the Haida to prevent the re-opening of the commercial herring fishery off the coast of the Islands.

The decision was delivered on Friday afternoon, following a court hearing on Thursday where the two sides made their case related to the contentious plan for a herring fishery.

The Haida posted the injunction to the Council of the Haida Nation website shortly after the decision was brought down Friday.

The Haida also provided some background on the case, heralding the injunction as serving to stop what they have been saying is an unsustainable herring fishery.

As well as highlighting their position related to the herring fishery, they also provided a glimpse into their concerns over the attitude of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans regarding sustainable fisheries.

“The Haida Nation approached Canadian courts to stop an unsustainable herring fishery, and we were successful,” said kil tlaats ‘gaa Peter Lantin, President of the Haida Nation “The court was receptive to our submissions and we were able to demonstrate a very real problem in the management of herring and the attitude of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. We hope with this ruling DFO will start working with us to develop a sustainable fisheries.” -- From a statement from  said kil tlaats ‘gaa Peter Lantin, President of the Haida Nation following the granting of a Court Injunction Friday to stop a planned herring fishery off Haida Gwaii

Further details from Friday's injunction can be found from the media release below.

Media Release from the Haida Nation
outlining success at the Federal Court
on Friday.

The court injunction wasn't the only set back to DFO's Herring plans for this spring, on Sunday it was announced that the Barkley Sound herring fishery was being cancelled after poor samples were recovered.


Below, some of the items from the media overview from the weekend.

March 8 -- Haida Nation wins injunction against commercial fishery on Hadia Gwaii
March 7 -- Haida Nation wins injunction against commercial fishery
March 6 -- Haida Nation win injunction against commercial fishery on Haida Gwaii