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Salmon Restoration Efforts at Risk After Colville Confederated Tribes’ Political Decision to Walk Away from 15-Year Sockeye Restoration Partnership with Syilx Okanagan Nation

October 24th, 2024

Salmon Restoration Efforts at Risk After Colville Confederated Tribes’ Political Decision to Walk Away from 15-Year Sockeye Restoration Partnership with Syilx Okanagan Nation

ntytyix sockeye salmon have always been a priority in Syilx Okanagan Nation’s restoration efforts; 80% of Columbia River salmon originate from the Okanagan, where the majority spawn in Canada. This year, upwards of 300,000 sockeye have made it back into the river to spawn.

SYILX OKANAGAN NATION TERRITORY (October 24, 2024) – One of the internationally known “good news” environmental stories of recent years, has been the return of record numbers of sockeye salmon to the Okanagan River thanks to the Okanagan Nation Alliance Fisheries’ (ONA) salmon restoration efforts. Unfortunately, despite this incredible success, the work has been put at risk this year by the unilateral political decision of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation to cancel funding and walk away from joint salmon restoration projects with the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

The ONA has long-established First Nation fisheries management operations and is considered to be the largest inland First Nations fishery in BC, if not Canada, including a sockeye salmon conservation hatchery.

On August 12, 2024, the Chairman of the Confederated Tribes sent two letters to ONA Fisheries project staff to cancel his tribes’ share of joint funding for salmon restoration projects that had been running for over 15 years. The short-sighted decision goes against the teachings of spiritual leaders and Syilx/Sinixt Elders like Calyx (Richard Armstrong), who have always reminded us that the work of ntytyix fish passage is bigger than all of us – a clear, stark reminder of our sacred covenants as Syilx peoples to care for our tmixʷ (all living things) and tmxʷulaxʷ (land).

The annual funding was valued at approximately $400,000 (CAD), and the cancellation, which was made with just 15 days’ notice, and without explanation, has caused significant disruption to ongoing work, risking jobs, and forcing the Syilx Okanagan Nation to make emergency triage decisions on salmon restoration projects that were already underway this fiscal year.

“This last-minute cancellation has left our project staff scrambling, and delayed projects,” said Chief Robert Louie of the Westbank First Nation, a Syilx Okanagan Nation community. “The salmon are too important to play politics with, and we will take care of them, but it’s important to note this cancellation was very disruptive and sharply at odds with Chairman Erickson’s recent media comments that his tribes want to ‘live in unity and partnership’ with our Nation.”

The Syilx Okanagan Nation has chosen to share news of the cancellation because Colville has continued to pursue a unilateral agenda of reaching across the border into Canada, demanding and acting to gain involvement over Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory. The Syilx Okanagan Nation has never attempted to do the same in the US and has in fact been prepared to meet and discuss issues, with an extended hand that remains open to Colville.

“In retrospect, the cancellation was not only an escalation of Colville’s move away from our Syilx Unity Declaration,” said Chief Louie. “But it also appears to be a direct play for full control of Upper Columbia fish passage, salmon reintroduction and research – work that we have successfully led in all parts of our Territory. Our partnership on salmon restoration was evidence of the success we achieve when we work together, as our people have done for thousands of years. Our door always has been, and always will remain open to working together again with our US relatives, as we have always had one language, one land, one culture and one people.”

A recent source of friction within the once unified nation has been Colville’s decision to claim one of their 12 tribes – the Lakes Tribe, what they now call the “Sinixt Confederacy” — is a distinct nation, deserving separate rights and compensation in the Arrow Lakes area of BC, which is part of the Eastern Territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

In Canada, the Syilx Okanagan Nation is the successor group for Sinixt descendants because many members of our communities are of Sinixt descent, the Sinixt have always been part of the Syilx Okanagan Nation, and we have continued to hunt, gather, travel and perform our ceremonies throughout our Territory including the Arrow Lakes region, to the present day.

Important Facts:

  • 80% of salmon that enter the mouth of the Columbia River are Okanagan River sockeye.
  • The vast majority of these salmon spawn in Canada, in the Okanagan River.
  • Colville’s decision harms salmon restoration efforts that directly benefit their people by bringing salmon back and increasing fishing opportunities on the Columbia River.

The abrupt cancellation means an immediate loss of funding for:

  • Fish habitat and passage assessments, analysis and conceptual designs.
  • Stream/fish passage issues – investigation, community and public engagement.
  • Meetings and project development for the Okanagan River Restoration Initiative (ORRI) and the Okanagan Basic Monitoring Evaluation Program (OBMEP).
  • Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) support.
  • Outreach funds for projects.
  • Project management and coordination during construction projects.
  • Six discharge stations used for drought and water management discussions with BC, and to support special projects related to environmental flows.
  • Loss of administration funds and cost sharing to support proposals to government.

Salmon Restoration Efforts at Risk After Colville Confederated Tribes’ Political Decision to Walk Away from 15-Year Sockeye Restoration Partnership with Syilx Okanagan Nation

For more information, please contact:

Tara Montgomery
ONA Communications Lead
250-862-6866

Andrew Frank
CEC Communications Advisor
604-367-2112