Salmon Voices was a workshop held in Munich, Germany, where indigenous community representatives concerned with wild salmon and salmon aquaculture met to exchange experiences and viewpoints.
Through presentations and round-table discussions, the purpose of the workshop was to explore issues of consultation, industry-indigenous partnerships and agreements, indigenous rights, risk and scientific uncertainty, indigenous ecological knowledge, and the economic and social sustainability of salmon aquaculture.
The event was organised by social scientists who have worked with indigenous and salmon issues in British Columbia and Norway, and was kindly hosted by the Rachel Carson Centre in Munich. It was funded by the Government of Canada, The Rachel Carson Centre, and the Fram Research Centre, Norway.
The workshop title “Salmon Voices” indicates the opportunity for multiple voices to be heard regarding salmon and aquaculture management in indigenous contexts.
In recent years, some First Nations leaders have appealed to Norwegian authorities to consider the state of the wild salmon and the environmental impacts of the fish farming industry, while others have resolved their disagreements with this industry. Yet there appears to be little direct exchange of knowledge between Canadian and Norwegian indigenous peoples about the environmental, legal, cultural, and economic dimensions of salmon aquaculture. In bringing together representatives from coastal Sami communities, First Nations from British Columbia and Atlantic Canada, as well as academics from both countries, the organisers intend to build linkages between indigenous communities, and come to a better understanding of how this globalized industry is experienced locally. What are the hopes and fears for the future of the wild fisheries and the fish farming industry? What successes and problems have emerged out of discussions between indigenous communities, industry, and government management agencies?
Through presentations and roundtable discussions, this workshop explored issues of consultation, industry-indigenous partnerships and agreements, indigenous rights, risk and scientific uncertainty, indigenous ecological knowledge, and the economic and social sustainability of salmon aquaculture.
The proceedings from this workshop are available here.