Marketing Ģat Leedm LLP is project-oriented

PRINCE RUPERT (May 2012) - A new joint venture including Metlakatla Development Corporation, Island Tug and Barge, and Williams Moving has been launched, called Ģat Leedm, "They are underway now, and a half dozen people are working under the Ģat Leedm LLP transportation umbrella, and employment situation that will only continue to expand," says John Lindsay, "We have designed a company to provide a 'supply chain solution' for the north west coast, owned and operated by the First Nations, working on the marine side through a process of different opportunities. There is lots of potential since facilities are under construction and expanding in Prince Rupert."

Ģat Leedm is presently active in the logistics of trucking and warehousing around the area, "They are running four trailers in moving aggregate for the Ridley Terminal site expansion underway in Prince Rupert." Ģat Leedm LLP is positioned to offer choices on shipping using scenarios that utilize a flexible supply chain that could be barge or truck or rail, or whatever combination works to the benefit of cost efficient shipping contracts.

"Sometimes we find one solution cheaper than another,” says Lindsay, “and we have the complete supply chain solution, including warehousing, by working collaboratively to give clients the options. We offer barge truck and rail, and we can provide transportation solutions based on design of this company from the supply chain solutions perspective. When somebody wants something moved we can do it, barging, trucking and warehousing. We're not just a tug and barge company and we are looking at a lot of different opportunities.”

Marketing Ģat Leedm LLP is project-oriented and plans are logistically feasible to maximize service and make shipping economically feasible. "We are trying to build the capacity where it makes sense for First Nations. We took the business approach and launched Ģat Leedm from a business plan that makes sense,” says Lindsay. The company was announced at the Naboc conference in March 2012 in Prince Rupert.

"Prince Rupert is starting to reach a new potential." Lindsay's Island Tug and Barge is one of the joint venture partners and has a history from the 1960s on the BC coast. "We have had First Nation customers many years and this is our first joint venture business relations. This will be a big year for the new company.”

Ryan Leighton, Director of Operations for the Metlakatla Development Corporations says, "We have strong expressions of interest in this new company and we are devoted to providing a wide range of transportation services," in a two-prong approach, land and marine transportation. "We are presently working at the expansion site for Ridley Terminals Inc. in Prince Rupert.  We are under way moving aggregate with four tractors and four sets of tandem side dumps."

"We are looking at training for the marine side, and training on land operations is also a high priority." The employment side of these business developments is clearly focussed on First Nation employees, "with all the projects, including the work undertaken with Adventure Paving at  RTI. We are pleased to say there is a 50% First Nation labour component and we really pushed to have the other 50% come from the local area.  "Nothing like this has been done before in Prince Rupert," says Leighton. "There is going to be a lot of training and new jobs up in this area . Everybody from John Lindsay and Jim Williams to our corporate team players pulled together in this strategic move by MDC to partner in business. Things are getting moving."
 

Vero Management Inc. was retained to develop a training program for the marine certification of employees. The primary intent of the trianing is to ensure we have qualified, skilled staff, but the added bonus is that we also have local people trained to respond to emergencies. With all the activity that is taking place in the region if an accident were to occur response times will be greatly reduced. The training program could be utilized by other industry players in terms of emergency response and necessary certification required in a marine or terrestrial environment.”

Gail Murray says, "The training focuses on certifying individuals that will enable them to find employment in the marine services sector. Courses offered include radio operation, search and rescue basics,marine emergency duties, small vessel operation, restricted operator certificates, maritime OSA level one and two, incident command training, shore-line clean up and maintenance, international marine oil pollution response, The training also incorporates essential skills that will prepare individuals for employment.”

She adds, “Other supports such as tutors are part of the program to ensure students reach a high level of success.” Murray believes the training program is deliverable to the region at any time. The training is adaptable and would benefit other First Nations and communities throughout the coast. The training is built as a modular, multi-week program. In the end, it will qualify people to work in the marine services sector and gets them on their way towards a fulfilling and exciting career."

Williams Moving & Storage announced their proud participation in Ģat Leedm in a press release about the joint venture with "Island Tug & Barge and the Metlakatla band of Northwestern British Columbia." The limited liability partnership agreement was signed in February, and, "the name chosen for the company is Ģat Leedm LLP. Ģat Leedm means “strength” in the Metlakatla’s native  language.” The release explains, “The company will be comprised of two main branches. Ģat Leedm Logistics LLP will be comprised of Williams Moving & Storage and the Metlakatla Band. Ģat Leedm Marine Services LLP will be comprised of Island Tug and the Metlakatla Band. Together, both branches will work together to offer unparalleled logistics service to Northwestern BC, by way of land and sea.” 

July 2012 Dialogue on Development East and West

JULY EAST & WEST DIALOGUE ON DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS SECTION

June 2012 Western Edition Dialogue on Development

BUSINESS SECTION IN JUNE 2012 WESTERN EDITION
Renewable energy at front of the contents in the story about Innergex and Kwoiek Energy, a Run of River project under construction in the Fraser Canyon. Business section contains a detailed article on First Nations in log export market.

SEE JUNE WEST

Business Dialogue Print Editions from the past

February 2010

Diving industry beckons potential employees

At the Canadian Working Divers Institute in Northern Ontario, Gordon Hay and team teaches divers to be the world-class Unrestricted Surface-Supplied Divers in demand around the country in various kinds of industrial scenarios, from energy sector, to municipal services, to coastal aquaculture operations (three coasts).

“We condensed a nine month training program into 12 weeks of intensive training. It runs 12 hours a day, six days a week,” explains Hays, “which is better for the people wanting this kind of career development.” Diving is a job for people willing to do the work as jack-of-all-trades underwater, he says. They may be employed in the energy sector in the Beaufort Sea, or aquaculture on any of the three coasts in Canada. It could take them anywhere in the world,” he says, “Training occurs near Chapleau on Lake Borden, “The work takes people across the country and around the world.”

The training institute runs one course per year for up to 30 students. “We supply room and board from August 7th to about November 1, and train them to a standard that exceeds all other diving training standards in the world, preparing personnel for jobs in the Arctic Ocean, Beaufort Sea, Hibernia oil field, Great Lakes, or anywhere else.” According to Hays, “There is room in the industry for more skilled people. Average age is around 24, but we get students from ages 18 to 40 and up. Our training is surface supply level, making it certified for deeper diving and using more tools underwater. info@canadianworkingdivers.com

Kelly Korol runs Dive Safe commercial diving school in Campbell River, B.C., and says diving training is proving to be a good fit in First Nations communities, divers working in places like Klemtu and on the other side of Vancouver Island at Ahousaht. "We are a trade school teaching commercial diving that leads to employment in a variety of areas, especially sea food harvesting and aquaculture," says Korol. "Diving for urchins in various waters and one student is currently training to be able to harvest goeduck in Ahousaht.

Korol says, "Bands have access to fisheries and licenses and where the community has nothing else going on, diving and using the commercial diving skills from training can lead to employment where you are at home every night with the wife and kids, gainful employment close to home. When the weather is bad, you don't go diving, when the weather is good, you're working in aquaculture site work, or harvesting urchins, scallops, and we train the divers for commercial fisheries and aquaculture.

"We have a couple students from the Hakai Institute, north of Rivers Inlet," (programs at the institute are conducted by partner institutions such as the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Northern British Columbia). "Our training enables students to conduct underwater scientific diving studies and other employment is found working in environmental assessments."

Korol is enthusiastic about a current training program he is preparing to deliver to Nunavut, "on clam digging underwater. First Nation and Inuit people have huge pristine clam beds, and we are working out details to deliver training there," and, he notes, "It's a case again of First Nations returning to work in traditionlal lands to fill a huge demand for the resources. The guys here on the west coast and making a living harvesting sea urchin and goeduck, sea cucumbers, and it's filling the demand in the Asian market."

On the recreational side of diving, he notes, "B.C. is cold water diving at its best in the world, strong currents and clear water lots of life on the bottom when you get down there. You see all kinds of activity." Dive safe runs training courses throughout the year, "We do two courses. One is a five-week scuba curse, and the other is a seven-week surface supply course. Surface supply diving is safer and certain kinds of seafood harvests require you to be wearing weighted surface supply gear, to keep you on the bottom while you pick the geoduck off the floor by the neck. It's seven weeks to finish the surface supply course." Aquaculture work is mostly done by scuba trained and equipped divers. Surface supply diving takes longer to learn use of power tools underwater, or welding, and surface supply diving is used on pressure washing boats of marine equipment underwater.

 

The maintenance of a fish farm is a constant undertaking, underwater, with specific demands by industry, government, and society that are met by specialized outfits like Seaveyors Environmental and Marine Services Ltd., of Courtenay B.C. Canada. Darren Horler is owner of the company started in 2006 to do the work for a thriving aquaculture economy. net pen inspections and environmental monitoring using rov anchoring systems current

"We dive with a minimum two divers on inspection teams, sometimes three, and every situation is unique. Before each dive we come up with the plan. Most aquaculture related dives occur in fairly protected waters, and the teams work around the metal and steel frame net pens, inspecting nets and anchoring systems on a scheduled basis, as well as on-call inspections." Seaveyors is fully equipped with technology-laden water craft and equipment, "a big investment into the industry." He explains, "I am running the operations with eight professionals on staff, including our divers and a biologist to do certified Environmental inspection services."

 

"We are more than a dive contractor. We are working on top the water a lot, and we do specialized environmental contracting, and I like to think we have top skills with the equipment, but it's a small circle in this industry, and I know everybody personally. It's a tight ship in the underwater surveys industry, and there is a lot of competency. We do all waters, deep sea up to creek habitat."

The company is employed in environmental monitoring, "We get into a lot of third party work that comes from the demand for reports that are submitted to government," says Horler. His company's biology department has done all kinds work in the different Pacific species, commercial and environmental reports on things like goeduck, herring spawn, surveys, urchins, and a tremendous variety of other diving studies and reports made into databases. Reporting is done in many instances for DFO, especially since a transition in coast aquaculture industry report from provincial to federal jurisdiction about a year ago. Meanwhile the diving industry is a growing employment opportunity, "Definitely there are opportunities to get into the business of diving." The schools on the west coast have curriculum and certification level courses at the scuba-level and restricted diving level, which qualifies the graduates with Worksafe BC credentials for work in these kinds of marine services.

BC College of Diving principle Cory Beaudry knows a lot about the province of B.C. below the water line, all across the province and up and down the coast. "We teach unrestricted scuba and my experience with commercial diving begins 21 yrs ago, and I began the company Camcor Diving 19 years ago, and  opened the BC College of Diving in 2004, in Sidney BC." The college, which normally averages three courses per year is this year running two courses, one in the spring another in the fall. "The Unrestricted Scuba course is five weeks.  

This year's spring and fall courses will be done at the facility in Sidney and in the surrounding ocean waters. They find areas to practice in the 40 metres required to obtain the certification. When done, in his experience on the coastal operation of Camcor Diving, "the main work is aquaculture site maintenance  diving  in and around the net pens. Another coastal employment from the course is found in seafood harvesting, urchins, goeduck, sea cucumbers. His own company engages 14 full-time divers, "all on aquaculture."

Years ago fish farming maintenance was done by fish farmers themselves, and a lot of maintenance went by the way-side, then as the fish farms became advanced industrialized operations. Open-water certification programs highlight diving physiology, safe diving practices, and diving hazards,  Beaudry notes that diving demands a certain physiology that becomes apparent in the training stages. 

His business is into diving at fish farms, gaining a career worth of expertise on the maintenance of a fish farm. "It is highly specialized diving and I have been working at it 21 years. In fact, my Operations Manager trained me in the aquaculture diving industry and he has 30 years experience in the fish farming industry. Dives on farm sites are on average on average 70  to 90 feet, to do net pen inspection for DFO, mortality diving, underwater construction of new sites, each of which are anchored with weight systems to prevent billowing from currents, and invasions by sea lions and other predators."

Farms sites on the ocean receive scheduled maintenance, new constructions are done to install or move sites. The waters vary, and in fact, up north the diving gets to be some crazy stuff. Experience really counts in a hazardous environment like deepwater diving. In fact, BC College of Diving has a prerequisite that states all course entrants must have been a recreational diver with over 10 hours bottom time and a WCB Divers medical. He has seen people from a wide range of ages, "We had a  woman 57 old in the training, and we recently had a Haisla member, Dennis Robinson, 54, take the course.

In training, as on the job, "I hold safety above all," says Beaudry. I am a CSA Dive committee member, and I am on the Diver Certification Board of Canada, and obtained a certain amount of recognition among colleagues. camcordiving@telus.net

The making of a company to do broad-based marine services

 Port services are expanding at the Port of Prince Rupert, B.C., in a huge growth area joined now by a tripartite business venture with Island Tug and Barge, Metlakatla, and Lax Kw’alaams First Nations.

While discussing the new marine services company that is being formed on the Northwest coast, Ryan Leighton, Director of Operations for the Metlakatla Development Corporation (MDC) stated, “It`s in the very early stages,” says Ryan, and it is difficult to foresee what opportunities we have for generating employment. It`s a matter of moving assets to Prince Rupert and going from there.”

Ryan says, “There is a multitude of different opportunities we are looking at; however, at this time, everything is preliminary and nothing is set in stone.” The tripartite business group that includes Metlakatla, Lax Kw’Alaams and Island Tug and Barge is building the business portfolio.

Ryan notes that the North has an array of opportunities. MDC has a number of companies that range from forestry, a gas station, a tour company, ferry services, and an education centre that delivers a variety of educational and skills-building programs in Prince Rupert. The MDC is committed to creating opportunities that will sustain the two primary Coastal Tsimshian communities of Metlakatla and Lax Kw’Alaams.”

The new marine services project will operate across the Northwest coast region, “We are involved regionally and we’re going to grow. Barge services up here provide essential fuel, materials, supplies, everything right down to garbage remediation, “and our services will extend as far North as Alaska.”

He goes on to say, “We are faced with labour difficulties and the strong demand for capacity building in our communities. The issue of skill development is widespread and we have to spend a lot of time and money on capacity-building. We have the opportunities; we now need the skilled labour resources.”

The MDC, through their education centre (FNT&DC), has already started training First Nations people in a number of areas including college readiness, adult graduation and labour skills programs. Harold Leighton, MDC’s CEO, is a firm believer in providing the Band membership with the necessary foundational skills that will allow them to pursue further education in the area of their choice. Regarding the agreement between the Port of Prince Rupert and the Coast Tsimshian, Ryan’s comments were, “The signing is imminent. The federal government made their announcement a few weeks ago. The agreement includes many things.”

Metlakatla has a membership of over 800, and the membership for Lax Kw’Alaams is over 3200 members. Ryan affirms, “The agreement between the Port and the Coast Tsimshian allows for jobs, sole source contracting, and participation in all public information programs relating to the port. This agreement has taken a number of years to negotiate. The signing of it will confirm to us that the port acknowledges their obligation to negotiate Impact Benefit Agreements that recognize Metlakatla’s and Lax Kw’Alaams’ rights and title in this territory.”

The Coast Tsimshian community leadership made the business proposal when they approached ITB about forming a broad-based marine services company, “Lax Kw’alaams, Metlakatla (First Nations),  and Island Tug and Barge Ltd. signed a joint venture partnership agreement on April 12, at the 2011 National Aboriginal Business Opportunities Conference, held in Prince Rupert.”

The press release says Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla First Nations make up the Coast Tsimshian Nation, with the core of their exclusive traditional territory being the Prince Rupert Harbour.

“This is not a tugboat company,” says John Lindsay, ITB vice president and general manager, “It is a fully equipped marine services company in a hot area of economic development.” Lindsay says the Port of Prince Rupert is undergoing all kinds of expansion to meet the shipping demands of commodity sectors like coal, potash, and other export minerals. “Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla leaders came to us and proposed the making of a company to do broad-based marine services, and we were happy to be asked.”

The new company will emerge over the coming weeks with port services in all areas of support for vessels, including construction of facilities, and environmental protection and remediation operations that will range along the entire coast. Island Tug and Barge itself is engaged in chartered and scheduled barging and towing services in Canada and abroad. This new tripartite company for BC Coastal communities has a solid foundation. The new company will be providing tug and barge, fuel supply, short sea shipping, marine construction, and other marine services to a range of customers on the north coast.

“We worked in collaboration with our two partners to plan the company launch. Our goals include recruiting and preparing employees with training and development. Employment skills are required with the labour force that we intend to employ,” therefore recruitment includes a strong push into both communities. “We are very pleased to be part of these communities and hire the people who are available,” for the wide range of job opportunities created.

Aboriginal business planners mapped the new employment prospects coming to communities in a situation of business ownership by two respective Band entities. ”The labour base is ready to be trained,” said Lindsay. “Marine operations at port facilities are regulated by Transport Canada, and all kinds of certification is required for our employees. It takes time and we are starting with the basics.”

ITB is working with First Nations that have marine facilities, and some personnel, already at work for ITB, though the company has never analyzed the workforce for the racial make-up of the employees, and always respects the territorial integrity and inherent rights of the communities they have long-served. The new company opens opportunity to expand infrastructure on Watson Island and Metlakatla with port and marine service facilities that could adjunct to Port of Prince Rupert in the future. The commencement of operations for the new company will occur by the end of summer 2011, while naming of this venture will occur during the summer once Elders of both nations are consulted. The new company will be imprinting national imagery in branding and marketing of the entity.

When signing the agreement and making the announcement in late April, Chief Councillor Garry Reece said, “We are extremely pleased to be joining with Island Tug, which will allow us to continue to bring skills and employment opportunities to my People.” Chief Councillor Harold Leighton of Lax Kw’alaams followed by stating, “Our communities have large traditional  territories that encompass Prince Rupert and the North Coast. The marine economic development opportunities for us are significant, and partnering with Island Tug will enable us to tap into those opportunities.”

Recently, the Coast Tsimshian agreed to a business and employment package with the Port of Prince Rupert, and Chief Reece stated, “This is just a first of many steps we are taking to build opportunity in the Prince Rupert area, which will be good for everyone.” Lindsay concluded, “Island Tug has a long history of serving First Nations and other communities on the B.C. coast. We’re very pleased to work with Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla  to develop a range of marine opportunities in their traditional territories on the north coast.”

Resources North workshops building regional consensus on economic issues

Melanie Karjala, Acting General Manager for the Resources North Association, discusses an active agenda for the organization in 2012. At Resource North, she explains, “We have multiple sectors on the board, including people from  forestry, mining, oil and gas, and First Nations, and also we have academia, communities, small business, and there are projects with local education institutions.”

Resources North started in 1992 as the McGregor Model Forest and in 2007 was merged with Integrated Resource Management Partnership, an industry group working in Northern B.C., to create Resources North Association. It is run by a 16-member large board of directors and executive committee. 

Says  Karjala, “Our aim is to bring community stability and prosperity through sustainable resource management. We have four key theme areas: Community engagement, Expanding the knowledge base, Operational integration, Communications and extension,” she says, “one of our roles is to get information out to the people who can use it.

 “Our focus is on collaboration. In order to achieve it, we focus on bringing people together to work on solutions in our four theme areas. The full board meets quarterly and executive meets every six weeks roughly. Stephanie Killam, is the chair, and Mayor of Mackenzie, B.C., and she is very involved in meetings and outreach as well as attendance at all executive and board meetings”

A new communications strategy has been drafted by a contracted senior strategist, “and we are doing a lot of work on building a re-conception of our business model and preparing a communications strategy, and the board approved a new five-year strategic plan in December for new fiscal year in April 2012.”

 Resources North stages workshops in the region and coming in March 2012, RNA is holding workshops on Agro-forestry. “The goal is to build capacity for agro-forestry expansion in northern B.C., building on a workshop we gave in 2009.Agroforestry is the planned integration of agriculture and forestry practices occurring on the same plot of land, which combines agriculture, silviculture, and conservations practises to produce systems such as alley cropping, integrated riparian management, shelter belts, and silvo-pasture, which is growing trees in a farm towards producing a wood product, perhaps Christmas trees, or birch syrup. Agroforestry presents an opportunity to diversify northern economies”

She says people wanted more northern examples about the best crops for this northern latitude and more education on land management. “We got funding from the Agroforestry Development Institute and the Omenica Beetle Action Coalition to develop a community of practice, and we are having the first meeting this week to organize the workshop. We’d like to get at least 50 people per event.” The workshop will be followed by a series of learning events including field tours, short courses, to build skills and knowledge about Agroforestry.

The next set of priorities for workshops is to discuss the recruitment and retention of a labour force in natural resources industries, “and it will be a big topic in the region.”

The workshop will bring together existing initiatives, barriers and solutions for labour recruitment and retention in the natural resources sector of northern B.C.. “We have funding from the Forest Products Sector Council to put on this workshop in April. The Steering Committee includes academic institutions,  employment agencies, professional associations, and private sector.”

The Forest Products Sector Council provided analysis of labour needs and reported the shortage of personnel will be in the area between 40,000 to 120,000 the forestry sector alone as the decade proceeds. “In order to maintain economic activity we need enough people trained. Among other topics, we want to explore the nontraditional or untapped labour market, including people with disabilities, women, career changers and First Nations.”

Mid-Island’s three biggest First Nations signed 2011 deal with Marine Harvest

One of the first commercial fisheries to turn to aquaculture was Klemtu, and the people have never looked back since making the investment in processing fish for Marine Harvest Canada . The Atlantic salmon are farmed in Kitasoo/XaiXais waters. Klemtu community on Swindle Island has a fishery-conscious labour force that MHC draws on for employees.

Other community members work at Kitasoo Seafoods Ltd.. Klemtu leadership created conditions that put MHC on- site. Klemtu community participates from environmental to fiscal level of seafood operations. They are there to monitor their traditional waters. This well-balanced arrangement continues to deliver economic and social benefits.

At the end of June 2011 MHC and three Central Island First Nations concluded three years of discussions intending to guide the operations of salmon aquaculture in their territories. On June 24th, the We Wai Kai, We Wai Kum and K’omoks First Nations celebrated signing of a capacity-building agreement with MHC. The agreement requires environmentally sustainable practices, provides economic and investment opportunities for the First Nations.  

“We are very pleased to start a positive relationship between Marine Harvest Canada and our people,” says Chief Ralph Dick of the Wei Wai Kai Nation. “It’s important that we have input into how companies operate within our territory since they are already here,” states Chief Robert Pollard of the Wei Wai Kum Nation, “and the best way to have our say is to work collaboratively. This agreement provides that opportunity.” 

A spring 2011 announcement by the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association is receiving positive feedback on the west coast. The Aboriginal Principles for Sustainable Aquaculture (APSA) standard of certification has been applied to Mainstream Canada, and, according to proponents, “other aquaculture companies are inquiring about certification. 

Richard Harry is president of the AAA, “We need to make the world understand and appreciate First Nations communities operating in aquaculture. It is the biggest employer in our communities. There are jobs for people which  sustains communities, and we are  partners in these endeavors.”

Harry notes, “Fish farming is probably the most over-regulated industry in the country. To us, it`s operation standards that matter. And where the industry goes we need to be part of it. Fiirst Nations and the companies involved will lead the APSA program. But the market place itself is probably the most important place.” 

He says, “It`s the people who accept this form of certification that will do the promotion. I don`t know if it`s ever happened that a First Nation certification of an industry has occurred.”  Ahousaht is engaged in the aquaculture and fish farm industry, “This is a good first example of implementation. 

In the Alberni Valley is the Sarita River, lands and waters of the Nuu Chah Nulth nation, where once a richness of Chinook salmon resources was unsurpassed. Sarita was a  special project done by Omega Pacific Hatchery with financial help from Huu Ay Aht First Nation (Sarita is part of their traditional territory), sponsorship from Creative Salmon and other fish farm companies working to release 50,000 wild Chinook salmon, April 12, 2011.

To make salmon resources thrive again, production capacity of Omega Pacific Hatchery was employed in a special project to release 50,000 ‘S-One’ Chinook salmon smolts. Stephan Ochman is the 14 year fisheries manager of Huu Ay Aht, and says the April 2011 release in Sarita River was the outcome of long term process to rehabilitate the fishery in the watershed. “These fish will return as three or four year olds.”

Pacific Coast aquacullture economy a major growing concern

The multi-million dollar aquaculture industry on the west coast is more and more becoming a billion-dollar industry, with growing facets in species, markets, and investors. First Nations on the coast are big players in the industry and the credit for the  way that came to pass belongs to the past. First Nations were the backbone of the commercial fishery in many areas. They have a substantial number of licensees participating in commercial fisheries today. Depleting resources could be a threat to every license,  however.

One of the first commercial fishery players to turn to aquaculture was Klemtu, and the people have never looked back since making the investment in processing fish for Marine Harvest Canada . The farmed  Atlantic salmon are grown in Kitasoo/XaiXais waters. Klemtu community on Swindle Island has a fishery-conscious labour force that MHC draws on for employees in the pen-sites.Other community members work at Kitasoo Seafoods Ltd. processing plant. Klemtu leadership created conditions that put MHC on- site. Klemtu community participates from environmental to fiscal level of seafood operations. They are as ever there to monitor things in their traditional waters. This well-balanced arrangement continues to deliver great economic and social benefits.

More recently, at the end of June 2011,  MHC and three Central Island First   Nations concluded three years of discussions intending to guide the operations of salmon aquaculture in their territories.  On June 24th, the We Wai Kai, We Wai Kum and K’omoks First Nations celebrated the   signing of a capacity-building agreement with Marine Harvest Canada. The agreement requires environmentally sustainable practices, provides economic and investment opportunities for the First Nations. 

“We are very pleased to start a positive relationship between Marine Harvest Canada  and our people,” says Chief Ralph Dick of the Wei Wai Kai Nation. “It’s important that we have input into how companies operate within our territory since they are already here,” states Chief Robert Pollard of the Wei Wai Kum Nation, “and the best way to have our say is to work collaboratively. This agreement provides that opportunity.” 

The signing increases the total number of agreements between Marine Harvest and coastal First Nations to ten. “Marine Harvest recognizes the importance of working with local First Nation bands,” said  Vincent Erenst, Managing Director at Marine Harvest Canada. “We look forward to working with our partners to ensure that our business promotes sustainability for our oceans, our economy and local communities.”

Collectively, the three Nations and Marine Harvest Canada represent a significant portion of BC’s aquaculture production – both shellfish and salmon. Marine Harvest Canada is BC’s largest producer of fresh farm-raised salmon and directly employs 550 staff. We Wai Kai, We Wai Kum and K’omoks First Nations represent approximately two thousand members and are in the shellfish business. 

A spring 2011 announcement by the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association is receiving positive feedback on the west coast where so many communities are dependent on a commercial fishery   that has declined to a shadow of it’s former self for several years. The Aboriginal Principles for Sustainable Aquaculture (APSA) standard of certification has been applied to Mainstream Canada, and, according to proponents, “other aquaculture companies are inquiring about certification. Richard Harry is president of the AAA, “We need to make the world understand and appreciate First Nations communities operating in aquaculture. It is the biggest employer in our communities. There are jobs for people which  sustains communities, and we are  partners in these endeavors.”

As a close observer of the industry over the years, Harry notes, “Fish farming is probably the most over-regulated industry in the country. To us, it`s operation standards that matter. And where the industry goes we need to be part of it. Fiirst Nations and the companies involved will lead the APSA program. But the market place itself is probably the most important place.”

Harry says, “It`s the people who accept this form of certification that will do the promotion. I don`t know if it`s ever happened that a First Nation certification of an industry has occurred.”  The AAA mission statement is to support First Nation sustainable aquaculture in ways that support and respect First Nation community culture and values. It means First Nation-approved aquaculture products coming onto the market. 

The AAA designed the criteria beginning with environmental performance of these companies and industries, “a performance that has to be better understand by public. But we also realized the need for monitoring social aspects of aquaculture, that we should focus on the economic impact in communities, and cultural aspects, asking if aquaculture operators are meeting needs in local communities.”

Ahousaht is deeply engaged in the aquaculture and fish farm industry so it makes a good starting point for a certification program, and, Harry adds, “Mainstream has been working with Ahousaht for long time to develop the relationship, in fact, signing a protocol agreemenl last year. They had a natural foundation for certification.” Thus fish farming received the first certification of aquaculture under APSA, but, “The whole idea is to go across all sorts of aquaculture.

“But this is a good first example of implementation. AAA`s goal is to have APSA applied to any form of aquaculture, operator, and First Nation across the country.” APSA audits the economic, social, water and land use, personnel use, and applies to aquaculture on the ocean, or land, including hatcheries.

In the Alberni Valley is the Sarita River, lands and waters of the Nuu Chah Nulth nation, where once was a richness of Chinook salmon resources that could only described as unsurpassed. To make the salmon resource thrive again, production capacity of Omega Pacific Hatchery was employed in a special project to release 50,000 ‘S-One’ Chinook salmon smolts, those that are raised in fresh water (at great expense ) to over a year old. These were released into the Sarita River with the sponsorship assistance of Creative Salmon of Tofino and other partners in the fish farming industry.

This was a special project done by Omega Pacific Hatchery along with financial help from Huu Ay Aht First Nation (for the Sarita is part of their traditional territory) and the help of a group of fish farm companies, all working together to release 50,000 wild Chinook salmon into the Sarita River, April 12, 2011.

Bruce Kenny and Carol Schmitt own OP, on Great Central Lake, not far north of Port Alberni, B.C., on Vancouver Island, where, Bruce said, “We grew the wild Chinook salmon to one year in fresh water, and we are making a concentrated effort to improve survival rates of hatchery released Chinook.” Growing S-One (year-old) fish is an arduous task, for they achieve a mere four inches of growth a year in fresh water.

Carole Schmitt worked on the Sarita River enhancement program to gather eggs in 2009 that were hatched and grown in 2010, and have now been shipped in 2011. Bruce says, “It’s a long period for wild animals to be in captivity, and people said to us, ‘Oh, they’ll be domestic by the end of a year in your facility.’ We released 6 km upstream with underwater camera watching, and they snapped into wild mode instantly.” The released fish, “Went upstream, came back down, stood around for two days, gathered under a bridge, and then all departed for the ocean.”

Stephan Ochman is the 14 year fisheries manager of Huu Ay Aht, and says the April 2011 release in Sarita River was the outcome of long term process to rehabilitate the fishery in the watershed. “These fish will return as three or four year olds. They are code-wire tagged so we’ll be able to see exactly, during brood stock capture, what percentage came from this Omega Pacific release.”

The Sarita River fishery has been sustained by the hatchery release of fish for many years, says Ochman, “It appears ninety percent of the fish that come into the Sarita came from hatcheries. There are very few native-born fish in the river.” The recent S-One release was done outside the usual procedure of hatchery release as operated by Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

“We are going to do the release of S-zero hatchery fish, about half-a-million as usual this spring. This release always gave us returns in the 1990s, during which we got 3,000 and 4,000 returns per year. In the last few years the returns dropped to very low counts. That’s why we tried a different method, releasing the S-Ones grown by Omega Pacific.”

S-Ones are grown 18 months in a tank of fresh water on reduced diets, whereas S-Zeros are hatched and grown for 6 months and released. There is a science to growing fish and DFO adheres to different science than OP, DFO releasing larger quantities of younger fish, OP taking eggs exclusively from native brood-stock and putting a natural cycle into early rearing and release. Ochman took part in the S-One release and says the Sarita River was gushing, visibility wasn’t good, and the fish were gone two days later when he went for the swim in his dry suit and snorkel.

Carol Schmitt explains the rationale behind developing the S-One hatchery fish, “Mother nature keeps them at least a year, sometimes three. The DFO S-Zero hatchery fish are released at six months because they make them grow fast, which triggers them to go into the ocean early. We are thinking the fish have to mature in fresh water longer in order to build up the physical stamina to survive in oceans.”

Omega Pacific one of the few independent hatcheries left, specializes in Chinook and raises eggs for export and supplies Chinook smolts to fish farms. “Our facility is beside the lake and the tanks are fed by a fish-free creek of mountain water,” notes Kenny. ”The entire facility is designed around the needs of fish. We have 30 years acquired knowledge. Carol has spent seven years developing a method of rearing and releasing S-One wild Chinook.”

OP is totally immersed in the raising of Chinook salmon from eggs to captive broodstock. They live beside the lake in the wilderness with salmon 24/7, 365 days a year. “We don’t have a 4 o’clock,” says Kenny. Carol says, “We go out to a stream with few returns and take eggs from the few back to the hatchery.” Kenny and Schmitt agree that ideal conditions would be to deploy satellite hatcheries that do egg hatches at the site from brood stock and reintroduces them to the native river.”

OP anticipates the S-Ones will have a higher survival rate amid the biology of a natural cycle in growth and timing of departure to sea. “We are hoping they come back to do natural reproduction on the stream, lessening the need to release fish by hatcheries,” so there it is a form of satellite-enhanced stream enhancement. Stefan Ochman says, “Now we wait three years to see the results.”

Carol Schmitt is an independent force majeure in the enhancement business and her knowledge grows from a lot of experience in aquaculture, including producing the fish presently swimming in AgriMarine’s new closed containment tanks afloat in the Seymour Narrows near Campbell River.

Fish farmers committed to protecting the marine environment

Since 2001, Grieg Seafood BC Ltd. has raised Atlantic, Chinook and Coho salmon at locations on the east and west coasts of Vancouver Island, and near to Sechelt, north of Vancouver. Its total employment is around 120 persons including its head office in Campbell River, hatchery operations at Gold River, and 15 farm sites dotting coastal inlets. 

BC's aquaculture industry contributes 6,000 jobs to the regional economy and is valued at $800 million annually. "Grieg Seafood is committed to protecting the marine environment where our salmon farms are located, an environment that is so important to aboriginal communities for food gathering, canoe journeys and other cultural practices," says Managing Director Stewart Hawthorn.

Hawthorn, who joined Grieg Seafood in 2010 and relocated with his family from New Zealand, managed similar aquaculture operations and established productive relationships with Maori groups in support of their own economic activities. "Grieg has agreements with several First Nations around north Vancouver Island and the coast. “My discussions with chiefs and councils have included how we can develop aquaculture training programs which lead to employment at our farm sites and at our hatchery at Gold River.”

“For some, our support contributes to a community's economic plans to manage their own shellfish aquaculture operations. Grieg's long-term success is tied to working with our First Nation partners, and toward their efforts to develop skills and capacity amongst their own people, particularly young families."

The industry believes that partnerships with First Nations can respond to the need for jobs in more remote communities. Many of these jobs are on the fish farms, and also in the support industries such as trucking and processing. "We recognize the public interest in aquaculture and in managing our farming practices well," continued Hawthorn. 

"And that is why we invite our Aboriginal partners to meet with us, learn about our business, and tour our farms to see first-hand how we take care to raise our fish. We also acknowledge that our partners are stewards of the waters where we operate." Hawthorn states, "Grieg Seafood believes in continuous improvement." "Our relationships with First Nations has benefited us in so many ways, including how we plan for our business, and how our aboriginal partners can share in our success too."

Anti-aquaculture campaigners with the Living Oceans Society are simply wrong in their recent criticism of our Plover Point farm site application,” says Grant Warkentin, Communications Officer, Mainstream Canada. “They are missing the key point that our new site is a better environmental choice than the old one it will replace. Our old Cormorant site is in a location which is not optimal for growing fish to harvest size and is used for smolt entry only. “ (Once the smolts in Cormorant reach a suitable size, they must be transferred to other sites.)

The Plover Point site, located in Ahousaht First Nation territory, was identified as a suitable replacement site in the protocol agreement between Ahousaht and Mainstream Canada because it is located in deeper water and in a better location with less risk of environmental impacts. It is appropriate for growing fish from smolt size to harvest size, “and will allow us to increase fallow times at other sites in the region, lowering our overall environmental impact while still maintaining our current level of production.”

The Plover Point site we have applied for will, if approved, replace Mainstream’s Cormorant site in their production plans. “The Cormorant site will be transferred to the Ahousaht First Nation, as per our protocol agreement with the Ahousaht government, for the Ahousaht to use for their own purposes.”

 

Nunavut Connections, Inuit-owned transportation services for the Arctic

“Business will run essentially from Churchill where we have an office. We transport anything that comes by rail and ship to communities in the Kvaliut region,” explains Elizabeth Copland, Nunavut Connections President, "communities including my own, Arviat (pop. 2,800), second largest Nunavut community. Shipping is of vehicles, groceries, building materials, and other goods and equipment,” delivering to companies like the Northern Store, or Arviat’s local Coop, and the Independent Eskimo Point Lumber store.

Nunavut is building capacity for new industry and the communities decided to get engaged in the process, “We hope to build a training program and expand operations. We want to grow the company and improve end-services with a fuel tank farm, port maintenance and railway and marine services, and eventually construction services. We have a big port that has been used for a number of years.”

The Churchill harbour facilities employ office workers and 12 stevedores that work cranes and heavy equipment. They are all from Churchill. “I have family there, so I am in Churchill on a number of occasions through the year. We could be soon developing programs to recruit and train. Things are going real well since the launch of the new enterprise. ” Meanwhile, she lives in Arviat, “Our temperatures are pretty much the same with Northern Manitoba the only difference is we do not have any trees.

July 2011 was the first sailing of a ship served by Nunavut Connections with the opening of the sea-lanes, and the shipping into these areas will run till October, weather permitting. Copland notes that, “In the north mining is booming and other companies and groups want to take part or get involved. Our shareholders decided to form a company to get a piece of the economic development action.”

She adds, “We are very familiar with Churchill,” Arviat lying due north on the shore of Hudson’s Bay, “and Nunavut needs these opportunities for the young people, jobs involving skills and service to their own communities.” 

Nunavut Connections brings together a broad base of shareholders from across the Baffin and Kivalliq regions. "We believe this is the opportune time for us to partner with a well-established company such as OmniTRAX Canada," said Simon Merkosak of Pond Inlet, a shareholder in the venture. "Nunavut needs these type of ventures to benefit not only the people of Nunavut but also our young Nunavut government."

Eitan Dehtiar of OmniTRAX Canada explains, “Several Kivalliq and Baffin business people approached us with a way to work together in the north about six months ago and the planning came together to build employment, ownership, and improved reliability of service,” giving Nunavut region communities better control over expedition of goods.

The new business initiative provides a better ability for economic developers to manoeuvre around political situations, as well as giving the region an entrepreneurial leg-up on business conducted by southern companies presently directing operations in the north. “This scenario is different in meeting service levels required, and we launched with twelve stevedore jobs in Churchill, when, in mid-May 2011, we took on local staff.”

Part of the plan is to expand employment and employ-ability of personnel around the sea-lift capability and further developing year-long project support infrastructure in Churchill planning cycles. “We are pleased with the launch cycle that occurred this spring and summer, and I estimate that things are going fairly well. Our launch was well-received and by the end of October 2011 we will see the progress that was made,” says Dehtiar.

“The major effort this year has been to introduce the shareholders behind Nunavut Connections as a company that will move goods and services in the Kivalliq and Baffin region, showing continued support for the growth of these remote communities. The economic potential in the north is becoming very significant,” impossible to ignore.

The new company improves service levels and creates more financial viability to investors in other areas of economic development, such as mining. “We will have a much better sense by end of year of how the company will deploy in future during the short shipping season. The first ship sailed to various communities,” visited by marine carriers.

The goal is to expand, “ideally, across the board, for we want Churchill to remain a competitive port from a price perspective and a Nunavut business services perspective, and the focus is a considerable expansion of service levels in material shipping,” which requires, furthermore, an evaluation of infrastructure as part of the plan. “Churchill has existing facilities, the province of Manitoba is supportive, and we the province has have a Memorandum of Understanding with Nunavut.”

This development is perceived as a boost to Province of Manitoba’s capacity for economic development in the north. “We see James Bay area and the eastern shores of Hudson’s Bay as a potential part of the expansion and definitely part of this model of business activity.” Planning continues around the seasonality of the port. “In addition, we will supply air support to communities and make this a year-round part of operations.”