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The Assembly of First Nations’ national chief has spoken out in support of B.C. First Nations members currently occupying two local salmon farms.

‘I stand with First Nations in B.C. in their long struggle with federal and provincial governments to fully recognize and address the threat of salmon fish farms to wild salmon,” said AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde in a statement issued Friday.

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“First Nations have long identified the threat of the fish farm industry to wild salmon that have sustained our peoples for generations. Wild salmon is an integral part of the ecosystem and a central part of First Nations cultures on the west coast.”

On Thursday, leaders and members of the Musgamagw Dzawada’enuxw began occupying the Wicklow Point salmon farm, while leaders and members from the ‘Namgis, Tlowitsis and Mamalilikulla First Nations have been at the Swanson Island farm since last week. Both farms are owned by Marine Harvest Canada.