by Denise August
Ha-Shilth-Sa Central Region Reporter
January 29, 2004
Ahousaht - This past December, with the holiday season fast approaching and families struggling to make ends meet, Ahousaht Ha'wiih decided to allow their members to dig White Pine beach for one tide only to alleviate hard economic times. White Pine beach in Ahousaht traditional territory has been closed to commercial shellfish harvesting since 1991.
According to Randy Webb of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Ahousaht made a request to DFO to close the area to commercial shellfish harvesting to protect an adequate supply of shellfish for food, social and ceremonial purposes for Ahousaht. He said DFO complied and the area has remained closed to commercial harvesting since.
An Ahousaht member who wishes to remain anonymous had this to say, "Our Hawiih, after meeting publicly with our clam-fishermen/women and with all concerned community members, overturned a 12 (or so) year old directive to keep White Pine area beaches for social/ceremonial uses. The beach was opened to Ahousaht diggers for a limited commercial-use dig (1 tide)."
The source went on to say that DFO, through a Mr. Randy Webb, responded to this "exercise of self-governance" by writing a letter stating DFO's displeasure at not being consulted about the limited opening and warning that if the area remains open to Ahousaht commercial diggers DFO would have no choice but to open the area to commercial harvest.
"We had about 60+ diggers there from Ahousaht, but there are over 300 clam-digging licenses in our area, should DFO try to fully open these beaches." says the source, who likes to refer to the issue as the 'thrilla over manilla'.
Darryl Campbell, Ahousaht Fisheries Officer, was cautious about answering questions saying he would have to remain neutral. He and his staff are charged with the responsibility of protecting fisheries resources including carrying out direction from their Ha'wiih. He acknowledged the Ha'wiih did indeed give permission for a limited opening of White Pine "...one time only and before Christmas to take care of our peoples needs, to allow them to benefit from years of sacrifice created when the area was closed to commercial harvesting."
Webb said DFO 'had concerns' when they learned Ahousaht allowed members to a commercial harvest at White Pine. "It bothered us that a beach legally closed was opened to commercial harvesting," he said, claiming that DFO did not authorize commercial harvesting 'at all, ever'. "We said if they want commercial harvesting there then fine with us but we want it in writing so we can open it commercially," he said.
According to Webb, Ahousaht Fisheries recommended to DFO that White Pine stay closed after the short commercial harvest and DFO agreed. "If it was to be opened then it should be opened to everyone, not just Ahousaht," he says.
Campbell said it was mutually agreed to shut the beach down, "It was turned over pretty well (dug heavily)," he said, adding that there was an estimated 101 diggers representing both commercial and home use diggers.
Webb said DFO will
be discussing the issue with Ahousaht 'somewhere down the road'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper, published by the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council. Reproduction of this article or photographs, in whole or in part, is illegal without the written consent of Ha-Shilth-Sa Newspaper (hashilth@nuuchahnulth.org)
home
> clayoquot/fisheries
> article
