A territorial dispute is one again brewing between two northwest B.C. First Nations.
Gitanyow members conducting a scientific study of Nass River salmon and a selective economic fishery say they were issued an eviction notice by the Nisga’a Nation last week. The Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs say both activities received permits from DFO.
The Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs say one of their traditional house groups continues to hold lands and fishing sites at the area where the Nisga’a are attempting eviction.
The Nisga’a Nation says it issued a trespass notice for what it describes as Illegal activity in land owned by the Nisga’a as part of its final treaty agreement signed in 2000.
“We have been aware of trespass activity and illegal use of our land for some time,” said Nisg̱a’a Nation President Eva Clayton in a news release. “We count on our Treaty partners to enforce the law and our Treaty immediately. Otherwise we will advance our efforts to higher levels, if not to the dispute resolution provisions within the Treaty.”
The Gitanyow presented their concerns over treaty overlap to the federal government before the Nisga’a Final Agreement was signed, but say while their objections were ignored, a promise was made that the agreement would not impact their rights.
“Our aboriginal right to fish at Gwinsgox and Xsitxemsem Rivers has been threatened by the Nisga’a Lisims Government,” said Simogyet Luuxhon (Don Russell) in a news release. “We are disappointed that our neighbours and relations in the Nisga’a Lisims Government have chosen to use the umsiwaa (white man’s) law to try and have our fishing crew removed.
The Gitanyow say they have fished the site for generations and have no intention of stopping.
