Update: Ha-Shilth-Sa caught up with Andy Olson, fisheries manager and biologist with the Tseshaht First Nation, on Feb. 18 and he reports there is no change in the oyster licence situation, despite DFO's promise made Jan. 30 to "try to follow up" with Tseshaht on how they can access the resource. “I have been asking about access to these licenses since 2013 when they were announced. With continued requests for access or information on what was required for access,” Olson said.
Original Story:
A clearly frustrated Andy Olson, fisheries manager and biologist with the Tseshaht First Nation, says he has jumped through all the hoops set out by the department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and he still can’t get access to the oyster resource within Tseshaht territory, despite the fact that DFO is sitting on licenses to distribute.
“What do we have to do to get access? What letter do I have to send... I ask and ask and ask,” he told representatives of DFO who attended a Council of Ha’wiih meeting in Hitacu on Jan. 30.
DFO’s Kent Spencer confirmed the department has “inventory” it wants to “clear out,” but it’s stalled within the DFO bureaucracy.
“Thanks for the same words that I've been hearing for the past two years,” said Olson. He said fish on paper is just garbage and doesn’t help those in the community who are struggling and want to harvest oysters.
There is no cost for the licenses. In fact, oysters are considered a low value fishery. But Tseshaht members are interested in harvesting what they can even if the financial benefits are marginal, “so they can survive.”
“This process is ridiculous.” Olson told DFO to take that message back with them to whoever makes the decisions before it gets out of hand.
Olson said he has been inquiring about a license since October 2013.
“We are trying to work in a system that you created, but we get nowhere.”
DFO said five licenses have gone to the Maa-nulth Nations, whose territory is all around Tseshaht’s, and other licenses have been offered to other nations. But despite every effort, Tseshaht can’t seem to get one of the licenses DFO has on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
“I've jumped through every hoop that you've told me to,” said Olson. “I'm at the end of our rope.”
Uu-a-thluk Program Manager Don Hall reminded DFO that the Nations proposed a share of the oyster Total Allowable Catch (TAC) in all the Nations’ territories, not one licence per Nation as DFO has offered the five Maa-nulth and five T’aaq-wiihak Nations.
DFO ignored this TAC share and two other recommendations that the Council of Ha’wiih made to the department in 2013.
Ahousaht Ha’wiih said that it was up to them who would harvest oysters and other species in their Ha-houlthee, not DFO.
DFO shellfish manager Guy Parker said he would “try to follow up” with Tseshaht on the matter.
