Lelu Island Declaration
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| Lelu Island Declaration | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Lelu Island Declaration |
| Created | 23 January 2016 |
| Presented | 23 January 2016 |
| Location | Salmon Nation Summit, Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada |
| Commissioned by | Salmon Nation Summit organizers |
| Author(s) | Coalition of hereditary chiefs, Indigenous representatives, environmental groups, scientists, and politicians |
| Signatories | Hereditary Chiefs and citizens of the Nine Allied Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams, other First Nations leaders, scientists, local politicians |
| Media type | Declaration |
| Subject | Protection of salmon habitat and opposition to industrial development |
| Purpose | To declare Lelu Island and nearby Flora and Agnew Banks protected from industrial development and held in trust for all time, and to build a broad Indigenous–environmental coalition advocating for ecological and cultural stewardship |
Lelu Island Declaration was a politically significant statement signed at the Salmon Nation Summit on 23 January 2016,[1] by a coalition of Hereditary Chiefs, citizens of the Nine Allied Tribes of Lax Kw'alaams, environmental groups, and politicians declaring that Lelu Island, and Flora and Agnew Banks in British Columbia will be protected from industrial development and held in trust for all time. [2][3]
The declaration was explicitly framed as a defense of one of the most ecologically important salmon habitats in the Skeena River estuary, part of the second‑largest salmon‑producing river system in British Columbia. This was significant because it demonstrated a broad indigenous‑environmental coalition uniting multiple nations and communities across the Skeena watershed. By assembling more than 300 hereditary and elected First Nations leaders, scientists, politicians, and other stakeholders at the Salmon Nation Summit,[4] the declaration put intense public pressure on both the Government of British Columbia and Government of Canada over managing willful ignorance and indigenous rights.[5]
The declaration was also significant in highlighting internal political divisions among Indigenous communities.[6] This underscored broader complexities in governance, and how different stakeholders navigate natural resource management, consultation, and representation.[7]
Text
The text of what is generally characterized as the full statement, which reads as follows:[1]
The undersigned First Nation leaders and citizens of the Nine Allied Tribes of Lax Kw’alaams hereby declare that Lelu Island, and Flora and Agnew Banks are hereby protected for all time, as a refuge for wild salmon and marine resources, and are to be held in trust for all future generations. Our ancestral knowledge, supported by modern science, confirms this area is critical to the future abundance of the wild salmon our communities rely on. It is our right and our responsibility as First Nations to protect and defend this place. It is our right to use this area without interference to harvest salmon and marine resources for our sustenance, and commercially in support of our livelihoods.
We hereby extend an invitation to all First Nations, the governments of Canada and British Columbia, and all communities that depend on the health of Lelu Island, Flora and Agnew Banks and the Skeena River estuary, to join us in defending this unique and precious place, and to protect it for all time
Background
2014: Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia
In 2014, Tsilhqot’in Nation v. British Columbia established a legal context of indigenous rights and stewardship arguments influencing government decisions on development projects.[8]
2014–2015: Pacific NorthWest LNG Proposal
Petronas, a Malaysian state-owned company, proposes a liquefied natural gas terminal on Lelu Island in the Skeena River estuary, British Columbia.[9]
On 9 March 2016 an open letter critique of the assessment of environmental risks of the LNG project, highlighted concerns about ecosystem impacts, and was signed by more than 130 scientists.[10]
2016: Salmon Nation Summit & Lelu Island Declaration
Hereditary chiefs from multiple First Nations, environmental groups, scientists, and politicians convene at the two-day Salmon Nation Summit.[11] The Lelu Island Declaration is issued, calling for permanent protection of the island and surrounding banks from industrial development.[12]
2016–2020: Conservation and Protection
The Declaration is now regarded as a milestone in Canadian conservation politics. Ongoing advocacy pushes for permanent protection of the island and surrounding banks.[13]
2020-present: Collapse of Market
Since 2020, the global LNG market has been predicted to be oversupplied by the end of this decade, it appears British Columbia is likely to lose out to competition from producers in Qatar, the United States of America and Mozambique.[14]