PARTNERSHIPS
Grieg Seafood currently has impact benefit agreements with three First Nations on both coasts of Vancouver Island, and we operate 12 of our farms with the consent of these Nations.
Engagement with the other Nations in whose territories we operate is ongoing and a priority. It is our goal to operate all of our farms with the consent, partnership and permission of those Nations.
Employment, education and training opportunities are important to our Indigenous partners, and Grieg believes in providing them to our partners. Our agreements provide the educational and training opportunities needed to start a career in aquaculture. While transportation and accommodation can be difficult for some of our most rural partners, Grieg works closely with our Nations and local colleges to fill those gaps. Accessibility isn’t always easy for our rural communities, and we are constantly looking for ways to bring this training to our partners instead.
PROJECTS
Coastal First Nations have known both the land and ocean around us for millennia. Their knowledge is invaluable to many resource-based industries in BC, so working with them on a variety of projects and initiatives is a privilege for us, whether it’s a Grieg project or an Indigenous one that we’ve been invited to partner on.
Prior to beginning construction on a project or finding a site for a new farm in the ocean, we engage with the local Nation or Nations to determine if there are any nearby sites of cultural or historical significance that we need to be aware of or avoid altogether, such as a midden, harvest site or burial ground.
Below are some examples of new projects where we are working hand-in-hand with Indigenous peoples, partners and Nations.
The Salmon Princess on the Ronja Islander
Last November, Grieg commissioned Kwakwaka’wakw artist Patrick Hunt to create a design for our new wellboat the Ronja Islander. From this, the Salmon Princess was born. Hunt says the design combines the importance of wild salmon on BC’s coast (a male and female salmon) with a Norwegian-inspired princess at the centre, designed in the Northwest Coast style.
This design will be installed on the bow and stack of the Ronja Islander in 2021 to display our respect as the vessel travels through the traditional waters of many coastal Nations off Vancouver Island.
