VANCOUVER 鈥� Don Sananin has loved the sea and fishing since he started in the industry as a 17-year-old.
On the water, being so close to nature, soothed his soul.
鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely beautiful. I even love a good storm. There鈥檚 only a few jobs that brings out the soul in you.鈥�
But after more than 50 years working as a commercial fisherman, the Burnaby man hasn鈥檛 seen a salmon season as grim as this year鈥檚. Sananin, 70, who holds a licence for the area that includes the Fraser River to the west coast of Vancouver Island, hasn鈥檛 been out on the water yet. 鈥淭here hasn鈥檛 been an opening,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he sockeye is the worst it鈥檚 ever been since the 1890s.鈥�
He鈥檚 one of the commercial fishermen and other workers 鈥� who rely on abundant and healthy salmon stocks for their livelihood 鈥� hit hard by the decline in stocks, which the federal fisheries ministry has attributed largely to climate change.
On Monday, First Nations and union leaders said the federal and provincial governments need to step in to help fishermen through the worst commercial fishing season in 50 years as runs have plummeted for all species and in all regions. 鈥淭he impacts of this climate-change disaster has been coast wide,鈥� Joy Thorkelson, president of the United Fishermen and Allied Workers鈥� Union, said in New Westminster.
鈥淭he impacts are on fishermen, plant workers, net menders, and reduction plant workers, from Lax Kw鈥檃laams [in northern sa国际传媒] all the way down to White Rock and all the places in between.鈥�
Thorkelson said at least 2,500 people have been affected by the downturn. She shared stories from union members who had called her office asking for help, including a fisherman whose catch can鈥檛 cover fuel and provision costs and a shore worker who told her she has to look into school breakfast and lunch programs because she can only afford to provide one meal for her child.
Many of the workers haven鈥檛 earned money since last year鈥檚 salmon season, she said, calling the situation 鈥渁 huge crisis.鈥�
鈥淧eople need disaster relief now,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e need to talk to the government about what climate change adaptation is going to look like for the commercial industry in the future, but we need something to keep the bodies and souls of those people together.
鈥淭hey have no money.鈥�
Bob Chamberlain, a former vice-president of Union of sa国际传媒 Indian Chiefs, says the government needs to come up with diverse solutions since global warming is an added stressor for聽salmon.
He said the issue affects people in the industry and communities across sa国际传媒, including First Nation communities who live in poverty and rely on salmon stocks as a source of sustenance.
鈥淚f those traditional foods are being threatened because of global warming,鈥� he said, then the government is 鈥渇urther compounding the impoverishment of some marginalized people.鈥�
John Helin, former gillnetter and current mayor of Lax Kw鈥檃laams, said the lack in聽salmon聽has put pressure on other species of fish and there鈥檚 been a decline in their numbers.
Mike Emes, 75, fishes in northern sa国际传媒 waters from Alaska to Cape Caution, north of Port Hardy, said he has only fished for three days this year, and has not been able to break even with costs. 鈥淎bsolutely terrible,鈥� said Emes of this year鈥檚 catch. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen some bad seasons, but never like this. I鈥檓 not even close to my fuel bill.鈥�
He supports the union鈥檚 request for disaster relief. Farmers have access to a federal agricultural disaster relief program in case of a natural disaster, he said. It should be the same for the fishing industry in the face of climate change.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping they would help us out, even if they say we鈥檒l give you unemployment insurance for the season,鈥� said Emes. 鈥淚t would be something. At least you can put some groceries on the table.鈥�
A statement from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans said the government empathizes with the economic impacts of the declining聽salmon聽returns. Department spokeswoman Jocelyn Lubczuk said it doesn鈥檛 have the mandate to provide financial relief for workers but it has reached out to the Department of Employment and Social Development to discuss the situation.
