The Food Fish program is sponsored by Metlakatla Governing Council, Development Corporation and the Stewardship office and administered by the Fisheries program. The Fisheries program compensates Metlakatla fishermen for expenses like fuel and wear on their boats, and they catch and deliver salmon/halibut for the membership, especially those who would not otherwise have access. This program is not the only means for members to access fish. Members are encouraged to continue to fish for Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) so that we pass on knowledge to future generations, and build our community capacity to harvest our traditional foods.
How do call outs work?
To administer the program, Metlakatla has developed a draft FSC (Food Social Ceremonial) policy. This policy states that priority for food fish delivery is given to those who do not have the capacity or equipment/vessels to harvest themselves.
When calling out, staff follow the priority sequence below:
- Elders
- Members with disabilities
- Single parents
- Low income households
- Members with capacity and vessels/equipment to fish
** Members who did not receive fish the previous year will also be called in higher priority sequence than those who did
How does the Fisheries Program know who has received fish?
This year, the Metlakatla Fisheries program will be moving to update our food fish recipient list via an online system. This will allow us to update contact information and who has picked up their fish instantly, and that information can be shared between our staff working in both Metlakatla and Prince Rupert.
Would you like to authorize a family member or friend to pick up your allocation of food fish? Fill in this form and scan/send it to the Metlakatla Fisheries Manager William Beynon at wbeynon@metlakatla.ca.