Intertribal Life Newspaper -

OTTAWA, Ont.-Fishing is part of First Nations culture and identity. It sustains First Nations peoples and economies and is a constitutionally protected inherent and Treaty right. In the spirit of reconciliation and raising awareness of our shared history and future, the Assembly of First Nations National Fisheries Committee, by direction from Chiefs-in-Assembly, declared the Monday preceding May 25 a National Day of First Nations Fishing Rights.

This year, National Day of First Nation Fishing Rights fell on May 18, 2020. This was the third year that a day existed to honor the inherent right to fish, to raise awareness of its interconnectedness to growing sustainable environments, conservation, and water protection and fostering healthy individuals and nations. In AFN Resolution 75/2017, National Day of First Nations Fishing Rights, Victoria Day was chosen by the National Fisheries Committee as a statement: this is an effort to decolonize a day named for the Queen who presided over many of the Treaties made with First Nations.

This year, the right of First Nations to fish was especially important due to the current COVID-19 crisis. This crisis has exacerbated existing food security concerns for many First Nations communities that may be experiencing the direct impacts of interruptions to food production and supply.

Many of those who participated uploaded photos that you can see on Twitter or Facebook, using the hash-tags #FirstNationFishingRights and #AFNFisheries2020