The K’en T’em team was on the move again last week, with Ali and Kami from K’en T’em’s Environmental department attending the 2024 BC Salmon Recovery Conference held on the unceded traditional territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.

The conference, held from December 2^nd to 4^th, brought together scientists, policymakers, Indigenous leaders, and environmental advocates to address the urgent need for innovative solutions to safeguard salmon populations.

The event featured keynotes and breakout sessions on topics like Climate Emergency and Impacts in BC: Fire, Floods, and Drought and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas, along with discussions on habitat conservation and the future of fisheries.

Representing K’en T’em Environmental, Kami French and Ali Gallant highlighted the importance of Indigenous perspectives in tackling salmon conservation challenges.

“It was inspiring to be part of a gathering where the collective passion for salmon recovery was palpable,” said Ali. “While the challenges are immense, so is the potential for meaningful change when we work together.”

Ali found motivation in seeing how other Indigenous leaders address these issues.

“Being in the room with like-minded people who share similar hopes and goals reinforced the need for collaboration, a shift in our approach, and equal partnerships among Federal, provincial, and First Nations decision-makers,” Ali shared.

A major takeaway was the call for a holistic approach to salmon recovery, recognizing that climate change—impacting entire ecosystems—must be urgently addressed. Coordinated action across all levels of government and communities is essential to tackling interconnected environmental challenges.

Kami and Ali said they left the conference energized and grateful for the efforts of the First Nations Fisheries Council and Pacific Salmon Foundation for facilitating the conference.

 “The solutions are out there,” Ali noted. “We need the collective will to implement them while honoring the voices of all stakeholders, especially Indigenous communities who have stewarded tmíx^w1 for generations.”

The 2024 BC Salmon Recovery Conference underscored what can be achieved when diverse voices come together. For K’en T’em Environmental, it was both an opportunity to network and a call to action—ensuring salmon, a species long vital to the life and culture of nłeʔképmx, thrive for generations to come.

y̓é meł xʷúy̓ (ye-ah melth hwee) – it’s going to be good!

¹ tmíx^w is understood not only as ground, earth, or land, but tmíx^w is also a more encompassing term meaning the world in its entirety, under the earth, in the earth, above the earth, the water in all its forms, the winds, and the skies.