Our Mission
At The Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance, our mission is to protect and preserve the vital ecosystems of wetlands that serve as crucial habitats for diverse species, support our cultural heritage, and contribute to the health of our environment.
Halq’eméylem
Language
"Language is intricately woven into identity and connection to place."
We have chosen the upriver Stó:lō Halq'eméylem dialect for our site. The Upriver region includes Chilliwack, Chehalis, Sumas, Seabird, Tait and others. We have members who carry and speak other Halq'eméylem dialects, such as our president Ed.
"The Halq'eméylem language is the traditional language of the Stó:lō people, and it has been spoken continuously in our traditional Stó:lō territory, extending up the Fraser Valley for thousands of years. Like all languages, Halq'eméylem comes in many different varieties. There are three main dialects of the language, with different writing systems, and multiple dialects in each." - Stó:lō Shxwelí website
Xwoyí:wel Kwōx̱weth
(Happy Coho Salmon)
Stoney Creek November 9, 2024
"I respect and support the Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance and their efforts to educate and engage the public towards the protection of our endangered Pacific salmon species." - Bruce Coughlan
“Once upon a time, our Wild Pacific Salmon were abundant. Many different species flourished, as did all those dependent on them for food, from Orcas to Humans.
These days very few Wild Salmon survive. Man's encroachment on their habitat, spawning runs, overfishing, and poisonous open-ocean fish farms further threaten the few survivors.
Although “Let the River Run Free” is written specifically about deadbeat dams on the Snake River, and how they’ve decimated Wild Chinook numbers, it’s reflective of the many challenges facing Wild Salmon and their survival.”
– Bruce Coughlan
Dedicated to the protection of WILD SALMON
The Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance (WSDA) is composed of diverse concerned people, scientists, artists, groups and organizations dedicated to the protection of wild salmon as food security, as an essential climate regulator, as a keystone species that supports biodiversity, and as a valuable contributor to the cultural, spiritual, physical, and economic well-being of British Columbians.
Right: Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance Moving Forward in a Good Way Event at Ravine Park Hatchery - Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024
How we help the salmon
We attend many annual environmental, ceremonial, Indigenous events, markets and community-organized rallies, selling our swag and educating the public. Funds raised go towards:
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The fight against open-net pen fish farms
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Protection of the wetlands
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Follow up on toxic spills and the destruction of salmon habitat
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Extract governmental accountability and active restoration of damaged habitat
Projects
Educate the public
fight Against
Open Net Pen Fish Farms
Protect the wetlands
Follow up on toxic spills
Advocate for the protection of salmon habitat
Extract governmental accountability
Advocate for the active restoration of salmon habitats
Protect Wild Salmon
Through education, community engagement, and collaboration with local and Indigenous communities, the Wild Salmon Defenders Alliances strives to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands and promote sustainable practices that honours our ancestral connections to the land and water.
We aim to foster a future where wetlands thrive, biodiversity flourishes, and Indigenous rights and traditions are respected and upheld.
