A new documentary on the Salish Sea has been released as the deadline nears to collect support for an application for it to be declared a World Heritage Site.
The Salish Sea: A Legacy Moment, gives voice to high-profile and community residents alike, calling for the Salish Sea to be recognized on Canada’s list of World Heritage Sites.
Commissioned by SeaLegacy, an Island-based organization led by National Geographic photojournalists Cristina Mittermeier and Paul Nicklen, the documentary provides a platform for those who live and work by the Salish Sea tell their stories. The 10-minute production touches on the significance of the cultural and natural heritage which the Salish Sea embodies and was produced by Filter Studios in Nanaimo.
Two-time Stanley Cup champion NHL player Willie Mitchell opens and ends the documentary, talking of salmon sandwiches, the importance of salmon within the sea’s ecosystem, and the healing power of fishing in the clean ocean waters and estuarine reaches of its rivers.
“My father liked to fish … and as a kid it was a really good bond, going out with him on the ocean,” Mitchell said.
Snuneymux elder Geraldine Manson talks about indigenous peoples’ customs and how the sea acts as a cupboard to supply their needs from time immemorial.
“It is our medicine, it is our life … and if we don’t care for it we’re not doing our job,” Manson said. “Whether it was the seafoods, the clams, or the different types of salmon; from the mountains to the rivers to the oceans, all these are connected. And each individual who is on Earth today is responsible for understanding what that means.”
The application to have the Salish Sea considered for Canada’s tentative list as a World Heritage Site was submitted in January by Laurie Gourlay, Salish Sea Trust director.
“Only once every decade do you get an opportunity to make a nomination for a World Heritage Site,” Gourlay said. “This means a new sustainable development approach for business and all of us around the Salish Sea; that any activity taking place cannot undermine the historical, cultural and natural significance of the area.”
The Salish Sea campaign has until April 30 to gather petition signatures and support letters. These will accompany the final submission to Parks Canada, which will decide whether the Salish Sea will make into onto a short list to be declared a World Heritage Site.
To watch Salish Sea: A Legacy Moment, please visit https://vimeo.com/212160230