I really like this pic. I think it really embodies the work that Ernest Alfred and the Swanson Occupation have accomplished. In this pic is Ernest, and the boat is the "Orca Chief" one of the boats that restocks factory fish farms that are decimating wild salmon in the place where tribes have previously always relied on having healthy salmon to eat.
Pics like this on their FB page is what inspired me to start this whole Salmonfolk Film series project. I officially first reached out to the Swanson Occupation and wrote this on 09/04/2017 4:03PM
"I am a documentary film maker in NC in the USA. I make environmental films. I just now heard about what's going on up there. If you all ever need help editing video content or putting them together into a longer documentary let me know. I can help for free."
These tribe's hard work and sacrificing time, money and great effort to bring attention to this cause has made all this possible.
I still have yet to meet Ernest in real life. I hope to do so when I travel to film in August. We've spoken a number of times on the phone. His journey has been a tumultuous one and with great personal sacrifice to save the wild salmon in the Broughton Archipelago of British Columbia. And his hard work, and many others in the Swanson Occupation really need international attention. Also...they could really use some help with legal costs, travel to court hearings...etc. Here is their GoFundMe.