Salmon Capital of the World means so much more today
Sean Smith / Campbell River Courier-Islander, January 7, 2015
Campbell River - Re: Three Signs That Need To Be Changed, Removed (Jan 2, Courier-Islander.)
While I agree with most of what Neil Cameron's article on some Campbell River signage that really needs to be changed or removed (I like the idea of Ken Forde's Log Sort), I cannot agree with his issues around our claim to Salmon Capital of the World.
I strongly believe that the title (and sign) are correct, but probably not for the same reasons that the claim was first made. Back in the day, it was all about the fishing. Today, it is about so much more.
We are the home to the Canadian headquarters of companies like Cermaq and Marine Harvest, which raise and deliver salmon product around the world. We are the home to the BC Centre for Aquaculture Health Sciences (BCAHS), which has been doing industry leading research on things like salmon health for a decade now. We have the Campbell River Salmon Foundation, which continues to raise money to fund salmon enhancement projects all over the Campbell River area, which have been a cornerstone in the continuing recovery of our local salmon runs. We also have a very successful salmon hatchery, which celebrated an unprecedented return of salmon species, over the pass few years. We are home to one of the most coveted fishing prizes, in the world; The Tyee Club pin.
Our local art and culture is filled with salmon reference. Local First Nation culture and business is full of salmon. We built the first salt water fishing pier, in Canada, for people to fish for salmon. From Coho Books to Tyee Plaza, salmon is emblazoned on our community in dozens of different places. Can you name one year, out of the last decade, where there wasn't at least one salmon carving at the annual Transformation on the Shore? What would our Class A museum be like, without its History of Salmon Fishing displays?
For Campbell River, Salmon Capital of the World is not a title. It is part of who we are, as a community and we should all carry that with pride.
Sean Smith
Campbell River
