March 5 - 9, 2020 we came together to learn, explore, and have some fun in celebration of Pacific herring.
Hundreds of people including leading scientists and First Nations members from the Salish Sea and neighbouring territories gathered during the 4th Annual HerringFest in honour of herring March 5 - 9, 2020. We had films, educational talks, an art show, performances, readings, and our famous Herring Ball Dance, followed by a peaceful protest on the water.
If you missed Herring School: watch it here!
If you missed Film Night: watch it here!
Learn about the 2020 Presenters
DAY 1 - Opening of HerringFest
Beautiful readings, artwork, and performances celebrating the herring with Hornby residents and supporters at the Hall.
photos: Roberta Carubia
THURSDAY: ART SHOW OPENING & READINGS
Thursday, March 5 at the Hall
4-5:30 READING A SEA CHANGE: Local writers and musicians honour the herring and sea life
5:30-7 ART SHOW OPENING
HerringFest DAY 2
We gathered for Let the Herring Live Forum (HELIT TŦE SȽOṈ,ET) Forum at the Hall. Scientist, ecologists, and First Nations pledging their commitment to the defense of our #BIGlittlefish. • Our director, Grant Scott hosted Chief Recalma, Bill Recalma, Lorne Underwood, and MP Gord Johns for a Hornby Sea Life boat tour on the Sun Corona • Followed up by our Film Fest in the evening.
photos: Roberta Carubia / CHI
FRIDAY: FILMS, FILMMAKERS AND PERFORMANCES
Friday, March 6 at the Hall
4-7 Art show continues
6-7 Meet our local MP Gord Johns, NDP Fisheries Critic
7-9:30 PERFORMANCES and FILMS presented by filmmakers
Herring Dance by Hornby Schoolkids
HELIT TŦE SȽOṈ,ET (Let the Herring Live) by Locky MacLean
Salish Sea Wild: The Salish Sea's Greatest Spectacle, and Salish Sea Wild: Steller Sea Lions, the Grizzlies of the Sea by Dr. Joe Gaydos, SeaDoc Society
An Ocean Mystery: The Missing Catch by Dr. Daniel Pauly, Sea Around Us
Luke Wallace performs music
Ch’em’esh (Herring Roe) by Matthew Van Oostam, Aya7Ayulh - Cultural Journeys Teacher
Multimedia Presentation: Salmon Farms—Herring Farms? Connections between salmon farming and the demise of herring by Dan Lewis, Clayoquot Action
HERRING: Why Kill the Foundation of the Salish Sea? by Bob Turner
Herring Shorts presented by Vanessa Minke-Martin, Pacific Wild
Pacific Herring: Small Fish, Big Problem by Conservancy Hornby Island, December 2019 update
DAY 3 - Herring School and Herring Ball
Daytime HERRING SCHOOL at the Hall with an amazing team of knowledgeable folks ready to school us all on the science below the surface; followed by the HERRING BALL (pun intended!) with our own Cath Gray performing with her band, The Songbirds, Luke Wallace folk singalongs and DJ Jeff Rabena wearing his herring net cape. People took to the floor and boogied the night away at the Hall.
photos: Roberta Carubia and Luke Barber
SATURDAY: HERRING SCHOOL Schedule
Saturday, March 7 at the Hall
8:30: Doors open for coffee
9:00: CHI, Pacific Wild and MP Gord Johns update on herring in the Salish Sea
10:00: Dr Daniel Pauly of Sea Around Us: How fisheries and global warming impact the marine ecosystems in the world and in B.C.
11:00: Dr. Joseph K. Gaydos of the SeaDoc Society: Herring and Whales in the Salish Sea
12:00: LUNCH catered by the Hornby Island Co-op (cash only)
1:00: Vanessa Minke-Martin of Pacific Wild: Big fish eat little fish: How important are herring to salmon in the Salish Sea?
1:45: K’omoks and Pentlack Hereditary Chief Kerry Frank, Ian McAllister and Briony Penn of Pacific Wild: HELIT TŦE SȽOṈ,ET (Let the Herring Live)
3:00: Q&A/Panel Discussion: Where do we go from here?
WATCH HERRING SCHOOL VIDEOS HERE!
SATURDAY: HERRING BALL FUNDRAISER DANCE
Saturday March 7th at the Hall,
7:00 PM Doors: Luke Wallace, The Songbirds Dance Band, DJ Jeff Rabena
DAY 4 - Floatilla and Rally
Hundreds of Hornby and Denman Islanders, supporters, and activists took to the water while some stayed on land in a peaceful protest to oppose Canada’s destructive Salish Sea herring roe fishery.
photos: Luke Barber, Dagen Mutter, and Simon Ager
Hundreds of people including leading scientists and First Nations members from the Salish Sea and neighbouring territories gathered during the 4th annual #Herringfest in the Northern Gulf Islands in honour of herring.
Music Courtesy: Chillbillyman
Videography and Edit: Jérémy Mathieu - Photographie et Film Aerial
Underwater footage: Simon Ager
Produced: Locky MacLean