Hi, I'm Nat Geo Explorer and filmmaker Josh Thome, our motley crew is raising funds for a film and campaign to help protect the ecology and cultures of one of the most amazing places on the planet, the Broughton Archipelago on the remote coast of British Columbia, Canada.

It's hard to explain in words the importance and beauty of this place and its people. It's also hard to convey how much it is all being decimated by disease, parasites, and other pollution from industrial Atlantic salmon farms that have been brought to this pristine place from Norway.

That's why we're making a film! The first step is already done and we just returned from filming with marine biologist Alexandra Morton and Chief Ernest Alfred. It was incredibly powerful!

We witnessed a Norwegian company serve an eviction notice to First Nations in BC, telling them to leave their own territory because they were protesting the fish farms. We also witnessed a flotilla of all the local Chiefs and communities rallying in solidarity to deliver their response letter stating that it is the industry destroying their environment who must go!

We were also there at the same time that the Canadian governments' own scientists released a study showing that the virus being introduced by Atlantic salmon from these fish farms is infecting the red blood cells of wild Pacific Chinook salmon and replicating in them until they burst, eventually leading to the death of the fish. This is the primary food source for orcas who are now experiencing starvation. 60% of mother orcas are unable to bring their babies to term because of this.  

We need your help to finish the film fast and get it out to the world so it can be used to for a timely campaign to save the ecology and cultures of this place!

There is a unique cultural and political moment coming up on June 20th when the Premier of BC, John Horgan, will decide whether or not to renew the tenure for these Atlantic salmon farms. A solution is to move the industry to tanks on land like many countries are starting to do - including Norway!

Wild salmon and the ecosystems and people that depend on them are teetering on the edge. Now is the time if we are to save this wild place and put action to all the talk about reconciliation with First Nations. First Nations have been saying no to this industry in their territory from the very beginning, and it's impossible to even talk about reconciliation while killing off their primary food source of wild salmon.

Let's make the most of this unique opportunity we have to actually change this situation for the better! Many thanks for your time, energy, and support!! 

Cheers,

Josh


More info...

Hear the Call Film
For the film project Ashleigh Ball of the band Hey Ocean! and I were invited to the Broughton Archipelago to meet marine biologist Alexandra Morton as well as Chief Earnest Alfred of the Namgis Nation so we could create media and music to inform, inspire, and engage audiences on the critical environmental and social issues happening there. It was a life-changing experience for everyone involved and we are excited to share it with the world! Two-thirds of the funds we are raising will go towards finishing the film. Writing, edit, color, b-roll, music, audio mix, etc, etc.

Hear the Call Campaign
Through a series of special events in Victoria and Vancouver, including music, the film, and speakers like Chief Earnest Alfred and Alexandra Morton, we will be promoting a campaign to let John Horgan know the people of BC and beyond want the tenures for these industrial fish farms to expire. These events and the campaign are what the rest of the funds will be going towards. Venues, travel, accommodations, materials, promotion, organizers, etc, etc.

Please support this campaign and this cause in any way you can. 

Many thanks again for your time, energy, and support!!