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COALITION RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM FIRST NATION CHIEFS

Save our Seas/Shores coalition (SOS) has had a significant breakthrough =
in their battle to stop petroleum exploration along the Cabot Trail's =
shore and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Atlantic Policy Congress of =
First Nation Chiefs passed a resolution last week supporting SOS in =
their efforts to stop this near shore petroleum permit.

"We consider this a major breakthrough in our efforts to stop the =
petroleum industry's takeover of seabeds, seascapes and inshore =
fisheries habitat of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence," says coalition =
member Irene Novaczek of the PEI member group, Earth Action. "It was a =
privilege for our coalition to be on the agenda of the Atlantic Policy =
Congress.  We are deeply gratified to receive the support of Mi'kmaq, =
Maliseet and Passamaquoddy chiefs from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, =
Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.  The Cabot Trail Shore in =
particular, and the Gulf in general are unique and vulnerable, and  =
vitally important to the ecology, culture and economy.   Giving it away =
to the oil industry will undercut potential for future generations of =
both native and non-native communities, and all other species dependent =
on these waters."=20

"Our people have waited for several hundred years to gain access to =
these historic waters" says Chief Albert Denny of Pictou Landing First =
Nation. "Now that the Marshall decision has legally established our =
rights, we will not allow our fishery to be destroyed by the petroleum =
industry or any other short term industrial interests."

Chief Lindsay Marshall of Chapel Island Band says that "Mi'kmaq chiefs =
plan to seriously challenge the quality of the fishery we are finally =
being granted access to. It is our responsibility to ensure that our =
fishery is protected for the next generation. We have fought too hard =
for too long to allow any further violation of these waters and =
seabeds."

The permit in question is NS98-2 Parcel 1, a 600,000 acre shoreline =
permit which extends from Port Hood to Cheticamp and twenty miles west =
into the Northumberland Strait in ecologically diverse waters.  The area =
includes spawning grounds and migratory routes for lobster, herring, =
snowcrab, mackerel, atlantic salmon (facing endangerment), and depressed =
groundfish species including cod and hake, and is home to a variety of =
whales and dolphins.=20

"The petroleum industry has arrived like a freight train in the midst of =
our east coast fishery with complete disregard for the historic =
Aboriginal, Acadian and Gaelic coastal communities that have sustainably =
fished these waters for centuries," says Councillor Allister Marshall of =
Chapel Island. "It's time for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and =
Environment Canada to put a stop to this before it's too late."


For further information contact:

Dr Irene Novaczek (902) 964-2781

Chief Albert Denny (902) 752-4912 (o)   (902)752-5051 (h)=20

Chief Lindsay Marshall (902) 535-3317 (o)   (902)535-2459 (h)

Allister Marshall (902) 535-2426=20



Dr Irene Novaczek
RR #4 Breadalbane PEI
Canada C0A 1E0
Ph: 902 964-2781
inova @ isn.net



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