Matsqui Fish Trials

Title: Matsqui Fish Trials
Description: On September 23, 1978 Larry Ned was charged for not marking fish caught for food consumption. That same month, Edna Ned of Sumas First Nation was charged with illegally disposing of fish, transporting them across a commercial boundary, and possession of salmon where salmon was illegal. When Edna's case came to trial the charges of disposing of fish was dropped, and she explained she crossed the boundary to bring the fish to the Matsqui Band to have them smoked. She told the court she thought it was permissible to cross the boundary line if she was going to a fishing site on another reserve. In the case of Larry Ned, Judge Kelly ruled in his favor. In the case of Edna Ned, Judge Kelly gave her an absolute discharge even though by the letter of the law she had committed the offenses that she was charged with.
Date: September 1978 – April 1979
Spatial Coverage: Matsqui (B.C.)
Event subject: Fishing rights--British Columbia; Aboriginal title and rights--Law and legislation--British Columbia--Cases
Names: Ned, Edna; Ned, Larry
Related Item: Related article appeared on pages 10 to 11 of UBCIC News vol. 2, no. 1 (April 1979), entitled "The Matsqui Fishing Cases Continue".; UBCIC News - volume 2, number 1 (April, 1979)
larger context for: Edna Ned; Matsqui fish trials; Larry and Edna Ned