Dignitaries, politicians, First Nation leaders and other paddlers will be in the Fraser River this week to remind the public that wild salmon have to be protected.

A diverse array of skippers and paddlers will venture into the Fraser River in Hope on Tuesday. They plan on canoeing all the way to Vancouver to make their voices heard in support of a collaborative effort to protect wild salmon.

The paddlers dock in Chilliwack on Oct. 20, first at Cheam Beach at 1 p.m., where they will meet members of the Cheam band, and then at the Skwah First Nation reserve, where a celebration is planned and open to the public, at 5 p.m.

The paddle will culminate in a rally at the Cohen Commission's Vancouver hearings, where they hope to emphasize the detrimental effect of fish farming on wild salmon.

Those with their own kayaks or canoe are invited to join the fleet. For more information visit www.salmonaresacred.org