Joshua Charleson grew up with his mother, father, and 5 older siblings in the Hesquiaht Community of Hot Springs Cove on IR#5. I am a happily married father of three that has a deep love and connection to the ocean, shorelines, rivers, and everything that water connects in the Nuu-chah-nutlh Territory that I call home. As a Hesquiaht I grew up as a salt water person and have remained a salt water person working in and around the ocean my whole life. The First paid Job that I had was as a deckhand in 2002 for my father Stephen Charleson on the Sashmaray II; fishing Area A Sockeye in Hesquiaht and Ahousaht Traditional Waters. I’ve worked as a commercial fisherman, in Tourism as a kayak, fishing, water taxi, coastal hiking, and Nuu-chah-nulth educational guide, in Fisheries Management, as a fisheries technician, as a Hesquiaht land use planner, as the Hesquiaht Chief Councillor, and most recently as the Executive Director for the Coastal Restoration Society. My goal is to leave the oceans and everything that it connects in a healthy and thriving state so that it can take care of the next generations the way it has taken care of me and my family our entire lives.