Attending: Jim Armstrong, Jim Shinkewski, Brian Smith, Jack Minard, Eric Carlisle, John Barker, Zo Ann Morten,
Angela Kroning, Gord Wadley, Jan Lemon, Leandre Vigneault, Ian Bruce
Regrets: Paul Cipywnyk, Wayne Salewski, Lee Hesketh, Elizabeth Hardy, Dianne Sanford, Cindy Verbeek.
Guests: Adam Silverstein Regional Manager, Community Involvement and
Resource Restoration Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Government of Canada
Tina Chestnut, Stewardship Coordinator, Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Government of Canada
Sandy Devcic, North Coast RRU Engineer, Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Government of Canada
Tom Rutherford, Area Chief, South Coast, Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Government of Canada
Pat Fairweather, CA Haida Gwaii, Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Government of Canada
Regrets: Michael Crowe, Area Chief, BCI and LFA, Fisheries and Oceans Canada/Government of Canada
FRIDAY June 3rd, 2016
1200 Arrival and lunch at Alaska View Lodge
1400 SEHAB Business meeting and AGM
Standing Committee Reports
- Chair – Jack
A list of unresolved issues:
- Contract delays
- PIP grants in arrears
- SEP subcommittee of SFAB
- Brian Naito transfer an example of inappropriate losses of DFO expertise
- Weaver: Environmental Bill of Rights - SEHAB endorsement?
- Site C, Lelu Island: examples of a lack of regulatory protection of habitat
- Does PM Trudeau’s May 06 email reflect Department direction, SEP?
- Ebco Metal Finishers effluent, Land owner on Oyster River: examples of all agencies inability to protect the resource
- Rebecca Reid response re a notification process unacceptable
- Minister Tootoo”s response to request for meeting to be followed up with LeBlanc?
- WCEL “Scaling up the Fisheries Act” supported by SEHAB
- Finance – ZoAnn
- Contract not complete – no funds received. ZoAnn currently covering costs from personal resources
- Thank you for all the entire group has done to keep costs down in order for us to be able to come to meet with Haida Gwaii Sep community
ACTION ITEM – ZoAnn (Finance Committee)
Finance Committee and Chair meet with Tina to ensure contract is on time next fiscal year
- Membership – Jack
ACTION ITEM - New member and alternate required within this term to replace Minard and Smith for North and Central Vancouver Island (Note: this would need to be based on budget.)
- all other areas stable at this time
- Governance – Jack
- No issues
- Communications – Paul
- Cindy Verbeek’s recommendations ATTACHED
- Southern Chinook – Ian
- no report
Review Working Groups & 2016/17 Workplan
- PAR (ZoAnn)
- Brian has been named as new chair of this committee
- Communication Working Group (Paul/Wayne)
- Review requests for meetings with Ministers both Prov. (MoE and FLNRO) and Federal Fisheries (Jack)
ACTION ITEM – Communication Committee:
- Follow up with Leblanc
- Write request to FLNRO and MOE
- Review current letters and discuss follow up. Reid re Notifications, SEHAB
response to recent SEP Evaluation – (Paul and ALL)
ACTION ITEM – Cindy/Jack
- Follow up with a letter to Reid expressing our disappointment in her response
- Potential SEHAB social media presence and the use of SEHAB Chat and/or the - Message Board (Cindy/Paul) - See Cindy Verbeek report attached
- Stock Assessment, Wild Salmon Policy (WSP), Science, Data Collection (Leandre)
- Inactivity due to conflicting schedules
ACTION ITEM – Leandre
- Set up meeting with Jeffery Lemieux
1500 Annual General Meeting
Election of Officers for 2016 - 2018
Chair – Leandre Vigneault
Vice Chair – Jim Shinkewski
Secretary (Communications) – Cindy Verbeek (elected in absentia)
Bookkeeper (Finances Committee) – ZoAnn Morten
ACTION ITEM – Jack
Ask Elizabeth if she would like to train with ZoAnn in order to take on the Treasurer position
Past Chair – Jack Minard
1520 Discuss RHQ meeting (When and who will attend)
Meeting set: June 28, 10 AM 2nd floor RHQ
Attendees: Jim Shinkewski
Jim Armstrong
Brian Smith
ZoAnn Morten
1545 Modified Roundtables and Brainstorm
Region 10-West Vancouver and Howe Sound
Submitted by Elizabeth Hardy
Region 12 - North Side Fraser River, Burnaby to Mission
Submitted by Paul Cipywnyk
Steelhead Society
Submitted by Eric Carlisle
Concerns and issues recorded
RHQ Closing the Loop topics determined:
- Lack of all agencies to affect habitat protection
- Low flows and a lack of any effort to address
- Lack of support both internally for Dept. staff and for community
- Concern that volunteers are feeling the need to take the leadership role in protecting fish and fish habitat that should be taken by DFO and MOE but is not
- Difficulty in aligning various funding opportunities while at the same time each funder requiring support from the others
SATURDAY June 4th, 2016
0900 Chair passed from Minard to Vigneault
0910 Pat Fairweather, CA Haida Gwaii
- Presentation on local groups activities, successes and challenges
0940 Program Update – CIP RRU Managers
Area Level Section Heads - Area overview and update.
- Presentations and discussion (Q&A) on descriptions of Areas and interactions with volunteers, current roles General updates and current challenges)
- Sandy Devcic, Central Interior
- Micheal Crowe, North Coast (presented by Tom in Michael’s absence)
- Presentation of “Community Advisor Roles and Responsibilities: Prepared for discussion for CIP Regional Manager, Area Section Heads and Community Advisors - ATTACHED
1030 Break
1050 RRU/Area Chiefs presentations/discussion/Q&A continue
1200 Excellent soup and sandwiches provided by Joyce Bennett
DFO Report and SEP Discussion
1305 Presentation on draft Roles and Responsibilities document for CAs
- What makes for great SEP?
- Who’s Who and who is missing? (last “Contacts Sheet” attached for update)
Discussion and Comments
ACTION ITEM - All SEHAB Members – provide comments on the Roles and Responsibilities for CAs doc to Jim Shinkewski to compile by June 17th.
ACTION ITEM – Adam and Tina
To provide an informal flow chart showing the positions currently filled, the status of the position (temporary or permanent) and who is filling the position and secondly to indicate the reporting hierarchy.
ACTION ITEM – Adam
Provide information on the WSP. Who is the lead and the current status? Provide clarity around the implementation of the Cohen Report as pertains to the WSP.
Ad Hoc Break as required
1500 Discussion continued.
ACTION ITEM – SEHAB EXECUTIVE
Prepare a briefing paper regarding SEHAB concerns around the erosion of the SEP. This paper to support our request for a meeting with the Minister. Include Minister Tootoo’s response received as a starting point and include a mention that Romeo LeBlanc was Fisheries Minister at the time of inception of the SEP.
1630 Adjourn
Sunday June 5th ,2016
0800 Travel to Tlell
Site visits
1500 SEP community event with dinner
Planning
A. Minutes from this meeting to be ratified by June 30, 2016
B. Date next meeting: October 14 – 16 (Vancouver) RHQ - Oct 17, 2016
February 3 – 5, 2017 (Vancouver) RHQ – Feb 2017
June 9 – 11, 2017 (Away TBD) RHQ - TBA
C. Invitation to build agenda by: September 16, 2016
D. Draft agenda due on: September 30, 2016
E. Determine Participants (SEHAB exec. PLUS area issue sponsors) for Monday meeting at RHQ and extend invitations by: September 15, 2016
Action items November 2015
|
ITEM |
DETAILS |
SPONSOR |
ACTION/DUE |
|
Draft letter of response to SEHAB section of SEP Review |
Errors in review need to be pointed out. |
Paul Cipywnyk |
Done |
|
Prepare response to SEHAB section of SEP Review for RHQ |
Errors in review need to be pointed out. |
Paul Cipywnyk |
Done |
|
DFO Pacific Org Chart |
Including short descriptions of roles |
Adam Silverstein |
Ongoing – Informal lists as changes occur |
|
Review Navaids |
Ensure that processes are clear & are being followed |
Coms Committee |
Report to next SEHAB meeting |
|
Review SEHAB/DFO Business Process |
Is SEHAB reporting in the most effective manner? |
Communication Committee plus Tina Chestnut, Adam Silverstein |
Report to next SEHAB meeting |
|
Retrieve SEHAB funds from HSBC account |
~$440 inaccessible |
Jim Armstrong |
Not available |
|
Inflation/Budget ask |
SEHAB budget has not increased for over ten years. Put this on next agenda. |
Chair/Sec to put on next agenda. Finance Committee to report. |
Done |
|
Update any missing member info |
New alternates |
Jack |
Ongoing |
|
Committee Reports |
Reminder that all committees should write and distribute reports prior to each SEHAB meeting |
ALL |
Before every SEHAB meeting |
|
Draft letter of welcome to new DFO Minister |
Short letter of welcome, and introducing SEHAB, to new DFO minister |
Paul Cipywnyk |
Done |
|
New Items as of June 7, 2016 |
|
|
|
|
Ensure Contract and payments are made in timely manner |
Finance Committee to work with Tiina to determine process |
ZoAnnn |
By January 2017 |
|
Recruit new Central and North Island Member and Alternate |
New members committed |
Jack |
By January 2017 |
|
Ask Elizabeth Hardy if she would like to train with ZoAnn in order to take over Treasurer position |
New Treasurer is trained |
Jack |
By end of June, 2016 |
|
Request Meeting with Leblanc or whomever is named Fisheries Minister |
Prepare briefing notes to facilitate this request ASAP |
Cindy, Leandre |
By the end of September 2016 |
|
Express SEHAB’s disappointment with the response re notifications from Rebecca Reid |
Generic letter received and we wish to see a thoughtful response
|
Jack, Paul |
By end of June 2016 |
|
Set date(s) with Jeffery Lemieux and Science Branch |
How SEHAB can work with Science |
Leandre |
By August 31, 2016 |
|
Receipt of current WSP info |
Who in lead, current Status, reference to Cohen Report etc |
Leandre, Jack to make request to Adam (plus?) |
By August 31, 2016 |
|
Comments on “Roles and Responsiibilities” document to Jim Shinkewski |
Document reflects the best values of SEP |
All with Jim to compile and produce report |
By September 15, 2016 |
From Cindy Verbeek re Communications Committee direction
Website
- Needs to be revamped
- Describe who we are and what we do (NAVAIDS should probably be updated - governance committee?)
- Have clear and easy links to round table documents
- Include closing the loop documents, letters written by SEHAB,
- Could include links or at least a list of the organizations/people we represent (where do these 30,000 volunteers come from?)
- Friday night forum – would be nice to have some pictures and the topics covered with presenters’ names. – Event announcement with link to Facebook page.
- Make more user friendly (things organized more intuitively)
- More pictures – always more pictures!
- Update/correct Bios of each board member
- Would WordPress be a good platform for a webpage? It’s free and quite easy to work with. See my blog (although not top notch- could be much more developed but you get the idea) at https://abidingbranch.wordpress.com/ or go to wordpress.com (not org) to see what’s involved.
Facebook Page (or Group?)
- Page (not group) would be my choice
- Place to announce the Friday night forum
- Contain very brief information about SEHAB and link to the website
Google Chat group(s)
- Presently two google chat groups – SEHAB Chat and SEHAB ____(? Can’t remember what you called it Paul)
- SEHAB Chat should be divided into 2 groups
- SEHAB Board business
- Board business chat would include only present board members and alternatives
- For announcements/information pertaining to board business only
- SEHAB Resources (new)
- Resources chat would be a place to post articles, comments, questions, discussions re hatcheries, fish legislation, events etc.
- Questions: Who would it include? Only Board? Board + DFO? Board + public interested in SEHAB topics? If public – is there a way people can subscribe/unsubscribe?
- SEHAB _____ would remain the same
- Includes DFO
- A place to inform DFO and wider audience of official SEHAB documents (? – is this right Paul)
- Questions – does this include board members?
- Overall question – who curates information for each of these? SEHAB member should be assigned (automatically the secretary?) and encouraged to put something out at least 6 times per year if not monthly.
Goal – let the wider community know who we are and what we do and keep them informed on ways they can participate.
From CIP, Area and RRU Section Heads: Re SEP and CA’s
(This forms a portion of the “What Makes a Good SEP?”)
SEP Community Involvement Program
Community Advisor Roles and Responsibilities
Prepared for discussion for CIP Regional Manager, Area Section Heads and Community Advisors
Program Vision Statement
Foster cooperative fisheries and watershed stewardship through education and involvement
Links to Fisheries and Oceans Canada Strategic Objectives and Expected outcomes
The outcomes of the SEP Community Involvement Program (CIP) and the activities of the SEP Community Advisors (CA’s) directly support DFO’s priorities, strategic objectives, the SEP Logic Model and SEP performance indicators/expected results as follows:
Strategic Objectives:
- Economically prosperous maritime sectors and fisheries
- Sustainable aquatic ecosystems
SEP Logic model
- Harvest opportunities; protection, stewardship and rebuilding of salmon and their habitat
Performance indicators/Expected results:
- Vulnerable salmon stocks are supported
- First Nations communities and external parties participate in cooperative fisheries and watershed stewardship activities at the local level.
Community Involvement Program Objectives:
- Support SEP Logic model and Departmental objectives by engaging with citizen groups, Aboriginal communities, educational institutions, other levels of government, businesses and industries to conserve, enhance and restore salmon and their habitat. Partnership activities supported include:
- Salmon stock enhancement
- Habitat mapping, inventory and associated freshwater estuarine and marine habitat improvement, restoration and protection.
- Salmon stock assessment
- Assistance to citizens and citizen groups to contribute to watershed and land-use planning initiatives.
- Develop a conservation ethic with the public and increase awareness and stewardship of the fisheries resource. Activities to include
- Support to Stream to Sea and other aquatic educational programming in British Columbia Schools in order to foster the creation of aquatic stewards.
- Streamkeepers and other stewardship and/or outreach initiatives
Key Roles of Community Advisors
In order to deliver on the Vision and objectives of the Community Involvement Program, the core roles and priority responsibilities of the Community Advisor include:
- As per the SEP Logic model and SEP policy, provide technical support to a wide range of community driven salmon focused projects including salmon stock enhancement & assessment; habitat mapping, inventory and restoration.
- Provision of oversight to ensure that all salmon stock enhancement projects are in compliance with the Pacific Aquaculture Regulations, PAR license and SEP protocols, guidelines, policies and best management practices.
- The community advisor will act as a conduit between the needs of the community partner and the expertise within the department in order to mold the aspirations of community partners into projects that are technically sound and effective - and meet the objectives of the SEP program.
- Support the aspirations of SEP community partners to engage in watershed scale local planning and governance processes with a fish and fish habitat focus. The role of the community advisor should be to support these processes, not to lead them.
- Support DFO priorities and initiatives by communicating and implementing policies, guidelines, and best practices with SEP community partners.
- Responsibility for delivery of the Stream to Sea suite of educational activities and curricula in their geographic area of responsibility.
- Support freshwater and marine stewardship initiatives that are linked to overall aquatic ecosystem health and/or the salmonid resource.
- Support aquatic stewardship outreach and education efforts targeting the general public.
- Management of the financial and administrative components of the program, including but not limited to:
- CEDP contracts, if applicable
- PIP contracts
- Education and technical support contracts, if applicable
- Assigned O&M budget
- Bio-technical processes including
- Production planning, restoration planning
- PAR license and monitoring requirements
- All permitting associated with instream works and handling of fish
- Vehicle and equipment management
Community Partners
Community Advisor’s traditional clients have been volunteers. Many CA’s also support a wide range of varying partners including:
- First Nations
- Local and provincial governments
- Educational institutions at all levels
- Industry and industry associations
- Large ENGO’s
- Other sectors of DFO
Program Delivery Mechanisms
- A CA’s role is to support community driven projects – not to implement projects unilaterally.
- CA’s should work towards developing the capacity of their community partners so that they can carry out all aspects of their work autonomously
- In order to develop capacity, there is a definite role for CA’s in the field – to demonstrate, teach and evaluate the work of their community partners
- CA’s may also use periodic involvement in field work as a means of evaluating community capacity/performance and establishing and maintaining a rapport with their community partners
- CA’s support their partners by providing advice and information about permitting and funding proposals
- CA’s can be effective in supporting fish and watershed planning tables but should not be leading those processes.
- A CA’s approach is dictated somewhat by their geographic areas of responsibility. All CAs should strive for a balance of program areas, but must tailor their approach to their local stewardship communities and salmon watersheds.
- Efficient contract and fiscal management is a key element of providing a high level of service to our partners