Roundtables-Region 08-Southern Vancouver Island
November 2022 Roundtables-Region 08
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Ian Bruce-Southern Vancouver Island
Region 8 February 2021 Roundtable
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Jun 2020 Roundtable Lower Vancouver Island
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Feb 2020 Roundtable Lower Vancouver Island
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Nov 2017 Roundtable Lower Vancouver Island
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Roundtable Report
November 2017
Ian Bruce - Lower Vancouver Island
- Slowness on RFCPP funding coming through due to DFO not dedicating enough of the right human resources to administration. This has a significant cash flow impacts on small non-profits and threatens solvency as projects are finished and paid for and Contribution Agreements - this is not understood by the bureaucracy.
- Issues regarding drought conditions - is DFO hiring hydrologists, etc. to address this major need of salmon - water.
- Issues related to Goldstream
Despite our protestations about unleashing a commercial seine opening for chum before sufficient fish have escaped…there’s a seine opening this morning and it’s for four hours but “may be extended”. As of Wed our stream counts had enumerated 1016 chum in the river. Same scenario as last year. Last year the escapement target was not met.
· Again after sounding the alarm concerning FN interceptions of Goldstream River chinook in the estuary and beyond, the situation has occurred again this year and in fact has escalated since tribal fishermen now see the original guy getting away with it. NO, repeat, NO chinook made it to the river this year. The Goldstream volunteers have given up on this initiative. Does conservation not trump even aboriginal access to FSC? - Parkland Industries who spilled 32,000 litres of gasoline and 700 litres of diesel into Goldstream River in April 2011 are trying to get a release from indemnity - this despite apparently still not paying Goldstream Hatchery (~$25l) nor Tsawout FN (~$150k) for their costs amongst others. They were not charged federally nor provincially for this serious fish kill...thus no fine. Will DFO stand up at this time and at least make "Canada's Largest Gas-Station Owner" accountable to their promises?
Nov 2016 Roundtable Lower Vanc Isle
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SEHAB Roundtable Template––February 2016
SEHAB Member: Ian Bruce
Area: South Vancouver Island
Community Advisor: Chantal Nessman
Date: Nov. 4 -2016
Key Issues:
What top three points can you distill from community input to take to DFO RHQ?
- Provincial Water Act, climate change, drought and DFO – not enough attention by the Province on small streams and base flows – DFO has a potential role to play by employing hydrologists to study watersheds, develop tools to mitigate drought and train stewards about hydrology. No water = No fish!
- Enforcement Issues - staffing issues throughout department…where is C & P; fisheries openings on weekends but no overtime therefore no oversight.
- Douglas Treaty and FN harvesting issues – stocks being completely and blatantly taken to the last fish in plain sight but DFO policy of not wanting to potentially generate a Douglas Treaty challenge does nothing. DFO needs to negotiate Douglas Treaty rights or let courts decide but status quo untenable for stewards affected.
Stories:
A few examples of successes, failures, challenges.
- New C.A. for South Island Chantal Nessman – she is working hard and should do well…strong effort to date and dedicated.
- New SCACIP/RRU Section Head Dale Desrochers is a positive choice – both are career DFO with a desire and ability to work in our Area therefore stability gratefully expected.
- Funding for CIP hatcheries needs to be increased.
Issues Specific to SEHAB’s Work Plan:
SEHAB Work Plan |
Local Issue, Specific Examples |
Actions by Community or DFO |
SEHAB Opportunity |
Wild Salmon Policy (Stock Assessment, Habitat) |
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Aquaculture |
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Capacity & Core Funding |
At least 4 new salmon stewardship groups want to form or are being touted. CA and Peninsula Streams have capacity issues in terms of |
Attempts to find core funding by Peninsula Streams to address need for stewardship coordination – have applied for PSF funding and to others to support Streamkeepers training and Streamkeepers Trainer training |
Encourage SEP to re-visit HCSP program and evaluate to address gaps in stewardship support across BC |
Submissions, Comments from Groups:
Roundtable-Southern Vancouver Island - Nov. 2012
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SEHAB Member: Don Lowen
Area: South Vancouver Island/Gulf Islands
Community Advisor: Erica Blake
Date: November 3/12
SEHAB Work Plan 2011-2012 |
Local Issue, Specific Examples |
Actions by Community or DFO |
SEHAB Opportunity |
Wild Salmon Policy: |
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Pacific Aquaculture Policy and SEP: Annual License/ Permit Review Survey Resourcing |
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Capacity |
As of May 24th, SCA has not received permission from Regional Staffing Committee to fill vacant Campbell River CA position. Tom Rutherford and Erica Blake continue in acting positions. Adam Silverstein’s position has been terminated. October 23/12 - 50 people turn out for organizational meeting to create new stewardship group for Swan Creek (Drains Swan Lake into Colquitz River). District of Saanich, Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary and Peninsula Streams partners in this initiative. Ian Bruce moderator. Above average coho returns to several small south island streams provides incentive and focus for stewardship groups.
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SCA is receiving 10 to 12 calls per day from Campbell River stewards.
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SEHAB Submissions, Comments from Groups:
Report – Howard English Hatchery (Goldstream River
The Goldstream Volunteer Association has been operating the counting fence on the Goldstream since the last week in September with the first fish encounters (CN) 6 October ’12. As has been the practice in the past, the weekly counts will reflect fence counts for chinook and coho and full river counts for chum.
The activity was quite slow at the fence until the 15th October when a low pressure system brought in a large number of coho. Following are the weekly figures:
17th October: Chinook – 34 (5 jacks)
Coho – 623 (5 jacks)
Chum – 1,503 (7 morts)
24th October: Chinook – 43 (6 jacks)
Coho – 823 (5 jacks)
Chum – 1911 (76 morts)
The number of coho that have been counted is unusually high for this time of year and the majority are coloured to some degree, which is also noteworthy since the early bump is usually made up of very green hatchery fish.
Another point is the very few Ad/Cwt coho observed (2.48%) so far. This lends credence to our supposition that the majority of the hatchery releases prior to the fuel spill in 2011 were compromised. Not all coho encountered at the fence have been floy tagged due to malfunctioning guns but every fish has been operculum-punched. Our intention is to conduct a comprehensive dead pitch…weather permitting.
Peter McCully
Biotech
October 29/12
Report – JACK BROOKS Hatchery (SOOKE River/DEMAMIEL CREEK)
“We're looking at good returns for chum and coho to the Sooke and Demamiel systems, so far. Estimates are for 20,000 chum, well up compared to the last few years, and around 3,000 coho.
We missed our numbers for chinook, due to a freshet that buried the fence and allowed the fish to zip by and go upriver. We have 54,000 eggs on hand, well below our hoped-for numbers and we didn't get much of a chance to estimate numbers very well.
It appears that there are at least 100 adults in the mid-river zone, but that's our best guess.
Big numbers of cuthtroat at the Young Lake weir, more than we've seen for several years.”
Mel Hull
October 30/12
SIDNEY ANGLERS
“… the spring and summer run Fraser River chinook issues are having a profound effect on the March to mid-July fishery in areas 18, 19 and portions of 20. I don't want to get into the politics of this but the economic impacts on charter skippers, marinas, tackle shops and related business from Victoria to Sooke has been severe.
Nor do I want to get into the pros and cons of the conservation issue or who should be taking the brunt of the regulatory measures. However, this is the important thing. At meetings in Victoria last year DFO staff and biologists for the area were asked what plans they had in place to deal with water extraction issues, water temperature issues and other environmental impacts affecting these stream type stocks and what enhancement activities they had in the works to provide a boost to production.
The answer was basically "blank faces" with a promise to put a plan in place for 2013. This is not acceptable and if allowed to continue will bear a striking resemblance to the Interior Fraser coho problems which started in the mid 90's and have not been resolved to this date.
Both species depend on adequate stream conditions for their period of time in freshwater and both reacting the same way. DFO appears to have walked away from the coho situation and are content to let the long-standing non-retention restrictions serve as their only remedial tool. I fear they will treat the chinook issue the same way.”
Tom Davis
October 25/12
Fresh start for airport creek
Contaminants cleaned up, new path for stream
(Times Colonist October 23/12)
Reay Creek is taking a new and cleaner path through Victoria Airport Authority lands after a portion has been diverted into a manmade channel.
The purpose of the $220,000 project is to reduce heavy metals and other pollutants flowing from the airport's old industrial lands on its east side into the fish-bearing creek, which runs into Bazan Bay. It crosses both North Saanich and Sidney, home of Reay Creek Park.
"The storm water quality will be greatly improved to the rest of Reay Creek and into Bazan Bay," James Bogusz, airport authority director of airside operations, technology and environment, said Monday.
A new, 210-metre-long winding diversion channel mimicking a natural stream was built this year next to the original creek, now a wetland between the industrial area and the channel. 80 tons of contaminated creekside material removed and replaced…..
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/Business/917199/story.html#ixzz2B76boCsV
Roundtable-South VI-Nov 2011
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SEHAB Member: Don Lowen
Area: South Vancouver Island, Southern Gulf Islands
Community Advisor: Erica Blake
Date: November 3, 2011
SEHAB Work Plan 2010-2011 |
Local Issue, Specific Examples |
Actions by Community or DFO |
SEHAB Opportunity |
Wild Salmon Policy |
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Stock Assessment |
Goldstream River Fuel Spill – Coho and chum are staging in Finlayson Arm. Volunteers concerned that there are few fish in river because of lingering pockets of fuel. |
Department participating as a member of a Technical Working Group, including industry, MOE and FN’s. Comprehensive monitoring and remediation strategy. Next TWG meeting November 30th. |
Continue to report updates. |
Habitat |
Dam Decommission: Demamiel Creek – Bill James Dam valve removed late October. Volunteers (SSES) remain concerned about impact on water levels next summer for 2.5K 2011 coho.* |
Sooke Salmon Enhancement volunteers will meet with Erica Blake and Tom Rutherford November 9th to determine a monitoriing strategy for 2011 brood in Dumamiel Creek, following decommisioning of Bill James Dam. Deparrtment could not afford combined cost of upgrading dam and access road, plus cost of dam safety review. (See July/11 roundtable report) |
Continue to report updates. |
Enforcement |
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Roundtable-South VI-July 2011
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Roundtable - Southern Vancouver Island
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SEHAB Member: Ian Bruce
Area: Southern Vancouver Island
Community Advisor: Shawn Kerr
Date: November 2015
Key Issues:
What top three points can you distill from community input to take to DFO RHQ?
1. Lack of enforcement on Fishery issues-illegal fishing, FN and non-FN - no C & P in sight... no returning phone calls or emails
2. FPP perceived as lax on developments; Asking about efforts to address lost habitat protection from Harper changes to fisheries act – i.e. only fishery fish....
3. Drought - water storage opportunities - DFO could take a bigger role
Stories:
Bob Cox...RIP ..ex prov biologist, both feet in with Peninsula Streams.. headed up awarding Friends of Swan Creek Watershed
Concerns :
New CA...but only for 6 months; concern that the right people get into the position-not regulatory;
SVI: coho small or late lots of jacks;
RFCPP for us working well ...two projects delivered - TCF and Swan Creek;
Approval for Section 9 expedited; but fish collection permit 2 months late...
Fishway over Tod Creek (Butchart Gardens Dam) - success story......
Issues Specific to SEHAB’s Work Plan:
SEHAB Work Plan |
Local Issue, Specific Examples |
Actions by Community or DFO |
SEHAB Opportunity |
Wild Salmon Policy (Stock Assessment, Habitat) |
Disconnect, spills, EC, Shorelines |
Encourage public Report Add shoreline issues as a specific subject area for FPP to deal with.. Green Shores psh - outreach to coastal municipalities; attend UBCM to educate/connect |
Guide DFO |
Aquaculture |
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Capacity & Core Funding |
RRU & RFCPP support, |
Plan/push for Resources now or after the election for staffing |
Push DFO to reallocate resources to SEP/PIP |
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