SEHAB Member:    Jim Armstrong

Area:  South Fraser

Community Advisor: Bob Schaefer

Date:  November 2015

Key Issues:

What top three points can you distill from community input to take to DFO RHQ?

  1. Lack of community support from DFO. Each of the groups in the South Fraser Region have expressed similar concerns about information transfer from internal groups within DFO through the Community Advisor to the Community Groups. Direct requests to specific teams within DFO are similarily not being responded to.
  1. Threat to fisheries habitat. Our groups are wondering if we are going to have the fisheries habitat to support the Salmon Enhancement Program going forward. BCMOE has directed Metro Vancouver and its member municipalities to protect stream health under the Integrated Stormwater Management Program that each is supposed to develop but many are not interested, providing minimal input and/or allowing minimal and directed input from the community groups

Need for continued Community Hatcheries and their expansion. The Community hatcheries not only provide fisheries stocks but also education programs, habitat assessments and feedback to DFO on what is working or not. Our groups at this point are not certain that our message is getting through to DFO management for the growing needs within the community. How can we continue to manage the existing resources and encourage the next generations to take over when we cannot see foresight on the part of DFO in regards to fisheries management.