Feb 2017 Roundtable North Side Fraser River Burnaby to Mission

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SEHAB Member: Paul Cipywnyk

Area: North Side Fraser River Burnaby to Mission           

Community Advisor:  Maurice Coulter-Boisvert

Meeting Date: Feb. 24-26, 2017

Specific topics from last meeting or between meetings requiring comment

Comments

Possible change to SEHAB contract/role as described by Adam and Tina at last meeting.  Please describe how you see SEHAB now and where would you like to it go in the future.

SEHAB should retain control of its budget, scheduling, agenda setting, and minute taking.

Letter to Minister LeBlanc re: Fisheries Act Review.  Please provide specific examples of failure of the new Act or things you would like to see changed. 

I recently wrote a letter to my MP regarding the following news item: "In a letter to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District board of directors, Fisheries and Oceans Canada advised they no longer have the resources to review bylaw referrals at their Salmon Arm field office. As a result, the onus will now be on the developer to ensure their project complies with relevant legislation." (Eagle Valley News)

The bottom line is that self-regulation equals no regulation, and it appears that little has changed at DFO with the new government.

CA Staffing. Please provide input as to relative importance of CAs to community groups in your area, their priority in terms of SEP funding constraints, and whether your area has/is well served by your CA.

Our CA is crucial to the stewardship groups in his area. We have been very well served, and are dreading his soon-to-be retirement.


Identify up to 5 succinct issues that  you or your community would like SEHAB to take to DFO?

Issue

Where should SEHAB direct this concern?

Actions already taken by Community or DFO?

Possible solutions?

SEHAB opportunity and Work Plan fit?

Issue 1: Dike clearcutting

 

 

Ask DFO to meet with provincial authority and discuss habitat value of dikes, and what can be done to limit clearing of vegetation

Municipality and local groups have protested to the authority to no avail

Perhaps a working meeting could be set up with reps from DFO, EC, the provincial authority, and some stewardship group reps to discuss the issue

 

 

Issue 2: Salting roads during snowy, icy conditions

 

Ask DFO/EC to look into the effects of salt, brine, etc. on streams, and come up with BMPs for municipalities and highways. Are there other options?

There has been some success between local stewards and SFU regarding salting of Burnaby Mtn roads, and siting of salt storage facilities

 

 

Issue 3: Succession planning, volunteer engagement, leadership training

Could DFO run or sponsor some workshops on NGO admin, volunteer recruitment, knowledge transfer, etc.?

Ongoing issue with several groups

 

 

Issue 4:

 

 

 

 

Issue 5:

 

 

 

 

*SEHAB Work Plan/Sub Committees are: Wild Salmon Policy (Stock Assessment, Habitat), Aquaculture, and Capacity & Core Funding

Stories: Highlight important successes and challenges in your area that you would like to discuss this meeting. This can also be a place to provide background for the issues listed above.

Topic/Issue: Communication with municipality

Successes: Have agreed to meet at least once a year with staff from Engineering, Planning and Parks to improve communication, share information, and discuss any concerns.

Challenges:

Topic/Issue:

Successes:

Challenges:

Topic/Issue:

Successes:

Challenges:

Topic/Issue:

Successes:

Challenges:

Submissions and Comments from Community Groups:

These are good questions for this time of year to put to DFO!

Question 1  The hundreds of tones of rock salt  is used on roads etc. next to rivers and streams in B. C. especially the lower mainland this winter. During winter and spring melt a lot of the liquid salt ends up polluting freshwater salmon habitats all over the province of B.C. What present DFO studies have been done on salt pollution of BC salmon rivers and streams?  

Question 2  Airports around BC in the winter deice planes with antifreeze. How much of this toxic airplane deicer is used and how much of it escapes to salmon rivers and streams? Is the runoff and containment of deicing chemicals from all airports reported annually? Just when was the last time that antifreeze runoff from airports were tested at the discharge pipe ends? How much aircraft anti freeze is used and how much is recovered at each airport every year in BC?