Details

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SEHAB Member:

Area: Upper Fraser

Community Advisor:  Wayne Salewski

Date: November 2015

Key Issues:

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

1. Lack of habitat personal and support in the region both provincially and federally. No presence on the landscape leads to no planning and no accountability for resource users. Priorities for salmon survival seem tied to staffing levels…..no staff…no priority

2. lack of downstream water use planning for the Nechako River has lead to added stress on riparian zones, flooded and fertilized fields can be averted, salmon redds are in jeopardy and the river goes from extreme to extreme.

3.Current DFO policy causes mitigation dollars to be spent within the foot print of mining operations on fish habitat that has minimal needs. This can result in millions of dollars over 10’s of years being wasted, rather then moved to larger needs within the watershed. In every case where we have asked the question of “why” the response has been policy. …. But more importantly the companies wanted meaningful projects that would have made a difference and were willing for new partnerships and relationships. 

Stories:

A few examples of successes, failures, challenges.

Successes

We have launched the Nechako Watershed Roundtable, after three years of work that consisits of city fathers, regional districts,first nations,ENGO’s, Fraser Basin Council and UNBC. This organization has created an organization that will moniter the health of the Nechako / Takla watershed and report out on such.

Nechako White Sturgeon Conservation Center is working hard to protect the regional sturgeon and outreach to provide education to students, communities has been successful.

RFCPP has been a success in region to do stream restoration and has helped immensely, planning dollars that include outreach to schools, community and  first nations to provide educational opportunities would help in moving societal changes forward. We are short of planning and outreach dollars and in the agriculture industry this shortfall makes it difficult to create buy in.

Failures

To move RTA forward into planning on the outflow of the Nechako Reservoir in a planned manner that considers the many other values that the Nechako River has to the region. We see no understanding of climate change in the management strategy of this corporation and great stress on the region.

The RFCPP program to move funding into longer term contracts that would better facilitate the short fish windows in northern BC. This would allow for ease of planning, ease of permitting and more projects on the ground.

Issues Specific to SEHAB’s Work Plan: 

Details

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SALMON ENHANCEMENT AND HABIAT ADVISORY BOARD

SEHAB, The Voice of the Salmon Enhancement Program Volunteer

Roundtable

Our Vision: Pacific Region communities living sustainably within the natural limitations of healthy ecosystems supporting abundant and biologically diverse Pacific salmonids.

Our Mission: SEHAB C.A.R.E.S. SEHAB is the voice of the volunteer community dedicated to:
Communicating
Advocating
Representing
Educating, and
Supporting its endeavours.
SEHAB and the community have a shared commitment of ensuring functioning ecosystems supporting viable, genetically diverse and abundant indigenous fish populations.

Our partner, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)

DFO Vision: Excellence in service to Canadians to ensure the sustainable development and safe use of Canadian waters.

DFO Mission: It is our mission, as DFO employees, to deliver to Canadians the following outcomes:

• Safe and Accessible Waterways;
• Healthy and Productive Aquatic Ecosystems; and
• Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture.

In working toward these outcomes, the Department will be guided by the principles of sound scientific knowledge and effective management.

DFO Mandate, on behalf of the Government of Canada, DFO is responsible for developing and implementing policies and programs in support of Canada’s scientific, ecological, social and economic interests in oceans and fresh waters.

The Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) plays a key role in DFO's work to conserve and manage Pacific salmon stocks. The program's activities aim to rebuild vulnerable salmon stocks, provide harvest opportunities, work with First Nations and coastal communities in economic development, and improve fish habitat to sustain salmon populations. SEP broke new ground when it was launched in 1977 by working closely with citizens and schools to raise awareness of salmon conservation and to carry out hands-on community salmon enhancement and stewardship projects. Three of the program's main activities are:

• Fish Hatcheries
• Resource Restoration
• Stewardship and Education

SEHAB Member: Tracy Bond

Area: Northern Interior

Community Advisor: Roy Argue/Tina Chestnut

Date: June 2012

SEHAB Submissions, Comments from Groups:

Submission that came in after SEHAB meeting in June... will bring forward at fall meeting.

An idea that came from Sue Hemphil (Scout Island Nature Centre, Horsefly River Roundtable) Williams Lake and Horsefly.

If I am not too late here is another idea to share with the powers that be--
In the Globe and Mail Saturday May 26 in the Focus section--an article about Jeffrey Skoll who just received Order of Canada because of his commitment to social causes and innovative practice of philanthropy.  He founded e bay.  He calls it impact invesing--channelling fuds into projects that yield a tangible social benefit as well as financial returns.  He is the only Canadian among 81 billionaires to sign the Giving Pledge in the two years since Bill Gates and Mr. Buffett called on the superrich to stop hoarding their wealth .  He expects to give 95% of his wealth away--but his way.  He believes in social entrepreneurship and fosters it by providing long term funding and freedom to innovate rather than annual grants tied to specific conditions
Brilliant minds think alike.

Details

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Roundtable Report Template

Details

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Northern Interior Fisheries and Community Steward Issues

January 2011

Fisheries Issues:

·Chinook and Coho Salmon stock declining more rapidly than other Fraser River Stocks (Blackwater, Cottonwood, Baker, Naver, andNarcosli systems

·Small populations that could be wiped out if “in the wrong place at the wrong time

·Lack of knowledge of interior fish, habitat and behaviour as opposed to coastal

·Mountain Pine Beetle impacts of change in hydrology, timing of nutrient contribution, impacts to winter juveniles (low flows)

·For example accelerated cuts of up to 46% in Moffat (Horsefly System) to deal with Mountain Pine Beetle

·Mining Claims (area north of 100 Mile is fully staked), as there is accelerated exploration

·Proposed Taseko Mine Limited at Fish and Little Fish Lake

·Inconsistency in cold water infusion within watersheds (one area will get good snow pack and another will not)

·Ministry of Environment has done some modeling on increased air temperatures and resulting impacts on Salmonid Habitat

oCariboo Region salmonid habitat will be negatively impacted even in the immediate future due to air temperature not including changes due to hydrology.

·Opportunities for Mitigation of Fisheries Issues:

oRestoration related to temperature

oCold water storage planning

oFraser Plateau has the bulk of the cold water for the Fraser River and there are volunteer opportunities for protecting these areas through planning processes, education and riparian planting.

oOpportunities for proactive planning

oLast week of February there will be a “Fish Think Tank” for discussion on a long term vision for research in the Northern Interior Region

oHorsefly has just started the Fisheries Sensitive Watershed Planning Process through the Ministry of Natural Resources, the first for this region)

oAugmenting winter flows for juveniles

·Community Steward Issues and Opportunities

oContinued enforcement of City, Regional District, Provincial and Federal Mandates

oSome areas do not have habitat staff and are being serviced from different communities…therefore priorities, timing make it difficult for D.F.O. to respond

oVolunteers can be the eyes and ears in the community and can provide, local, historical and on the ground knowledge

othe win by Eco Justice in terms of mining and federal responsibility for environmental assessments.

oTeztan Biny is part of the Tsilhqot’in homeland and the Taseko River / Fraser River watershed.   Taseko Mines Limited wants to build a gold/copper mine and drain Fish Lake and little Fish Lake.It has passed through Ministry of Environment and declined through the Federal Government.Taseko Mines Limited is working to resubmit proposal.

oLong term funding that would allow for long term planning – takes years to build and make use of community capacity and it is lost when there are interruptions due to funding cycles etc.

oLevel of support from D.F.O. and M.O.E. even on their own initiatives ie.Watershed Planning Initiatives - Roundtables

oKeeping qualified staff and volunteers

oAccess to government information from various departments and from local forest companies.This is a major stumbling block for getting the “whole” picture.

oContinued juggling of partnership requirements/budgets etc.

oContinued ability to deliver programs for cheaper

oContinued ability to bring varying levels of partners together to work on projects

oContinued ability to respond to communities needs (information, services)

oProvide the continuity to issues that just isn’t anywhere else

oAble to access funding and partnerships that no one else can

oOpportunities to get involved in local sustainability planning with Municipalities as they are working on that now and are being funded

oOpportunities for getting involved in Watershed Management Planning from the Provincial level and Sustainability Planning from a community and regional level.

How Can Fisheries and Oceans Help the Northern Interior?

Community Advisor Positions work well in this region and provide the connection to the community that is needed for the leveraging of resources towards watershed education, stewardship and restoration.

• DFO has recently re-signed the Pacific Salmon Treaty with the United States and must resume coded wire tagging of mid and upper Fraser River chinook with coded wire tags. This information is vital to both countries to assess catch and escapement information for this stock. This used to be undertaken at the former DFO Quesnel River Hatchery and the Dome Creek project outside of PG.

The UNBC Research Station was designed by DFO to undertake this very important work and is still the ideal location to continue with the program. The University would welcome the opportunity to undertake this on behalf of DFO once again as the facility and staff are both former DFO and are experienced at raising chinook and tagging. The University's intent is to expand our current Landscape Ecology Program with a search for a Canada Research Chair (a position and funding is currently available to UNBC) in Freshwater Fisheries and the chinook rearing (with the additional coded wire tag program) would compliment the ongoing activities at the Research Station. UNBC is willing to upgrade the facility under DFO's guidance should a long term opportunity present itself.

UNBC's intent would also be to train and employ First Nation individuals as fish culturists to undertake this work with mid and upper Fraser River chinook. At the moment we would welcome trainees from the Chilcotin Nations as the mid Fraser chinook may originate from the Chilko River in their territory, and we would also welcome trainees from the North Shuswap communities as the Research Station is located in their traditional territory.

This would be a great opportunity for DFO to partner with 2 First Nation governments and the University of Northern British Columbia at a facility originally designed by them for this very purpose as we used to raise chinook from the Chilko River and numerous other rivers for the coded wire tag program. Additionally the Research Station could provide community outreach and educational programs related to Fraser River salmon.

• Continue ensuring PIP contracts be completed, signed and cheques delivered right at the beginning of the fiscal year.The groups are finding it increasing difficult to front the money required to deliver services until funding is received for delivery of Salmonids in the Classroom.

• Roy Argue/Tina Chestnut are great CA’s that understand and support the communities.Communities would like increased Support and Resources for CA.
  • Increased dollars in PIP grants to places where there is leveraging with community ie.Groups leverage their DFO dollars 1:9 – 1:12 for watershed education, stewardship and restoration.This is a minimum estimation not including In-Kind contributions of volunteers and local business.
  • Increased time for CA to participate in multi-jurisdictional planning initiatives.There is an opportunity in the interior to do some regional strategizing within all the jurisdictions.Need someone with an overall vision not a specific ‘section’ vision.
  • Have all DFO staff go through CA or one appointed DFO staff person for stewardship/community activities as there is often poor communication across departments and people are working at cross purposes.
  • Involvement in Cariboo Regional Districts – Forest Capital of BC (Forest and Salmon)

• Increased leadership in mitigation opportunities for restoration works (work with province to prioritize areas on a regional basis.)
  • This will help groups mobilize volunteers and facilitate other jurisdictional partners to be working in the most effect direction in more meaningful unit. Perhaps the Wild Salmon Policy Implementation will help with this.(Cariboo Chilcotin).
  • There is a potential for increased volunteers and funding through Climate Action and riparian planting is becoming an popular recommendation for stream temperatures, bird flyways, invertebrate habitat etc

Details

Hits: 7152

Fisheries Issues:

·Chinook and Coho Salmon stock declining more rapidly than other Fraser River Stocks (Blackwater, Cottonwood, Baker, Naver, andNarcosli systems

·Small populations that could be wiped out if “in the wrong place at the wrong time

·Lack of knowledge of interior fish, habitat and behaviour as opposed to coastal

·Mountain Pine Beetle impacts of change in hydrology, timing of nutrient contribution, impacts to winter juveniles (low flows)

·For example accelerated cuts of up to 46% in Moffat (Horsefly System) to deal with Mountain Pine Beetle

·Mining Claims (area north of 100 Mile is fully staked), as there is accelerated exploration

·Proposed Taseko Mine Limited at Fish and Little Fish Lake

·Inconsistency in cold water infusion within watersheds (one area will get good snow pack and another will not)

·Ministry of Environment has done some modeling on increased air temperatures and resulting impacts on Salmonid Habitat

oCariboo Region salmonid habitat will be negatively impacted even in the immediate future due to air temperature not including changes due to hydrology.

·Opportunities for Mitigation of Fisheries Issues:

oRestoration related to temperature

oCold water storage planning

oFraser Plateau has the bulk of the cold water for the Fraser River and there are volunteer opportunities for protecting these areas through planning processes, education and riparian planting.

oOpportunities for proactive planning

oRegion has been prioritized to sensitive watersheds (Horsefly through the Fisheries Sensitive Watershed Planning Process)

oAugmenting winter flows for juveniles

·Community Steward Issues and Opportunities

oNorthern Interior has been hit hard by the Mountain Pine Beetle, the general economic crisis and as a result is experiencing increased pressure on our local resources. (Forestry, Mining, Road Building, Oil and Gas exploration etc.)

oContinued enforcement of City, Regional District, Provincial and Federal Mandates

oRequirement of Conservation officers to provide stewardship activities, their training is best used in the field enforcing as this is a primary issue for community.

oSome areas do not have habitat staff and are being serviced from different communities…therefore priorities, timing make it difficult for D.F.O. to respond

oVolunteers can be the eyes and ears in the community and can provide, local, historical and on the ground knowledge

othe win by Eco Justice in terms of mining and federal responsibility for environmental assessments.

oTeztan Biny is part of the Tsilhqot’in homeland and the Taseko River / Fraser River watershed.   Taseko Mines Limited wants to build a gold/copper mine and drain Fish Lake and little Fish Lake.It has passed through Ministry of Environment and now goes to the Federal Assessment.There are petitions circulating.

oLong term funding that would allow for long term planning – takes years to build and make use of community capacity and it is lost when there are interruptions due to funding cycles etc.

oLevel of support from D.F.O. and M.O.E. even on their own initiatives ie.Watershed Planning Initiatives - Roundtables

oKeeping qualified staff and volunteers

oAccess to government information from various departments

oContinued juggling of partnership requirements/budgets etc.

oContinued ability to deliver programs for cheaper

oContinued ability to bring varying levels of partners together to work on projects

oContinued ability to respond to communities needs (information, services)

oProvide the continuity to issues that just isn’t anywhere else

oAble to access funding and partnerships that no one else can

oOpportunities to get involved in local sustainability planning with Municipalities as they are working on that now

oOpportunities for getting involved in Watershed Management Planning from the Provincial level and Sustainability Planning from a community and regional level.

How Can Fisheries and Oceans Help the Northern Interior?

Community Advisor Positions work well in this region and provide the connection to the community that is needed for the leveraging of resources towards watershed education, stewardship and restoration.

• DFO has recently re-signed the Pacific Salmon Treaty with the United States and must resume coded wire tagging of mid and upper Fraser River chinook with coded wire tags. This information is vital to both countries to assess catch and escapement information for this stock. This used to be undertaken at the former DFO Quesnel River Hatchery and the Dome Creek project outside of PG.

The UNBC Research Station was designed by DFO to undertake this very important work and is still the ideal location to continue with the program. The University would welcome the opportunity to undertake this on behalf of DFO once again as the facility and staff are both former DFO and are experienced at raising chinook and tagging. The University's intent is to expand our current Landscape Ecology Program with a search for a Canada Research Chair (a position and funding is currently available to UNBC) in Freshwater Fisheries and the chinook rearing (with the additional coded wire tag program) would compliment the ongoing activities at the Research Station. UNBC is willing to upgrade the facility under DFO's guidance should a long term opportunity present itself.

UNBC's intent would also be to train and employ First Nation individuals as fish culturists to undertake this work with mid and upper Fraser River chinook. At the moment we would welcome trainees from the Chilcotin Nations as the mid Fraser chinook may originate from the Chilko River in their territory, and we would also welcome trainees from the North Shuswap communities as the Research Station is located in their traditional territory.

This would be a great opportunity for DFO to partner with 2 First Nation governments and the University of Northern British Columbia at a facility originally designed by them for this very purpose as we used to raise chinook from the Chilko River and numerous other rivers for the coded wire tag program. Additionally the Research Station could provide community outreach and educational programs related to Fraser River salmon.

• Provide the ability for contracts, PIP contracts to be completed, signed and cheques delivered right at the beginning of the fiscal year.The groups are finding it increasing difficult to front the money required to deliver services until funding is received for delivery of Salmonids in the Classroom.

• Roy Argue/Tina Chestnut are great CA’s that understand and support the communities.Communities would like increased Support and Resources for CA.
  • Increased dollars in PIP grants to places where there is leveraging with community ie.Groups leverage their DFO dollars 1:9 – 1:12 for watershed education, stewardship and restoration.This is a minimum estimation not including In-Kind contributions of volunteers and local business.
  • Increased time from CA’s – Not always available for supporting meetings, events and information gathering due to their other departmental obligations and large region they cover.
  • Increased flexibility in work plans to be responsive to communities needs – there seems to be less flexibility as their work plans need to be approved therefore not always timely responses to requests.
  • Increased time for CA to participate in multi-jurisdictional planning initiatives.There is an opportunity in the interior to do some regional strategizing within all the jurisdictions.Need someone with an overall vision not a specific ‘section’ vision.
  • Have all DFO staff go through CA or one appointed DFO staff person for stewardship/community activities as there is often poor communication across departments and people are working at cross purposes.
  • Involvement in Cariboo Regional Districts – Forest Capital of BC (Forest and Salmon)

• Increased leadership in mitigation opportunities for restoration works (work with province to prioritize areas on a regional basis.)
  • This will help groups mobilize volunteers and facilitate other jurisdictional partners to be working in the most effect direction in more meaningful unit. Perhaps the Wild Salmon Policy Implementation will help with this.(Cariboo Chilcotin).
  • There is a potential for increased volunteers and funding through Climate Action and riparian planting is becoming an popular recommendation for stream temperatures, bird flyways, invertebrate habitat etc

Details

Hits: 3766

 Salmon Enhancement And Habitat Advisory Board (SEHAB) Roundtable

Date:May 30, 2010

Area:Northern Interior

Representative:Tracy Bond

Challenges/Issues and Opportunities/Successes of the Volunteer Aquatic Stewards

Management

Fisheries

Aquaculture

Enforcement

Fisheries

Habitat:

Continued enforcement of City, Regional District, Provincial and Federal Mandates

Requirement of CA officers to provide stewardship activities, they are not trained and they should be in the field enforcing.

Some areas do not have habitat staff and are being serviced from different communities…therefore priorities, timing make it difficult for D.F.O. to respond

Volunteers can be the eyes and ears in the community and can provide, local, historical and on the ground knowledge

the win by Eco Justice in terms of mining and federal responsibility for environmental assessments.

Habitat, Freshwater

Protection:Teztan Biny is part of the Tsilhqot’in homeland and the Taseko River / Fraser River watershed.   Taseko Mines Limited wants to build a gold/copper mine and drain Fish Lake and little Fish Lake.It has passed through Ministry of Environment and now goes to the Federal Assessment.There are petitions circulating.

Rehabilitation

Enhancement

Habitat, Oceans, Estuaries and Marine

Protection

Rehabilitation

Enhancement

Salmon Enhancement

Hatcheries

Production Planning

Science

Research

Canadian Hydrographic Service

Stewardship & Community

Consultations: Acts, Regulations, Policy

Program Development and Implementation

Capacity, and Partnerships

Long term funding that would allow for long term planning – takes years to build and make use of community capacity and it is lost when there are interruptions due to funding cycles etc.

Level of support from D.F.O. and M.O.E. even on their own initiatives

Keeping qualified staff and volunteers

Access to government information from various departments

Continued juggling of partnership requirements/budgets etc.

Continued ability to deliver programs for cheaper

Continued ability to bring varying levels of partners together to work on projects

Continued ability to respond to communities needs (information, services)

Provide the continuity to issues that just isn’t anywhere else

Able to access funding and partnerships that no one else can

Opportunities to get involved in local sustainability planning with Municipalities as they are working on that now

Opportunities for getting involved in Watershed Management Planning from the Provincial level

Treaty & Aboriginal Programs

Integration and Coordination

Stewardship and Community

Safe and Accessible Waters

Canadian Coast Guard, Navigable Waters, Small Craft Harbours

Environment Canada

Water Quality

Province OF BC

Invasive Species

Riparian Area Conservation and Protection

Water Licensing

Related Species and

Shared Jurisdiction, DFO and MOE

Watershed Level Planning

Sustainability Planning with Municipalities

Details

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November 2009

Salmon Enhancement And Habitat Advisory Board (SEHAB) Roundtable
DateNovember 6, 2009
Area:Northern Interior
Representative:Tracy Bond

Challenges/Issues and Opportunities/Successes of the Volunteer Aquatic Stewards

A.Management (Fisheries):

• First Nations Fisheries at lower reaches of Fraser River but not enough left for upper Fraser First Nation Fisheries

B.Enforcement (Fisheries and Habitat)

C.Habitat, Freshwater (Protection, Rehabilitation, and Enhancement)

• Water so low in Williams River Mouth the Pink could not make it in to spawn
  Flooding has initiated a number of flood control methods ie. berms (within riparian areas)
  As water has become “flashier” water is uncovering more and more debris from past armouring practices
  Fires in region have impacted a lot of freshwater habitat
  Restoration of Dragon Creek (Quesnel River Tributary) day lighting the creek, clean up of old car dump,
  Clean up of debris in Baker Creek
  Limit vehicle access to Horsefly River under bridge
  Completed project to fix pumphouse so utility vehicles (fire trucks) don’t fill up with water directly from the river
  Change in hydrology due to Pine Beetle

D.Habitat, Oceans, Estuaries and Marine (Protection, Rehabilitation, and Enhancement)

E.Salmon Enhancement (Hatcheries, Production Planning)

F.Science (Research, Canadian Hydrographic Service)

G.Stewardship & Community (Consultations: Acts, Regulations, Policy, Program Development an Implementation, Capacity, and Partnerships)

·The Integrated Sustainability Community Planning that Municipalities must complete as part of their GHG reduction targets has been a great impetus for local groups working with their municipalities

·All groups in the area are broad based and work on many different facets of environmental health (small communities, few volunteers, many issues, similar partnerships required)

·Funding decrease has dropped or will drop most groups to core activities, some regional coordination is suffering

·Horsefly Salmon Festival had over 1500 participants (700 community and about 800 students), not many fish

·A lot of education, awareness and planning activities by all of the groups throughout the region in relation to water, fish, watersheds, and sustainability planning

H.Treaty & Aboriginal Programs (Integration and Coordination, Stewardship and Community)

I.Safe and Accessible Waters (Canadian Coast Guard, Navigable Waters, Small Craft Harbours)
Environment Canada (Water Quality)
Vulnerable aquifers due to size (they are very large)

K.Province OF BC

Invasive Species:

·Small mouth bass in Quesnel River System

Riparian Area Conservation and Protection:

·Cumulative losses of small wetlands, riparian areas, and filter areas due to regulatory bodies being unable to respond in time and projects going ahead without authorization

·Lack of presence at planning and management tables

Water Licensing:

·Over subscription, water table in W.L. and area

Related Species and

LShared Jurisdiction, DFO and MOE

·Prosperity Mine, Mt. Polley in Quesnel Lake area

·Fish Lake draining by Taseko mines to access minerals, Xeni Gwet’in

·Continued logging of Mountain Pine Beetle and changes in Hydrology

·Fish kills in Bouchie Lake due to Phosphorous loading

October 2007

Roundtable Report

Central Interior
October 26, 27, 28
Tracy Bond
(250) 992-2295
•    Compiling List of active groups:
o This list is the CA contact list
o Many previous groups have disbanded
o the groups that are still around have much larger mandates than fisheries concerns
o Some contacts only occasionally work on watershed concerns
o Three of the groups hold contract to deliver Salmonids in the Classroom
o No direct contact with all groups
Spruce City Wildlife Association:        Denise Collet This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Baker Creek Enhancement Society    Corinne Hynes This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Quesnel River Research Centre        This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Land Concervancy of BC:        Barry Booth This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Fraser Basin Council PG:        Joan Chess  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Maureen LeBourdais WL                         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prince George Public Interest Research Group    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Recycling & Environmental Action & Action
Planning Society:            Terri McClymont ,This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fraser Headwater Alliance:        Roy Howard         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Exploration Place:            Amanda Tisseur   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cariboo Chicotin Conservation Society
Marg Evans,                                        This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gavin Lake Forest Education Society
Cathy Koot or Mike Tudor                        This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
•    Horsefly Community is starting up a Roundtable
•    Williams Lake having depleting Aquifer and water conservation issues
•    Continued impact from Mountain Pine Beetle impacts on hydrology
•    Increased Mining activity
•    Concerns with increased paperwork, reporting and less resources
•    Concerns with enforcement at all levels of government
•    Impending Economic Downturn
•    Volcanic Activity outside of Quesnel
•    Concerns with lack of consistency between riparian regulations (forestry/mining)
•    Impacts of grazing leases on Creeks (not enough monitoring)
•    Concerns with money coming out from interior resources not coming back into interior natural resources.

June 05

Mandy Jones – Central Interior north of 100 Mile House/Northeastern BC         (Roy Argue/Tina Chestnut)
Gord Stewart – Boston Bar to 100 Mile House (Dennis Demontier)
The snow packs for the Thompson Watershed were near normal this year, but recent reports have put the snow melt three weeks ahead of normal for both the North and South Thompson Rivers. This could mean very low and warm water for the Adams River Sockeye run. Let’s hope for a cool wet summer.
The Nicola and Coldwater rivers are headed for a drought this year again. Both systems had below normal snow packs and an early start to the run off. The Nicola Valley may have to deal with and extreme water shortage this year.
Through out the summer I will be attempting to increase communication with the local volunteer community. I will report on my success or failure.
The School District #73 Salmon in the Classroom Program had another successful year ending with fry releases for the whole month of May at Pine Park.

Details

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Salmon Enhancement And Habitat Advisory Board (SEHAB) Roundtable

Date:February 20, 2009

Area:Central Interior

Representative:Tracy Bond

Challenges/Issues and Opportunities/Successes of the Volunteer Aquatic Stewards

Management

Fisheries

Aquaculture

Enforcement

Fisheries

Habitat:

• Continued enforcement of City, Regional District, Provincial and Federal Mandates
• Requirement of CA officers to provide stewardship activities, they are not trained and they should be in the field enforcing.
• Loss off Habitat Staff
• Provide on the ground knowledge and policing

Habitat, Freshwater

Protection

Rehabilitation

Enhancement

Habitat, Oceans, Estuaries and MarineProtection

Rehabilitation

Enhancement

Salmon Enhancement

Hatcheries

Production Planning

Science

Research

Canadian Hydrographic Service

Stewardship & Community

Consultations: Acts, Regulations, Policy

Program Development and Implementation

Capacity, and Partnerships

• Ongoing Funding
• Level of support from D.F.O. and M.O.E. even on their own initiatives
• Keeping qualified staff and volunteers
• Access to government information from various departments
• Continued juggling of partnership requirements/budgets etc.
• Continued ability to deliver programs for cheaper
• Continued ability to bring varying levels of partners together to work on projects
• Continued ability to respond to communities needs (information, services)
• Provide the continuity to issues that just isn’t anywhere else
• Able to access funding and partnerships that no one else can

Treaty & Aboriginal Programs

Integration and Coordination

Stewardship and Community

Safe and Accessible WatersCanadian Coast Guard, Navigable Waters, Small Craft Harbours

Environment Canada

Water Quality

Province OF BC

Invasive Species

Riparian Area Conservation and Protection

Water Licensing

Related Species and

Shared Jurisdiction, DFO and MOE

Details

Hits: 5019

Roundtable Report

June 11, 2008

Central Interior

Tracy Bond

Challenges/Issues and Opportunities/Successes of the Volunteer Aquatic Stewards

Challenges/Issues

• Continued frustration with lack of protection, enforcement and habitat degradation due to many impacts.Volunteers feeling that their efforts are so minute to the overall threats to salmon habitat
• Information overload – cannot keep up with the information such as policy, funding, programs, issues, who’s involved.Even if it is just local issues.
• Overwhelmed by the impacts and where to start…ensuring government agents are doing what they say they are supposed to do, working with volunteers, designing projects etc.
• Programs announced and confusion of where and what they are and how they fit into other programs.Don’t want to spend the time figuring it out.
• Volunteers don’t want to be involved in things like meetings, reviewing literature, developing program…they want to show up and plant some trees.
• Decrease in volunteer energy and time available

Successes/Opportunities

• Getting communities engaged in projects – groups are good at this
• Public Awareness and Education – multi-faceted approach
• Consistency of local grassroots efforts as opposed to rather than regional, provincial, or federal approaches
• Environmental Literacy of general public has increased which has facilitated more public awareness and education opportunities at a community level
• Steward can leverage; funds, labour, materials like no one else!

Baker Creek Enhancement Society Programs 2007/2008:

We currently manage projects for:

·Department of Fisheries and Ocean (Salmonids in the Classroom)

·Pacific Salmon Foundation: Volunteer work for a Fundraising Dinner Event

·Quesnel Air Quality Roundtable and Ministry of Environment(Public Education and Awareness)

·Support for Idle Free Ambassador from May to August.

·City of Quesnel – Environmental Education, Air Quality Awareness Events and Activities, Interpretive Trail development and Maintenance,

Community Involvement:

·Over 1500 volunteer hours for help with various programs and events for a dollar value of over $16,0000 per year.

·Oceans Day, environment week, wildlife week awareness activities, Clean Air Day, Commuter Challenge, Rivers Day

·Ongoing Environmental Representation on all community planning initiatives including all Forest Companies Stewardship plans, Official Community Plans and Development Permits.

·Community hikes and cleanups within the watershed

·Telus – Employees Environment Volunteer Clean up/tree planting of Dragon Creek

·TD Bank – Great Canadian Shoreline Clean Up of Baker Creek

·Birding in the West Fraser Timber Park wetland.

·Ongoing restoration, stewardship and monitoring projects on Narcosli Creek, Baker Creek and Dragon Creek

·Currently facilitating a Climate Change Action Group.

Education/Awareness:

·School Programming to over 2200 students per year through our Nature Education and Resource Centre

·Wetland hikes, Natural History Presentations, and Open Houses for the general public.

·Coordinated local Environmental Mind Grind with topics on “Watershed Health and Water Conservation”.Over 16 teams participated.

·Earth Day events which include over 600 participants and include watershed conservation activities.

·Development of Mentoring Program between Quesnel and Williams Lake High School Students and Researchers from the Quesnel River Research Center.

·Delivery of Salmonids in the Classroom Program to seven Schools.

·Summer and Spring Day Camps.

·Initiation of a Community River Ecology Centre at the confluence of Quesnel and Fraser Rivers.

·Initiation of Salmon Statues on all Fraser River Crossings.

Gavin Lake Forest Education Society re:water

-all our work is directed towards educating youth

-we are currently teaching  2 related modules

1) Watershed module -explaining how it works and how we can screw it up.

2) The Perfect Stream - demonstrating what makes up perfect Trout spawning habitat

-we also have a few demonstrations of water conservation methods and messages spread around camp. These include signage, xeriscape gardening, a future dual low flush toilet  and rain water barrel

It should be noted that all these  things are largely due to the great partnership we have with the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society and their continuing financial support.

Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society

Water Wise & Watershed Health Program

Water Wise Year three begins:

·In the schools: for a second year in a row since the program began, over 50 elementary school classes, as well as 10 high school classes this past school year received instructional lessons in the areas of watersheds, water chemistry & water quality, waste-water and ground water. In May, and continuing through June, 10 classes that received Water Wise classroom instruction elected to take field trips with Water Wise Instructor to the River Valley where they learn how to test water quality, learn about and identify aquatic species (with Scout Island Nature Centre (SINC) staff), and identify salmon (with Department of Fisheries and Oceans staff). These field trips were made possible with assistance from the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

In the Gardens: funding received from Fraser Salmon & Watersheds Program for signage enabled Water Wise to produce eight Low Water Gardening signs that present solutions and information to residents. Tips, information, pictures of drought hardy plants, along with the popular brochures: Xeriscape Gardening, and Water Wise Plant Guides are currently in local garden centers for the rest of the growing season. Our annual Xeriscape Gardening workshop at Thompson Rivers University had almost 60 people in attendance.

In the Community: numerous Water Wise sites and signage continue within the community including the Library, regional elementary schools, and both local high schools. Plans are also underway at Thompson Rivers University, and SINC, as well as the printing of signs for fall distribution within local businesses.

·The Arts Scene: Children’s Water Art Exhibit was on display in the Library for World Water, and Earth Day. As well, Melissa Newberry’s Drama & Dance’s spring break’s Water Play, and Kwaleen’s Assignment Earth,(water wise song portion) are performing at the May 25th Children’s Festival by request from the Community Arts Council.Columneetza’s Media class students created Water Wise video’s and CCCS staff has included them in a brief 15 minute Water Wise DVD (to be viewed at this AGM!)

Media Coverage brief:

oRadio: ads continue, the variety includes those featuring high school students voices. Ads focusing on watersheds and salmon are planned for the fall.

oTelevision: Water Wise Interview summarizing the program has been airing on Shaw TV since April from Prince George to 100 Mile House, and future in-kind Public Service Announcement (PSA) segments in partnership with Water Wise and Shaw TV using local talent from the Arts Council Theatre Group are currently being planned.

oNewpaper: The Tribune featured numerous articles on the Water Wise Program including Instructor Jenny Howell in the classrooms. The Advisor has also run several photos and articles on our efforts within the community. CCCS & Water Wise also wrote and produced numerous articles including ones focusing on Xeriscaping and watershed health (2008 is the year of Sanitation). Many supportive water conservation articles have also appeared in both the local newspapers and weekend editions.

·Student Survey: a local high school student spent one day at work in our CCCS office. Prior to this she created (and distributed) a survey seeking to find out how knowledgeable students and staff were on numerous world and local water issues. The results were published in both newspapers, and this student was asked to present her findings to City Council who took up her challenge to become Water Shepherds

·Watershed Health and Fish Habitat in the Cariboo Chilcotin

oInterior Coho Volunteer Trapping Programran for three years (2003 – 2006) and at this time we are collaborating with Fisheries and Oceans staff to bring together the data and observations of our dedicated volunteers.One initiative is to involve school children in the rescue of hundreds of Chinook in the Kersley creek that were found to become stranded each year as the stream dried up.In the past our volunteer did this alone, Baker Creek Enhancement Society is pitching in on this rescue!

oBiffert’s Pond – a wonderful initiative begun with the development of a local simulation watershed by Wayne & Val Biffert. Water Wise is working with the Bifferts to produce signage, and water wise education to compliment what students learn on site.

oParks Guide 2008-2009 features nine pages on Salmonids of the Cariboo Chilcotin.

Gavin Lake Modules - new CCCS modules The Gavin Watershed and Invertebrates were offered this year, we are now alternating every other year with Ecological Webs and Protecting Species and Spaces and The Perfect Stream modules, as many schools that attend Gavin Lake are split grades and this offers them different classes their second year attending camp.Our instructor has incorporated her water knowledge into this exciting new Watershed module and we are planning for next year to include a winter water module!

Horsefly River Roundtable

• Completed a biological watershed profile of the Horsefly River Roundtable.Stage 1 and Stage 2 of the DFO/MOE Fish Watershed Sustainability Planning.
• Monthly speakers to the roundtable on various watershed topics such as:Water temperatures, Invasive Fish Species, Land Exchanges, etc.To build capacity for decision making on the watershed.
• Completed a day long strategic planning on prioritizing community engagement projects
• Continued work on Stage 2 and Stage 3 of Fish and Watershed Sustainability Planning
• Hosting a community watershed tour on June 19^th.

Scout Island Nature Centre and Williams Lake Field Naturalists Update for SEHAB Meeting June 2008

Stewardship Education:

• We just completed another year of Salmonids in the Classroom (11 classes) with the fry release.A total of 270 students and lots of parents released their fry into the Williams Lake River.They also watched fish being dissected, dipped for bugs, played games, looked at intertidal creatures and learned about the Stream to sea connections, walked and looked at habitat and worried about the pelicans waiting to eat their fry.
• To celebrate Rivers to Oceans Week (besides the fry release), the public will join us at SINC to release fish, learn about the Stream to Sea connections, and paint storm drains.This is in conjunction with the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society (CCCS).
• Our 3 summer staff were trained so that they could teach the Stream to Sea program (using our intertidal tank and fresh water tanks with Chinook)and they have lead 12 school groups through the program.They also lead community groups through the program and tourists visiting the Nature Centre.This program will also be part of our summer youth programs.
• This summer we will have two evening events inviting public to help us net fish for our tanks and learn about the habitat in the Williams Lake River Valley
• We worked with the CCCS all spring doing programs with school classes along the river and marsh in the Lower Williams Lake River Valley.Classes tested water quality with Jenny from the CCCS as a follow up to her “Water Wise” programs in their classrooms.The classes then dipped for invertebrates with SINC staff.
• Spring and fall, we run ecosystem programs in the River Valley that have students comparing, marsh, river, and forest ecosystems
• The Nature Centre is creating a salmon exhibit for the Horsefly Tourists Centre

·Students Working/Learning in Their Watershed

This is a joint program involving the Quesnel River Research Centre, Scout Island Nature Centre, Baker Creek Enhancement Society and School Districts 27 and 28

Quick Summary

·Matches grade 9-11 science students with people doing research at the Quesnel River Research Centre—part of University of Northern BC

·There will be a spring field trip to Horsefly River to help with the fry count and to learn how to do a stream assessmentThis is a one day field trip

·Students will then apply for the fall program.They will spend 2 days each fall at the centre assisting researchers doing research infields such as biology, ecology, aquatic sciences, atmospheric and physical sciences and be included in the harvesting and fertilizing of chinook eggs for raising at the research centre

·The program is designed toget youth out in nature working with experts and to offer experiences that will engage all types of learners including those who go on to post secondary training and those who choose to enter the workforce immediately after graduation.

·Students will receive credit towards their high school program for this 2 days of work

·Those seeking to go on to post secondary work in sciences can choose to help andbe mentored for the year by one of the researchers and eventually receive credit towards their post secondary work

Advocacy and Restoration Work

·We continue to support the work being done by the City of Williams Lake in the Williams Lake River Valley that is dealing with storm drain run off before it enters the river.We have been raising planting stock, loaning equipment, storage space, and volunteers for the planting of the new marshes that the city is building to accommodate the storm drains

·After 25 years of “discussing” with the rancher and MOF Range Management the need toprotect the lowest marsh in the Williams Lake River Valley, it is now agreed that theWilliams Lake Field Naturalists and Ducks Unlimited can proceed to fence this marsh to protect it from the rancher’s cows.This is extremely important for 2 reasons.The first is that this marsh provides the main source of water to the lower river during critical spawning months and the cows have historically destroyed the riparian vegetation around the marsh.Second, this marsh is located on a public trail that runs along the river.Thousands of people walk there each year including classes that come here for a variety of ecosystem programs.They see the damage done by cows and it is important that they see a riparian edge returned to health.So even though we have to pay for it, this is still considered a success.

·The Williams Lake Field Naturalists were prime supporters of the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Strategy recently completed and are part of the next step of forming a Sustainability Committee for our region.They are also involved in discussions related to “Run of the River” plans in the region.

·We are also working on protecting the other side ofthe Scout Island Marsh across from the Nature Centre.This has been a long time issue (30 years) as industry including tire storage was/is allowed in the riparian edge of the marsh (that empties into the Williams Lake River).We helped to encourage the non renewal of the lease for this tire storage, have initiated talks with the city and Ministry of Transport about doing restoration work along this edge, and hope to also encourage the building of a trail along this edge to allow for a wildlife and people corridor between the river valley and the Nature Centre.Neither deer or people should have to out maneuver trucks in order to walk in peace!

Details

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Roundtable Report
Central Interior
October 26, 27, 28
Tracy Bond
(250) 992-2295
• Compiling List of active groups:
o This list is the CA contact list
o Many previous groups have disbanded o the groups that are still around have much larger mandates than fisheries
concerns
o Some contacts only occasionally work on watershed concerns
o Three of the groups hold contract to deliver Salmonids in the Classroom
o No direct contact with all groups
Spruce City Wildlife Association: Denise Collet This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Baker Creek Enhancement Society Corinne Hynes This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Quesnel River Research Centre This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Land Concervancy of BC: Barry Booth This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Fraser Basin Council PG: Joan Chess  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Maureen LeBourdais WL                         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Prince George Public Interest Research Group    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Recycling & Environmental Action & Action Planning Society: Terri McClymont ,This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Fraser Headwater Alliance: Roy Howard         This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Exploration Place: Amanda Tisseur   This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Cariboo Chicotin Conservation Society Marg Evans,                                    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Gavin Lake Forest Education Society
Cathy Koot or Mike Tudor                        This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Horsefly Community is starting up a Roundtable • Williams Lake having depleting Aquifer and water conservation issues
• Continued impact from Mountain Pine Beetle impacts on hydrology
• Increased Mining activity
• Concerns with increased paperwork, reporting and less resources
• Concerns with enforcement at all levels of government
• Impending Economic Downturn
• Volcanic Activity outside of Quesnel
• Concerns with lack of consistency between riparian regulations (forestry/mining)
• Impacts of grazing leases on Creeks (not enough monitoring)
• Concerns with money coming out from interior resources not coming back into
interior natural resources.