SALMON ENHANCEMENT AND HABITAT ADVISORY BOARD

MINUTES

Oct. 5, 6, 7

Quaaout Lodge

1663 Little Shuswap Lake Road, Chase, BC, V0E 1M2  250-679-3090

 

SUNDAY           Oct. 5, 2014 Travel and settle

1500                 Meet with Minister

MONDAY          Oct. 6, 2014

Attending:        Jack Minard, Zo Ann Morten, Jim Armstrong, Jim Shinkewski, Brian Smith, Eric Carlisle, Ian Bruce, Leandre Vigneault, Dianne Sanford, Elizabeth Hardy, Paul Cipywnyk, Wayne Salewski, Lee Hesketh, Jan Lemon, Gord Wadley

Regrets:           Fred Lockwood   

Invited Guests: Adam Silverstein, Fisheries and Oceans Canada -  Regional Manager Community Involvement Program, Bonnie Antcliffe Regional Director, Jason Hwang EMB, Bruce Reid Oceans EMB, Fred Lockwood, Community Advisor, Central Interior (Boston Bar to 100 Mile House)

0845                 Meet and Greet - get prepared

0900                  Chair opening remarks

Remarkable meeting with Minister yesterday. Minister learned about us and what we do. Minister saw how diverse, passionate and committed we (SEP community reps) are. Cleared up that new money that is going to federal hatcheries is not going to volunteers.

Welcome everyone. Everyone is here.

0910                 SEHAB Working Groups -  Reports

WSP Committee

Awaiting consultative process as to WSP and new FA

Aquaculture Committee

                                 ZA report online

Capacity and Core Funding – under review

0930                  Local Community Advisor’s Report – Fred Lockwood

                                    Fred was not available so we went directly into roundtables  

PLEASE SUBMIT ROUNDTABLES IN WORD FILES AS PER THE TEMPLATE

0950                 Roundtables

                                 Steelhead Society
                                 South Fraser River
                                 Pacific Streamkeepers Federation
                                 Upper Fraser
                                 North Side Fraser River - Burnaby to Mission
                                 Sunshine Coast/Powell River
                                 South Vancouver Island
                                 Haida Gwaii

1200                 Lunch

1300                 Ecosystem Management Branch

An opportunity to meet Branch Managers in order to gain an understanding of their roles within the Department and within the Branch and how those roles and responsibilities interact with the SEP Volunteer community.

Meet the Ecosystems Management Branch (EMB) team to gain a better understanding of how to tailor our responses and advice during communications with the Department.

Bonnie Antcliffe

Jason Wong

Bruce Reid Oceans

Bonnie: Very good meeting with minister. She knows who SEHAB is. She meets with so many advisory bodies. She was intrigued by broad representation. Good to raise the licensing issue. Difficult to get traction on habitat issues. We do need to talk about monitoring.

Roles and Responsibilities

FAM Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Dianna Treager

                        Aboriginal comes under this

C&P is enforcement, some education

Science has four or five facilities. Supports delivery of core programs.

                        Stock assessment is in here

SCH Small Craft Harbours

EMB – Oceans, SEP, etc.

Aquatic Species at Risk

 

SEP has four managers

Strategic Planning – Roy Neighbour

Biological Assessment – Ryan Galbraith

Major Facilities – Jeff Jung

Community Involvement Program – Adam Silverstein

                        CAs and restoration units

 

Habitat is now under FPP

FPP Jason Hwang, Brad Fanos, Al Magnon

DFO no longer has lead on environmental assessments

FA changed, NEB changed, CEAA changed. Only CEAA does assessments. No longer DFO or other depts. Unless directly related to DFO mandate.

I encourage you to think beyond compliance when you think about monitoring.

Suggestions for compliance monitoring

Question/Comment: QEPs are also an issue

Question/Comment: When we’re not taking care of the little things, we’re not taking care of the whole.

SEHAB needs to give specific examples. Once examples are provided, Adam can check with Triage to determine what was done and provide feedback.

ACTION: ALL Three to five examples of habitat issues/concerns.

There is a national template that we’re trying to fit into the BC context.

Question/Comment: Reinstatement of notifications is required. How do you know where projects are? SEHAB recommends that notification of works being undertaken must be sent to DFO in order that the department a) knows where works are being done; b) can realistically check on a % of works to ensure that compliance occurs and harm does not.

Question/Comment: What about flows? Dams are almost impossible these days.

Adam – It boils down to water licenses and land use. Challenge is with DFO holding licenses and own infrastructure. Working on setting priorities. We don’t have the resources to maintain old projects.

Question/Comment: Where does the ocean start? High tideline?

Question/Comment: Pacific North Coast Management Area. 200-mile limit

Adam – Four bioregions identified on the north coast.

Question/Comment: Compensation. How does it work?

Adam – No freshwater protection areas. DFO doesn’t have the same authority.

Question/Comment: How do you fit in marine planning process?

Bruce – we have not participated in that process

Question/Comment: Province and FN are developing a plan, but DFO is not at the table.

Question/Comment: Local data, local knowledge. High tide line is very sensitive. What’s happening there? Interesting jurisdictional problems. Beaches are part of land.

1500                 Jeffrey Lemieux, Science Branch

Section head for freshwater ecosystems. Bridging old job in SEP with new job in Science.

How can Science better support SEP?

Potential for more collaboration between Science and community.

Want to form an ongoing dialogue between Science, SEHAB and CIP.

Science focus at 2015 SEP Workshop.

Science responsible for stock assessment.

Provides advice to decision makers.

ACTION ALL Looking for feedback on how community volunteers can work with Science.

Send ideas to Paul who will collate and send to Jeffrey

Stock Assessment

WSP and SARA

Wild/Hatchery interactions

Habitat restoration and strategic planning for southern Chinook

Make better use of DFO streamkeeper protocols as to water and habitat data

Didymo first appeared in 1989 on Vancouver Island. Now think it may be a sign of phosphorous deprivation.

What are some ways to implement a productive dialogue?

Are there projects you know about and would like to hear about?

Perhaps Science could sit in on SEHAB meetings regularly.

Open to discussing things in more detail.

Adam – very valuable to have Science here.

1530                 Break

1540                 Board Q&A/Discussion

1630                 Adjourn

 

TUESDAY Oct. 7, 2014

0900 - 1200      Business Meeting

0900                 Standing Committee Reports

                                    Chair  

Nothing to report        

            Finance

See Finance Committee report

                                    Membership

Alternate for Jim A.

Ron Meadley

                                    Governance

Nothing to report

                                                Communications

Idea for having mini-workshops on effective use of technology for communication. SEHAB capacity building.

ACTION Paul – prepare short presentation on tech & email for next meeting

0930                 DFO Report, Adam Silverstein

Topics:

Brief update with CIP programs.

Restoration Framework

PSF, FWCP, RFCPP

CA Staffing update

PAR update

Stream to Sea update

SEP Community Workshop

PSF Current five-year contribution agreement expires March 31, 2015

Looking for more flexibility in agreement. Looking at quarterly meetings with PSF.

FWCP BC Hydro. Adam sits on Coastal Board.

CA Staffing. Over 250 applications received. Written tests to begin soon, interviews in November. Goal for final list of qualified candidates by Jan 2015.

Don’t know yet if we will have permanent staffing.

PAR: Likely move to 2-year license next year. And CAs will continue to hold.

Other issues include: Use of drugs, Deposit of Organic Matter, Public Reporting

Trying to ensure that SEP facilities are not captured in this.

Will keep SEHAB posted.

Stream to Sea: potential curriculum changes from the provincial government

SEP Workshop in May in Port Alberni

Want a greater FN component

DFO wants increased Science component

BOB

Welcome to Shuswap

BC Interior SEP

RRU Resource Restoration Unit

CAs in this area used to be heavy on outreach and education, Lee has asked for more focus on restoration

No increase in budgets so inflation eating away at them.

ACTION ADAM: If the opportunity arises for input, Adam to suggest a community facility for ministerial visit

ACTION ADAM: Can we link local groups to incident reports?

ACTION LEANDRE: Monitoring framework. Ask to mandate notifications. RHQ Bonnie.

ACTION ADAM: Have Bonnie’s counterpart from C&P at next SEHAB meeting. Regional Director Compliance and Protection.

ACTION ALL: SEHAB to send a few examples of violations to Adam. Complete packages with photos etc. Vetted by SEHAB to ensure consistency.

ACTION SEHAB EXTERNAL COM: Suggestions for Adam on how to improve communication. Make sure community groups know what is going on.

ACTION ALL: Review NAVAIDS, particularly Communication Working Group & DFO responsibility to respond.

ACTION ALL: Suggestions to ADAM for volunteer recognition. Are present things working well, or can there be improvements. Send to Paul who will compile.

Examples from Jack & Zo Ann – have senior staff presence. It was great to have senior management at SEP community Workshop 2013 on Bowen Island.

Individual vs group recognition. CAs have to be in on this

ADAM Perspective on how SEHAB functions

            This group is effective communicating with Bonnie

            Could be a lot more effective to focus on what CAs and RRU doing

            How is SEP doing its job? Is it meeting your needs.

            Those are things we can deliver on quickly

            Use some time checking in on the SEP program

Question/Comment: CAs need to establish relations with province

ACTION PAUL Send out report on UBC gravel cleaner

1030                 Break

1045                 AGM – election etc.

Chair

Wayne/Lee nominate Jack

Elected by acclamation

Vice Chair

Lee/Jan nominate Jim S

Jim S/Leandre nominate Ian

Closed ballot:

Jim elected

Finance

Jack/Jim A nominate Zo Ann

Elected by acclamation

Secretary

Eric/Leandre nominate Paul

Elected by acclamation

1100                 Review Working Groups & SEHAB Structure

                                    Build  2015 Workplan

PAR will continue as a working group

Dianne S, Dianne R, Brian, Elizabeth, Jim A, Zo Ann.

Communication Working Group for external stuff (standing Communication Committee is for internal work)

Wayne Chair, Jack, Paul, Lee

Stock Assessment? Science? Data Collection? Solidify at next meeting.

1230                 Lunch

1400                 Prioritize for RHQ, Amalgamate Roundtable Topics and discussion re EMB
RHQ Discussion – Closing the Loop
Finalize roundtables and email to Paul ASAP

A.  Minutes from this meeting to be ratified by Oct. 24

B.   Date next meeting:  January 16-18, 2015, Vancouver; May 17-19, 2015, Port Alberni (with SEP 2015); November 6-8, location TBD.

C.   Invitation to build agenda by: Dec. 15

D.   Draft agenda due on: Jan. 5

E.   Determine Participants (SEHAB exec. PLUS area issue sponsors) for meeting at RHQ

1630                 Adjourn – Member travel home unless volunteering at Salute to the Sockeye on Wednesday

Wednesday Oct. 8, 2014

0900                 SEHAB PRESENCE at Salute to the Sockeye
Members will be interpreters as required for some time depending on travel needs. Details to be determined in collaboration with local organizers

Action items October 2014

ITEM	DETAILS	SPONSOR	ACTION/DUE
Roundtables	Please Submit Roundtables In Word Files As Per The Template	ALL	ASAP
Habitat Concerns	Collate three to five examples of habitat issues or concerns. Provide photos and other documentation. Jack/Paul to ensure consistency of presentation	ALL Jack Paul	Send to Jack ASAP
Working with Science Branch	Feedback on how community volunteers can work with Science. Send ideas to Paul who will collate and send to Jeffrey	ALL	Send to Paul Paul collate and send to Jeffrey ASAP
Effective use of SEHAB mail lists, tech tips	Prepare short presentation on using SEHAB online tools, and other tech tips	Paul	Next SEHAB meeting
Minister to see a community facility	If the opportunity arises, arrange for minister to tour a community volunteer facility	Adam	For next minister visit to BC, preferably corresponding to a SEHAB meeting
Link local projects/groups to Triage	Is it possible for Triage to be aware of local projects and groups when dealing with incident reports?	Adam	Will see what is possible. Report back to January meeting.
Notifications & monitoring	Ask that requirement for notifications be reinstated for better monitoring	Leandre	Follow up
C & P at next SEHAB meeting	Arrange to have Bonnie’s counterpart from C&P at next SEHAB meeting. Regional Director Compliance and Protection.	Adam	Schedule for Jan SEHAB meeting
External Communications	New group set up to ensure effective external communication	External Communication Group	Ongoing
Re-read NAVAIDS	Read NAVAIDS and ensure familiarity with roles, responsibilities, processes	ALL	Before Jan meeting
Volunteer Recognition	Are there suggestions for different ways of volunteer recognitions?	ALL	Send to Paul to collate before Jan meeting
UBC/Byrne Creek gravel cleaner project	Send out report on UBC Engineering students project on Byrne Creek to build a riffle cleaner for artificial spawning habitat	Paul	ASAP

Action items from May 2014 meeting

ITEM	DETAILS	SPONSOR	ACTION/DUE
Setting up next RHQ meeting	Arrange date by email	Alice, Attendees	Done
Arrange for high-level rep from C&P to attend January SEHAB meeting (or 1st meeting in 2015)		Adam	Ongoing
Find alternate for North Side Fraser River, Burnaby to Mission		Paul	Underway
Find alternate for South side Fraser River to Abbotsford		Jim A	Done Ron Meadley
Find alternate for Haida Gwaii		Leandre	Asap Lynn?
Jim A and Zo Ann to suggest potential alternates to Paul		Jim A, Zo Ann	Done
As alternates are proposed, and letters and resumes are circulated, vote online		All	Ongoing
Lead on Southern Chinook	Ian to replace Zo Ann on this committee	Ian	Ongoing Get previous materials Get on contact list
Work on items to take to RHQ		Jack, Paul	Done
Present outcomes from this meeting to RHQ when date determined		Attendees	Done
Forward stories about lack of DFO presence on the ground to Jack		All	Ongoing
Forward examples to Jack of no EC presence, or poor presence, on water pollution events that EC is supposed to handle for DFO		All	Ongoing

 Action items from March 8-9, 2014 meeting

ITEM	DETAILS	SPONSOR	ACTION/DUE
write to province re steelhead licensing issue	Federal vs provincial	PAR committee
letter to province re curriculum changes in environmental education		Dianne S	Done
formulate response re Letter from Minister of Forests and Land re Cumulative Effects Framework		Wayne	???
Letters from SEHAB and responses to them to go on website		Paul	Ongoing
Complete steps to make Dianne the PSF alternate		Jim S	Done?
looking for new alternate with CA Maurice Coulter-Boisvert		Paul	Asap
Update your contact and CA info with Greig		All	Asap
Please check your bios on the website and send Paul anything you want refreshed or added. Several reps do not have bios on website.		All	Asap