I Date November 8 2009 – January 22, 2010

II Area Province wide

III Representative Zo Ann Morten

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

Stewards

A. Management (Fisheries Management)

With Marine Conservation Caucus signed on to request that Canada has a seat at the table in discussions on 200 mile fisheries limit.

B. Enforcement (Conservation and Protection)

Streamkeepers Federation met with department to be briefed on the Habitat Compliance Monitoring Program and to share the Streamkeepers protocols to see where how the two programs mesh to better monitor compensation projects. The Streamkeepers Federation will draw up a reporting protocol for review that will assist Department in knowing where works are underway in community that may be being done under the EPMP operating statements. Will assist in tracking accumulated impacts and opportunities for evaluating the operating statements. Pedestrian Bridge over Brothers Creek in West Vancouver good example of need to watch over these projects. As well Streamkeeper groups can read the operating statements and then compare the works done .to see how and when they are appropriate.

http://www-heb.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/decisionsupport/os/operational_statements_e.htm

C. Habitat - Freshwater (Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement)

Sewage

Streamkeepers across BC are working with their municipalities or planners to develop watershed plans as they have the local knowledge on habitat and wildlife. Work continues on the Wild Salmon Policy, worth keeping abreast of http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/species-especes/salmon-saumon/wsp-pss/news-nouvelles-eng.htm

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/CSAS/Csas/Publications/Pro-CR/2009/2009_038_E.pdf speaks to habitat indicators.

http://livingwatersmart.ca/ Living water Smaart program and opportunity for input:

but who knows its there and what does it mean to watershed health

Enbridge, called around to local groups, forward invites that PSkF receives to locals

The Red Chris Project outcome appears to shine the light on ways around the policy put in place to protect http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?disc=198175;article=5178;title=The%20Pacific%20Streamkeepers%20Federation

E. Salmon Enhancement (Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement)

I have talked to the newest members of the Community Advisors with Fisheries and Oceans, they are learning the local issues and working with the SEP community. I feel the department would benefit from a respond to the SEP evaluation. http://sehab.ca/accomplishments/60-issues-raised/106-references-to-community-involvement-program-performance.

F. Science, Canadian Hydrographic Service (Science and Research)

G. Stewardship & Community Involvement (Stewardship & Community)

Fall is a busy time of counting fish and collecting brood. Planning fro the upcoming year will take precedence now. Phone calls are again on the rise asking about our Streamkeepers VIP (volunteer insurance plan) http://www.pskf.ca/program/insurance.html we will be asking the underwriters and department about adding DFO as additional insured on all policies. The list of FAQ & A`s continue to grow and be of value to our membership. http://www.pskf.ca/program/insurancefaq.html

The Streamkeepers Federation message board at http://www.pskf.ca/message.html iswell populated with a variety of topics but remains focussed on issues of watershed health, sign up today.

Following on the success of Workshop 2009 we now turn to planning of 2011.

H. Consultations: Acts, Regulations, Policy, Program Development and

Implementation, Capacity, and Partnerships (Consultations)

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/consultation/cal/2010/index-eng.htm

Noticing the consultation calendar is biased towards fishing, would like to see more as to habitat and community awareness. Maybe it just needs to be more complete as no mention of SARA Consultations for Basking Shark, Misty Lake Sticklebacks, and West Slope Cutthroat Trout that took place in January.

Pinks on the Piers Program guideline review. Many thanks to Carol Cross for reviewing and responding to our comments and concerns on this program

Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Ecojustice and the Polis Project on Ecological Governance held a meeting on Dec. 2nd on reform of BC's Water Act. At that meeting we discussed priorities for better protection of water in BC, and reviewed a draft Statement of Expectations from BC NGOs on Reform of the BC Water Act. After the meeting, we received comments, and amended the document to reflect these comments and also what we heard at the meeting. It is now shorter and more forceful.

See the final version of Statement of Expectations and consider signing on to this Statement, and endorsing these recommendations to reform BC's Water Act.

We plan to send this document to the Minister of the Environment and other key people at the Ministry of the Environment at the end of next week, Dec. 18th. We hope this document will influence the government's agenda for BC Water Act reform, which is planned to proceed this winter and spring.

Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by December 17, 2009 if your group wants to be added as a signatory. We believe that the more groups that sign on, the better. There is strength in having the environmental community deliver a common message on this initiative.

Opportunity to comment on BC wide call to ban cosmetic pesticide use. (cosmetic is important word as some invasive species may only respond to appropriate pesticide application)

http://www.cancer.ca/British%20Columbia-Yukon/About%20us/Media%20centre/BC-Media%20releases/Canadian%20Cancer%20Society%20proposal%20to%20ban%20use%20of%20cosmetic%20pesticides%20in%20BC.aspx?sc_lang=en

I.Treaty & Aboriginal Programs (Treaty & Aboriginal Programs)

J. Safe and Accessible Waters (Canadian Coast Guard, Navigable

Waters, Small Craft Harbours)

http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?id=198175;article=5155;search_term=navigable Lake Ontario Waterkeepers have good easy to read write up

In the past non profits were given funding to take on departmental jobs – now this funding has been depleted and there is no one at DFO with the task in their job desctiption

Long time volunteers now in positions of influence

So many issues drain, opportunity for disagreement – focus focus

Groups are goping through the same issues as SEHAB – too many issues – running – see how some of the groups (all sizes) who succeed have done it and highlight their way of doing business

Community to know their watersheds and people to come