November 2009
SEHAB Roundtable Pacific Streamkeepers Federation
I Date November 8, 2009
II Area Province wide
III Representative Zo Ann Morten
IV Challenges/Issues and Opportunities/Successes of the Volunteer Aquatic
Stewards
A. Management (Fisheries Management)
Many were pleased at the response that department took to the low returns of sockeye as to closures of the fishery. Now to find out why the returns were so low in some areas. Streamkeepers Federation is a member of the Marine Conservation Caucus who has two seats at the IHMP table. Salmon committee is large part of MCC make up.
B. Enforcement (Conservation and Protection)
Streamkeepers Federation and SEHAB meeting 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.
Looking to include how department is monitoring the works being done under operating statements. Will send update to the full group who met on EPMP and post to web.
C. Habitat - Freshwater (Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement)
Streamkeepers continue to monitor change over time in their streams. Most have good working relationships with those who have authority and can report where habitat or animals are being compromised. Much of the damage is still due to authorized works so still in need of stronger protection policy. Working with three groups of UBC Civil Engineering students on storm water management and off channel watering to improvement water quality / quantity issues.
D. Habitat - Oceans, Estuaries and Marine (Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement)
As a voting member of the Community Salmon Program with the Salmon Foundation ZoAnn reads all the community proposals and sees a growing community with dedicated interest to the near shore ocean environment.
E. Salmon Enhancement (Oceans, Habitat and Enhancement)
CA’s are in more regular communication with scheduled conference calls and face to face meetings. This is important for all to share ideas and emerging concerns and especially for the new CA’s as they work with their community projects. CA’s will be working more on production planning with their SEProjects and this should be embraced by community who are striving to do the right thing by the salmon.
F. Science, Canadian Hydrographic Service (Science and Research)
G. Stewardship & Community Involvement (Stewardship & Community)
Groups are finding their niche and have long term memory of the streams and life within them. Some have struggled recently with finding consensus with all the issues that arise, petitions to sign, strong stand points. Our community commitment and long time eyes and ears on the streams will be of value to al as they work on protection policy or community awareness. Finding balance and the ability to continue with the task one loves to do while another does a different task is a work in progress with many groups.
Following on the success of Workshop 2009 we now turn to planning of 2011.
Attended the National Stewardship Conference in Calgary, BC has much to be proud of in our community monitoring, outreach and working relationships. http://www.stewardship2009.ca/default.cfm Horsefly Salmon festival was an exciting time of community outreach and getting a real feel for how people react to such loss of retuning sockeye. Strong showing of Rivers day events across BC, more and more getting involved from diverse backgrounds as more people see the inter-connectiveness of our lives with our waterways.
H. Consultations: Acts, Regulations, Policy, Program Development and
Implementation, Capacity, and Partnerships (Consultations)
http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/consultations/calendar/calendar09/calendar2009_e.htm
Pinks on the Piers Program guideline review. This working draft will be posted on the SEHAB website in early Dec. Many thanks to department for the briefing, for answering our questions and agreement to follow up. Working with Watershed Wealth Program, looking for ways to have long protection for our riparian areas and funding for restoration works. http://www.watershedwealth.com/
I.Treaty & Aboriginal Programs (Treaty & Aboriginal Programs)
J. Safe and Accessible Waters (Canadian Coast Guard, Navigable
Waters,Small Craft Harbours)
June 2007
Pacific Streamkeepers Federation (PSkF)
SEHAB Member - ZoAnn Morten
Salmon Enhancement and Habitat Advisory Board (SEHAB) – Communications Chair
Please see report to be posted at www.sehab.org
Stewardship Centre for BC (SCBC)
I have stepped down as co chair and am happy to have passed the reigns to a new enthusiastic board of directors. I have stayed active on two SCBC committees – Adult Education and Stewardship Works!
- Adult Ed will share some learning opportunities for online lessens and highlight topics, of interest, bringing the information to one webpage. Joanne Day and I will be presenting at the upcoming UBCM on storm drain awareness and protection.
- Stewardship Works! Is a program to address the identified core funding needs of stewardship groups. We have funding for program development as well as pilots for core funding. A meeting to discuss this new initiative was held May 23, we were encourage by the mix of participants 1/3 funders, 1/3 Gov’t and 1/3 community stewards. This is a very exciting opportunity!
Pacific Salmon Foundation (PSF)
The workload and programming at the PSF has increased greatly for their staff and for those on this active Board of Directors.
Community Salmon Programs (CSP):
I continue to be on the selection committee, with additional funds being generated, we have been able to more fully support the applications. We funded 75 projects for ~ $480,000
Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program (FSWP):
(will take on the Chair position next meeting) This is a very active committee with ongoing processes and policy. Oversees the strategic projects that support the FSWP Fraser Living Rivers Business Plan undertaken by the Fraser Assembly. Funded 30 projects for ~ $1.1 million
Fraser Basin Initiative (FBI):
On selection committee, we have one funding round session under our belt. Very quick turn around time with many applicants and limited finances. Funding themes are Governance, Education, Strategic Fishing and Water. 32 projects funded for ~ 1.2 million
PSF review Sub-Committee:
Will be responsible for the oversight of the programs and will present accepted projects to the BOD of PSF as they are accountable for funds and program objectives being met.
CSP- majority of applicants are volunteer community / provincial steelhead teams
FSWP – Majority of projects consultant driven
FBI – Majority of applicants are consultants or First Nations driven
Vancouver Dinner Volunteer
Best ever Vancouver Dinner with net proceeds totaling over $180,000 which is wonderful especially considering we were up against hockey playoffs.
PSF has reduced the number of full board meetings and increased the number of committees and increased the number of review and selection meetings.
Georgia Basin Living Rivers (GBLR):
On BOD, review of GBLR work plans for upcoming year. Recently went before the LR Advisory Group with an expanded business plan which was accepted.
Marine Conservation Council (MCC):
Met at end of March – reviewed status of committees
Citizen Science Network:
National group, meets via conference call
Keep up to date on programming for Citizen Science, get to share what worked / what didn’t with other mid sized ENGO’s
SEP Workshop 2007– Williams Lake
On organizing committee
Please see report to be posted at www.sehab.org
Environmental Process Modernization Plan (EPMP):
On organizing committee
Please see report to be posted at www.sehab.org
Wild Salmon Policy (WSP) Habitat Indicators:
Meeting taking place on June 26th, will report at next roundtable and will watch for questions we can take to community to help in the implementation of strategy 2 of WSP
Citizen Science Toolkit Building:
Conference in Ithaca New York June 20 – 24
On the “Building and Sustaining Citizen Science” committee and also on the conference panel to explore Impacts of Citizen Science. This will be an intense working conference and I will post links to the “white papers” that are produced during it.
PSkF Membership:
Renewal date is April 15th 2007
Change in the VIP insurance policy $100.00 minimum for $2,000,000.00 in coverage, this covers first 33 members then $3.00 for each additional member
$150.00 minimum for $5,000,000.00 in coverage, this covers first 30 members $5.00 for each additional member
A quick survey showed that groups understood the need to have a minimum payment, and were still very thankful that the policy is so complete and inexpensive.
New Streamkeepers Trainer
Gerry Nellestjin of Salmo is conducting his first Streamkeepers training session this month and has two more already lined up.
February 2007
SEHAB Round Table
Pacific Streamkeepers Federation February 17 2007
I truly missed being at the October SEHAB meeting and hearing news from across the Province from those who work with and within the SEP / Streamkeepers Community.
Update on boards that PSkF participates in:
Pacific Salmon Foundation:
PSF continue on the community salmon Programs review committee, PSF can plan ahead better now as there is additional stability to the funding through a change in the contribution agreement by DFO. The mount of funds produced by fishing license sales that make up a large portion of the CSP are now based on the previous year’s sales, this way we know from the beginning of the process what will be available to be distributed to community.
- Review of ____ # (30) of projects for October funding round with ____ $’s being granted to community. The spring funding round has just closed and I look forward to reviewing these to see the direction and interest of our active, vibrant stewardship community.
- Living Rivers a Gordon Campbell liberal initiative has provided new opportunity to work with PSF on policy / planning. I am a part of the Fraser Salmon and Watershed Program as a PSF board committee member, which is the final review before the full board approval for projects / program funding.
- At this time we need to do a more in-depth review of the projects then scheduled and this will continue until the full review process is confirmed and operating as laid out.
- Funds directed through CN to the Squamish River Watershed Recovery Plan. These go through a local review process then to our PSF board committee and then to the full PSF board.
- The PSF board of directors is accountable that funds going to community fulfill the mandate of PSF and funders.
Stewardship Centre for BC:
- Inaugural AGM for this new society took place October 16, 2007. The interim board was able to form the necessary governance requirements and paperwork to transfer for a government base organization to a partnership of government, aquatic / terrestrial stewardship community and industry. The society registered in March 2006, our interim steering committee created the governing documents, mission, vision, objectives etc. While continuing to support the foundation tools such as the stewardship series and initiating new program ideas such as Healthy People Healthy ecosystems. The number of candidate names that were suggested as potential board members is from the vast diversity of environmentally aware British Columbians, shows how alive stewardship is through the province and throughout government, industry and community.
- These new director candidates have agreed to form the new board for SCBC with alternates responding to the call as well.
- Attached is SCBC working groups and committees for 2006
Marine Conservation Caucus
- Fisheries Act, while I’ve been unable to attend the two meetings I have had the benefit of reviewing minutes and action items. This ties into CEN who is reviewing the Fisheries Act on a national level.
South Coast Steelhead C
- February meeting provided a forum for MLA Ralph Sultan to speak to the group as to his role in the Steelhead caucus – minutes from this meeting can be found at -----
Salmon Enhancement and Habitat Advisory Board
SEHAB – chair of communications.
- The upcoming EPMP workshop gave the board members a chance to again use their area group email listings to allow for the flow of information from the organizing team to community and back in a timely and efficient manner. Community was consulted as to how to prioritize the large number of issues on fisheries management that had been gathered, they brought forward top three issues to set the agenda for the EPMP workshop. (many of the other issues will fit under these and the others are recorded for future meetings)
- Prepared for Friday Night Forum, these have become a popular informative time with community.
- SEHAB website is where all the presentation on EPMP and resource materials has been put for community access
StreamTalk
- I have submitted several articles that will be in the upcoming February edition of StreamTalk. Additional information will also be available on our www.pskf.ca website. StreamTalk is a wonderful communications tool for the aquatic stewardship community.
Wild winter-
Lots if new LWD added to our streams, we’ll have some difficulties determining bankful (BF) channel for the next while as streams went beyond BF many times through the fall and early winter. Those doing spawner surveys this fall found themselves unable to get in safely and may need to rely on fry trapping info to give us a better understanding of adult returns. From conversations around the province, coho numbers were low this year
PSkF will be continuing “involving” community in their desire to understand the capacity of the habitat within their streams and the numbers of fish who currently enjoy there surroundings
October 2006
Pacific Streamkeepers Federation Round Table
for SEHAB Oct 15 2006
The past few months since our last meeting have been filled with a wide variety of activities.
Updates from associated boards that PSkF is a part of:
1. Pacific Salmon Foundation – PSF continues to serve the volunteer community with their CSP grants with today (Oct 15) being the closing date for this round. They continue to look for partnerships to add additional funds to this process. There has been a fair amount of growth within the PSF staff and mandate. I think it is time for SEHAB to get an update on the full scope of PSF’s new mandates and see how we can assist in direction.
2. Stewardship Centre for BC - Has formed a society. We were able to web cast the Valuing Nature conference plenary sessions and are looking to keep them on the web. Governance structure is in place for most activities and our AGM will be in Dec when we will switch from an interim board to our board who will take the new society forward.
3. Marine Conservation Caucus – letters to Minister on EPMP and committee works as to herring fishery since last SEHAB meeting.
4. Valuing Nature Conference – July, Corner Brook Newfoundland. Thank you SEHAB, DFO and PSF fro this opportunity. The conference is of organizations in the business of stewardship. There are many groups across Canada involved in a large variety of stewardship initiatives, I was proud to speak of BC’s programs and support network. We are well organized and have years of history in the protection and preservation of our streams and a long standing record of working with department. BC had a small contingency of people but were vocal at each session I attended and on the speakers list and posters displays.
Highlights since May are:
1. Ugly Bug Ball 11 - 120 community members came out to learn from on another and to spend some fun time together. PSkF, Bev Bowler, Joanne Day and DFO CA’s worked together to put on a fun day of appreciation. Greg Savard and Jeff Jung were among the DFO personnel onsite along with Tracy Cone and Don McKinley who came out as resource people. Education coordinators meeting Enderby. More governance structure and a great outing where we were able to take part in a variety o learning experiences that are being taught across BC. Fun and informative.
2. Miscellaneous
a. Opportunity to meet with a variety of Streamkeepers on Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland, Prince George (x’s 2).
b. Prince George Rivers Day event music festival had over 3000 participants. A circle of stewardship ringed the stage with fun facts about salmon and talks between each band. Busy day of sharing with community, I heard many comments that they didn’t expect to learn so much. Community events continue to be well attended with an informed public asking tough questions.
c. Am wiring from Ottawa where I just took part in an EPMP national consultation process with ENGO’s. I will post report on SEHAB page once it is written. There is still much to work on within strengthening DFO policy. It is vital that the Fisheries Act not be opened if the process doesn’t make it stronger.
Take care
Zo Ann
June 2005
Pacific Streamkeepers Federation Round Table for SEHAB June 4, 2005
Short Round Table as has been busy times.
Items from this week - Ideas for additions to web site:
- Environmental Assessment Rationale. Includes Municipal Environmental Planning Framework
- Risk based Regulations: DFO environmental Process Modernization Plan power point presentation by Sue Kirby from March 16, 2005
- Information to Medical Health officers in Canada regarding potential impacts on fish and fish habitat while controlling mosquito-borne West Nile Virus
- Published Best Practises InfraGuide Innovations and Best Practices - may tie into the Modernization / Prioritization plans for DFO
Newspaper article from the New York Times - Weak Salmon Run Shuts the Northwest’s Fisheries
Upcoming Conference: Better Biological Monitoring conference hosted by the Adopt A Stream Foundation
Reminder to check out the PSkF message board on our web site. Many interesting items / events / newsletters on this site
Newest PFRCC Report Perspectives on Salmon Enhancement and Hatcheries: What the Council Heard
Thank you letter to Minister and those who were at the meeting of the Stewards of the Lower Fraser