SEHAB Member:  Dianne Sanford

Area: Sunshine Coast

Community Advisor:  Grant McBain

Date: November 2015

Key Issues:

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

1.  Increasing concern over lack of planning (development plans)  and regulation in marine areas and along shorelines.  Natural and sensitive habitats seen by developers as “threats” to proposed development. 

2.  Questions still arising about how DFO comes to decisions and does assessments, especially with no staff.

3. Lack of enforcement (same old story)  Increased poaching, no monitoring.  People don’t bother to call in, feel there is no use in doing so. 

Stories:

A few examples of successes, failures, challenges.

Chapman Creek Hatchery was very happy to report that there was a Pink salmon fishery open in Chapman Creek for the first time ever this year.  Mid August to mid September.

Powell River Salmon Society had no comments.

Story about Eelgrass Restoration

Eelgrass restoration projects have been ongoing on the Sunshine Coast for several years, particularly in areas where old log sort and dump sites are adjacent to eelgrass, indicating that a continous bed has been impacted by the human activity. 

This summer the dive crew was approached by a person telling them to “cease and desist” as the area is a private water lease and the lease owner did not want eelgrass in “his lease area”.  The property manager was told by the lease holder that in Vancouver, developers have been prevented from proceeding with developments due to presence of eelgrass.

When asked if there could be a meeting with the lease owner, particularly to discuss the fact that eelgrass and development can co-exist, the response was no, the owner has a property manager because they do not want contact with local people. 

Eelgrass is perceived as a threat to development.