SEHAB Roundtable Report, February 2007
North Side of Fraser, Coquitlam Area
Dianne Ramage, Representative

1. Habitat: The number one concern of the stewards in our area remains habitat
degradation, still.
a. Water Quality 
Despite Riparian Area Regulations (RARs), EPMP and existing Fisheries Act habitat continues to be degraded or lost.  The Coquitlam River is once again nominated to the list of the ORC Most Endangered Rivers in BC where it has had a permanent place for the past 15 tears due to the unrelenting impacts from gravel mining that spew sediments into the river that exceed allowable limits in excess of 220 days per year, year after year.   The last efforts of DFO to bring action was stopped by DFO Justice when they indicted the impacts were a result of acts of god.  When companies continue to demonstrate complete disregard for the law and nothing is done about it: who is to blame- the enforcer for not enforcing the law or the operator that is doing what is being tolerated.   
The Community still wants to know how does the EPMP and the proposed Fisheries Act changes support the wild salmon policy?  Where is not net loss entrenched into the language for these two documents?  Why was the stewardship community not consulted on either of these critical developments in regulations and policy.  They were for the WSP.  How do the RARs signed off by DFO support the wild salmon policy and their Oceans and Habitat mandate? Where is the budget to fund the Wild Salmon Policy itself.
The Coquitlam River Proximately Gravel Mining Impacts Coalition (CRGMIC) is organizing another meeting : March 2007, One Year later, Update from MoE, DFO and MEMPR on what has changed in one year.  Community to give information and evidence support their claims that nothing has improved for the fish. DFO has been attending and supporting the Aggregate Task Force.    We are looking forward to the update on process and are eager to find out when it will make a difference on the ground. In the meantime the volunteer community continues to take photos, water samples and call the ORR line: 604 666-3500.
Our urban streams continue to be used as free stormwater conveyance systems. This practice is acknowledge by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada, Health Canada, the Province and our Municipalities as being a cause if degraded water quality and habitat for humans and fish/wildlife as Fishers
b. Water Quantity
Still, the relationship between low flows in our local streams and percent
impervious and effectively impervious areas in our watersheds, especially at the close of one of the driest summers on record is a concern as hardening of our watersheds increases and the groundwater recharge rates decline.  Development driven changes to hydrologic regimes in urbanized watersheds is insidiously destroying habitat, including water quality.  No way to seek funds from watershed land users to fund mitigation and treatment options.  Yet new development is still
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allowed to have catch basins and storm drain outfalls pour untreated flows directly to our local streams. 
c. Access
Is DFO demanding all new diking and raised dykes, to encroach on the developed
side and not the riparian side? Is DFO demanding unimpeded fish access and egress for both juveniles and adults and their prey?   As climate change and the hydrograph changes and many municipalities are upgrading their flood protection infrastructure is the extra footprint coming from the developed side of the dyke and not the riparian side as many dykes do not allow for natural stream meander function.  A new pump is being installed on Maple Creek we are requesting DFO to only approve pumps that are designed to be fish friendly to both adults and juveniles.  We shall all watch this as pilot of DFO WSP in action and shall report back to you.
2. Capacity a. Stewardship Resources: Stewards are talking about the need for watershed and
project coordination and the lack of core funding needed to take in the upcoming needed works, advocacy and education needed to slow the decline of habitat loss. This is a huge issue and getting bigger.
b. Government Resources: Stewards are concerned about the reduced resources within government to meet their own mandate and plus provide support to us stewards to assist the Department to do its job as we have felt we have done in the past.  We want to get together to talk about changes in policy and resources and the government’s ability to hold the line on habitat and watershed function loss. This is an even bigger issue and getting bigger.
c. ORR Line: DFO’s ORR line response is being reviewed.  Several people received calls from Staff regarding tier experience.  Will follow up when we hear what the outcomes and outputs are.  NOTE, last complaint call made was well received by a staffer previously perceived as rude. 
3. Good News
Our CAs Maurice and Mark continue to provide support and encouragement and to
reduce loss to the stewardship community through burnout from the overwhelming flood of information and communication and the pressing need to participate in meetings, consultations (if you even know about them), participate in processes at higher levels to change policy, educate decision makers, change public behaviours, develop multiyear habitat projects with increasing fear of liability and risk avoidance and limited funds.
 Fingerling Festival, Great Salmon Send Off, Tree Fest, Earth Day, Arbour Day, Environment Week, Oceans Week, Coquitlam River Watershed Clean Up, Save the Coquitlam River Protest and Celebrate Coquitlam River Festival are all scheduled for the next few months.
 Kwikwetlam First Nations is having an open house April 21, 2007
 Streamkeepers training, instream works completion, stormceptor installation in upper
Maple creek watershed, invasive plant removal and wildlife tree stewardship, gravel mining monitoring, development site monitoring are all keeping stewards very busy.