c/o 74-6700 Rumble St.
Burnaby, BC, V5E 4H7

March 10, 2016

Marty Muldoon
Assistant Deputy Minister
Chief Financial Officer
Head Evaluations
200 Kent St.
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E6

Dear Mr. Muldoon:

The Salmon Enhancement and Habitat Advisory Board (SEHAB) was surprised and dismayed when we were informed about the Evaluation of the Salmonid Enhancement Program 6B167 –– Final Report –– March 2015.

The portions of this report about SEHAB contain serious errors that in essence accuse us of not fulfilling our mandate. This could seriously damage the reputations of these volunteers who have given freely of their time for many years to support the department’s community programs in British Columbia.

The evaluation states:

The Salmon Enhancement and Habitat Advisory Board met between one to four times per year since 2010-11.  Some records of decisions were produced for some meetings. According to the document review, in 2008-09 and in 2009-10 there was no meeting minutes.  In 2010-11 minutes were provided for one meeting and from 2011-12 to 2013-14 meeting minutes were provided for all meetings.  As described in SEHAB’s Terms of Reference, SEHAB is required to provide an annual advisory report to the responsible Regional Director, Ecosystems Management Branch.17 The evaluation team was unable to consult six annual advisory reports as only one report was produced in 2013, and did not feature advice offered by SEHAB to SEP.

In fact, SEHAB has been meeting regularly three times a year, with DFO staff present at every meeting. Minutes are publicly available on the SEHAB website, and SEHAB has regularly met with and reported to senior DFO staff at Pacific Regional Headquarters following SEHAB meetings.

Our ratified minutes are regularly sent to our liaison in CIP. SEHAB has also been reporting to DFO for funding purposes, and funding has never been suspended or revoked, thereby indicating that SEHAB has, in fact, been fulfilling its mandate.

SEHAB requests that these errors in the SEP evaluation be corrected, or struck from the evaluation.

We perceive a shocking lack of support for SEHAB in this process. This has had an immense impact on volunteers acting in good faith with the Department and who represent thousands of dedicated British Columbian volunteers who support Fisheries and Oceans Canada programs.

Respectfully submitted,

Paul Cipywnyk, SEHAB Secretary

On behalf of

Jack Minard, SEHAB Chair

cc: Rebecca Reid, Regional Director General, Pacific Region