National Post article by Terry Glavin Get your hands off my salmon(Sep.03.10 8:42 pm)
The National Post article by Terry Glavin Get your hands off my salmon discusses the celebrations and conflicts resulting from the record breaking Fraser sockeye returns, as well as the myth of overspawning.
Watershed Watch quoted in Georgia Straight article Critics claim wild fish at risk from farm stock(Sep.02.10 5:53 pm)
Watershed Watch Fisheries Biologist, Stan Proboszcz, states that although there are many factors to consider, “it’s pretty tough to eliminate farms” from the equation of declining numbers of wild salmon in the Georgia Straight article Critics claim wild fish at risk from farm stock.
Vancouver Sun article Duh! Killing more fish isn't the way to get more fish(Sep.01.10 10:22 pm)
Stephen Hume's article in the Vancouver Sun Duh! Killing more fish isn't the way to get more fish discusses the myth of over-spawning and reminds everyone of the 2004 Pacific Salmon Resource Conservation Council study Does Over-Escapement Cause Salmon Stock Collapse? This study concluded that "...there is no evidence for anything like a 'collapse' or 'near-collapse' of production following runs with very large numbers of spawners."
Watershed Watch media release BC conservationists urge government to continue prudent management of banner sockeye salmon return(Sep.01.10 3:19 pm)
Watershed Watch Ecologist, Aaron Hill, discusses sockeye in CFAX radio interview(Aug.31.10 3:11 pm)
Watershed Watch Ecologist, Aaron Hill, discusses the need for continued conservation of Fraser River sockeye salmon in an August 30, 2010 CFAX radio interview (mp3 file). Although this run is the highest in nearly a century, there has been a significant downward trend of Fraser sockeye returns over the past decade.
Vancouver Sun article Unfounded fears of too many sockeye threaten future returns(Aug.30.10 4:35 pm)
Vancouver Sun columnist Stephen Hume reminds everyone of the need for caution during this record return of sockeye salmon in the Vancouver Sun article Unfounded fears of too many sockeye threaten future returns. Hume discusses the lack of scientific evidence of overspawning and the fact that this "record" run is pale in comparison to historic returns.
FIS article BC aquaculture sector gets USD 608,000(Aug.24.10 5:33 pm)
The FIS article BC aquaculture sector gets USD 608,000 discusses a recent announcement from Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea for a fund worth CAD 637,678 (USD 607,857) for the innovation and sustainability of BC's aquaculture industry.
Watershed Watch comments on water temperature and level issues(Aug.23.10 6:19 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, discusses the effect of even minor temperature increases to Fraser River salmon in the Abbotsford News article A challenged river. Similarly, Watershed Watch Ecologist, Aaron Hill, warns of the impact low water levels could have in the Bulkley, Skeena and Nass systems in the Houston News article Low water levels in the Bulkley, Skeena and Nass.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Sockeye salmon stocks in Fraser River report massive rebound(Aug.17.10 4:54 pm)
Watershed Watch Fisheries Biologist, Stan Proboszcz, highlights the fact that the high number of returning Fraser sockeye is a result of a strong year in the four-year cycle of the Adams River run in the Vancouver Sun article Sockeye salmon stocks in Fraser River report massive rebound.
Additional media coverage on salmon farmers not making disease data public(Aug.11.10 8:03 pm)
For more information, see the Ecojustice and T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation media release.
Media coverage of Watershed Watch's comments on Fraser sockeye fishery opening(Aug.06.10 5:39 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, comments on the opening of a commercial fishery on Fraser sockeye in the following articles. Watershed Watch is concerned that the opening is premature and without more firm in-season data overfishing may occur.
T. Buck Suzuki Foundation and Ecojustice media release BC salmon farms evade government monitoring(Aug.04.10 7:34 pm)
Ecojustice and T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation issued the media release BC salmon farms evade government monitoring announcing a complete failure of the provincial Ministry of Agriculture and Lands' voluntary compliance strategy since as of April 1, 2010, salmon farms have refused to volunteer or make available tissue samples for government fish health and sea lice monitoring audits. See the full media release for more information.
CAAR media release Draft global salmon farming standards out for comment(Aug.04.10 6:42 pm)
The Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform issued the media release Draft global salmon farming standards out for comment announcing a 60-day public comment period for the first draft of global standards intended to measure and identify environmentally and socially responsible salmon farming.
Watershed Watch is a founding member of the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform.
Watershed Watch and SkeenaWild issue media release Conservation groups warn consumers to avoid
eco-certified Fraser River sockeye salmon(Jul.30.10 10:07 pm)
Watershed Watch Salmon Society and SkeenaWild Conservation Trust have issued the media release Conservation groups warn consumers to avoid eco-certified Fraser River sockeye salmon in response to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) granting sustainability certification to the Fraser River commercial sockeye fishery despite last year’s sockeye population collapse and an ongoing federal judicial inquiry into management of the fishery.
For more information, see the media coverage below:
Watershed Watch letter to the editor Not too 'beaming' in the Courier Islander(Jul.28.10 4:16 pm)
Watershed Watch's Craig Orr and Stan Proboszcz submitted the letter Not too 'beaming' in response to the July 23 letter Everyone needs to be heard. The Watershed Watch letter highlights Alexandra Morton's substantial scientific contributions and also presents numerous reasons for Mr. Olney re-examine his belief that salmon farming poses no threat to wild salmon.
Times Colonist article Farmed salmon fail organic test(Jul.27.10 6:27 pm)
Chris Genovali from the Raincoast Conservation Foundation submitted the letter Farmed salmon fail organic test to the Times Colonist in response to the July 15 article Farmed BC salmon could carry organic label under federal plan. Genovali highlights the use of the drug Slice to treat sea lice on salmon farms as a reason for farmed salmon to not be certified organic.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article DFO plans new rules to police salmon farming(Jul.13.10 5:09 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, comments on DFO's plans to manage the salmon farming industry in the Vancouver Sun article DFO plans new rules to police salmon farming.
Watershed Watch joins other groups to issue media release Contentious BC salmon fishery set to receive eco-certification(Jul.13.10 12:06 am)
Watershed Watch, the David Suzuki Foundation and SkeenaWild have issued the media release Contentious BC salmon fishery set to receive eco-certification. A backgrounder on the issue is also included in the above link. Conservationist objections to the MSC eco-certification of the Fraser sockeye fishery, one of the most endangered fisheries on Canada’s west coast, were dismissed Monday, clearing the way for Fraser River sockeye salmon to be branded as “sustainable” seafood.
See the following articles for more coverage of this issue:
Scientists respond to accusations that salmon farming research is "fishy"(Jun.24.10 5:46 pm)
Scientists are responding to a recent article in the Financial Post claiming that salmon farming research is "fishy". Two articles titled Fish Science, one by Brian Riddell and Alexandra Morton and the other by Mark Lewis and Martin Krkosek highlight the misleading statements made by Terrance Corcoran in the original article This science is fishy.
Watershed Watch Executive Director's article in the Georgia Straight Crisis is perfect time to invest in future of Fraser River sockeye salmon(Jun.17.10 11:10 pm)
Craig Orr's testimony to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans featured on radio show Deconstructing Dinner(Jun.15.10 11:20 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr's, testimony to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans in May 2010 is featured on the Kootenay Co-op Radio program Deconstructing Dinner. For the full show and to hear all the speakers, including Alexandra Morton and Larry Dill, go to Farmed Salmon Arrive in Ottawa (Norway, British Columbia VII) broadcast on June 10, 2010.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Squamish project sent back for review(Jun.14.10 10:13 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, agrees with the decision of the BC Ministry of Environment to deny the application for an environmental assessment certificate for the Garibaldi at Squamish development in the Vancouver Sun article Squamish project sent back for review.
Watershed Watch Executive Director's letter to the editor of the Alberni Valley Times Well done mayor, let's welcome fish farms(Jun.08.10 6:21 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, congratulates Mayor Ken McRae and Port Alberni for promoting closed containment salmon farming in his letter to the Editor of the Alberni Valley Times Well done mayor, let's welcome fish farms. For more information, see the original article Fish farm welcomed, Alberni Valley Times, June 2, 2010.
Watershed Watch quoted in Globe and Mail article Protecting weak stocks may be key to salmon recovery(Jun.03.10 5:33 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, agrees with the findings of a recent study from the University of Washington that emphasizes the need to manage for diversity in order to restore wild salmon. For more of Orr's comments and details on the study in Bristol Bay, Alaska, see the Globe and Mail article Protecting weak stocks may be key to salmon recovery.
Globe and Mail article Diversity in stocks may be the key to salmon recovery(Jun.02.10 11:02 pm)
The Globe and Mail article Diversity in stocks may be the key to salmon recovery discusses a new paper in Nature by Schindler et. al. that reports that successful salmon restoration likely depends on ensuring that there is a wide diversity of salmon stocks. For more information on this 'portfolio effect' and for details on the study see the study summary website and the full paper.
Watershed Watch's Stan Proboszcz's letter to the editor of the Courier Islander on salmon farming(May.26.10 10:00 pm)
Watershed Watch biologist Stan Proboszcz's letter to the editor of the Courier Islander Beyond reason discusses the need for, and the logic behind, a transition to closed containment salmon farming.
Burnaby Now article Fraser ranks third on endangered rivers list(May.26.10 9:53 pm)
The Outdoor Recreation Council of British Columbia has ranked the Fraser River third on its list of endangered rivers. The article in the Burnaby Now Fraser ranks third on endangered rivers list discusses how the Fraser has been on the list for 17 of the 18 years that the list has been compiled and has moved up one spot from last year.
Vancouver Sun article How fish can tell us what we are doing wrong(May.19.10 7:43 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article How fish can tell us what we are doing wrong discusses how fish can tell us about environmental stressors and how this topic is being discussed this week at the 2010 Ecological and Evolutionary Ethology of Fishes symposium, hosted by SFU. Watershed Watch Salmon Society is a co-sponsor of this important symposium.
Vancouver Sun article Salmon is a true symbol of our province(May.19.10 7:39 pm)
Former lieutenant-governor of British Columbia, Iona Campagnolo, discusses the importance of salmon to BC in the Vancouver Sun article Salmon is a true symbol of our province.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Pollution worries halt Sechelt power project(May.17.10 5:58 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, highlights the need for better planning, assessment and oversight of renewable energy development in BC in the Vancouver Sun article Pollution worries halt Sechelt power project.
Watershed Watch quoted in Times Colonist article Fish farms and activists find way to work together(May.12.10 10:56 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, comments on collaborative research in the Broughton Archipelago and the need for a tranisition to closed containment in the article Fish farms and activists find way to work together.
Alexandra Morton's Get Out Migration culminates in BC's largest ever environmental demonstration!(May.10.10 6:00 pm)
British Columbians clearly showed how much they value wild salmon as they turned out in force for Alexandra Morton's Salmon Are Sacred Get Out Migration. The migration of people arrived on the lawn of the BC Legislature on Sunday creatng BC's largest ever environmental demonstration. The following media stories report 1,000 people, but numerous people that attended the event have said that this is a major understatement and report that the numbers were between 4,000 and 5,000 people. For more information on salmon farming, sea lice and the effects on wild salmon see Watershed Watch's Sea Lice and Aquaculture pages. For more information on the Get Out Migration see the Salmon Are Sacred website.
Cohen Commission appoints six eminent fisheries experts to Scientific Advisory Panel(Apr.27.10 11:23 pm)
A recent media release provides details on the six eminent fisheries experts appointed to the Cohen Commission Scientific Advisory Panel. The experts include Dr. Carl Walters, Dr. Brian Riddelll, Dr. Paul LeBlond, Dr. John Reynolds, Dr. Patricia Gallaugher, and Dr. Thomas Quinn. See the link above for more information.
New video and media for the Get Out Migration(Apr.16.10 9:47 pm)
The Get Out Migration is being organized by Salmon are Sacred is a call to action to make government aware that British Columbians want wild salmon to take higher priority than farm salmon.
The new video Everyone Loves Wild Salmon, Don't They? provides an overview of the key issues surrounding salmon farming and why people are "getting out" in support of wild salmon.
For more information on the Get Out Migration see:
Salmon are Sacred website for the full, up to date itinerary of activities and to sign the petition
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Great Bear rainforest threatened by power project, say critics(Apr.12.10 5:37 pm)
Watershed Watch Senior Advisor, Vicky Husband, comments on the threats posed by a power project planned for the upper Klinaklini River that would extend almost six kilometres into a nature conservancy in the Great Bear Rainforest in the Vancouver Sun article Great Bear rainforest threatened by power project, say critics.
Watershed Watch quoted in Globe and Mail article BC Hydro approves 4 power projects(Apr.01.10 7:45 pm)
Watershed Watch Senior Advisor, Vicky Husband, expresses her shock that Klinaklini run of river project is still being considered by BC Hydro in the Globe and Mail article BC Hydro approves 4 power projects.
Vancouver Sun article The Taku is an opportunity to conserve wild salmon(Apr.01.10 7:36 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article The Taku is an opportunity to conserve wild salmon discusses how the Taku River presents an opportunity to conserve an important ecosystem for salmon. But, this can only happen if precautionary management is implemented and the needs of salmon are kept at the forefront in decision making.
Media release CAAR applauds Strathcona Regional District's denial of zoning for Grieg Seafood Gunner Point open net-cage salmon farm(Mar.24.10 9:37 pm)
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article BC Hydro award gives green company a lift(Mar.15.10 8:54 pm)
Watershed Watch Ecologist, Aaron Hill, renewed a call for a coherent and responsive process for reviewing all new power projects in the Vancouver Sun article BC Hydro award gives green company a lift.
Courier-Islander article Groups call for emergency corridor for wild salmon smolts, closure of three fish farms(Mar.11.10 12:06 am)
The Courier-Islander article Groups call for emergency corridor for wild salmon smolts, closure of three fish farms discusses a group of environmental, recreation and tourism organizations who are calling on Ottawa to shut down three fish farms to create an emergency corridor for out-migrating wild salmon smolts. Watershed Watch Salmon Society is one of the signatories on the letter.
Vancouver Sun article Forecast not looking good for BC's salmon stocks this year(Mar.10.10 2:30 am)
Vancouver Sun article Ministry must release sea lice records, commissioner rules(Mar.03.10 8:04 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article Ministry must release sea lice records, commissioner rules discusses a recent ruling by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner that states that the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands can no longer conceal records of sea lice infestations at coastal salmon farms.
Watershed Watch among signatories of letter discussed in Globe and Mail article Federal government urged to protect B.C. wild salmon(Mar.03.10 7:04 pm)
Watershed Watch joined with nine other environmental groups urging Fisheries and Oceans Canada to implement emergency measures to protect wild salmon from the negative impacts of salmon farms. For more information see the Globe and Mail article Federal government urged to protect B.C. wild salmon as well as the letter sent to DFO.
You can help by sending your own letters to Minister Shea and your Member of Parliament to get your concerns on record.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Non-sustainable fish pulled from Loblaw's shelves(Mar.02.10 10:26 pm)
Wild Salmon advocates stand up for wild salmon and protest Norwegian owned salmon farms(Feb.24.10 12:08 am)
Two new videos highlight efforts of wild salmon advocates to bring attention to the threat Norwegian owned salmon farms bring to BC wild salmon.
The first video Canadians Score one for Wild Salmon at Olympic Hockey Game shows a group of salmon, bears, and colourfully-dressed humans taking to the streets outside the recent Canada-Norway hockey game to draw attention to the severe environmental problems of the Norwegian salmon farming industry.
The second video Wild Salmon Advocates Take Letter to Norwegian Consulate shows wild salmon advocates paying a visit to the Norwegian consulate, in hopes of delivering a letter signed by leading scientists, conservationists, and First Nations to the Norwegian government and King.
New film Farmed Salmon Exposed by the Pure Salmon Campaign(Feb.16.10 4:42 pm)
The launch of the film coincides with the Pure Salmon Campaign's on the ground activities at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, BC highlighting the environmental problems of Norwegian salmon farming operations in British Columbia. To find out more about these activities, visit: http://www.puresalmon.org/olympics2010.html.
Watershed Watch joins with other conservation groups to issue media release Conservationists Launch Official Objection to Eco-certification of Troubled Canadian Salmon Fisheries(Feb.10.10 11:40 pm)
Watershed Watch quoted in the Atlantic article "Sustainable" Fish: A Sham?(Feb.09.10 7:26 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, comments on plans by the Marine Stewardship Council to certify Fraser River sockeye in the Atlantic article "Sustainable" Fish: A Sham?. Orr explains that Watershed Watch is supportive of MSC certification in general but is firmly opposed to plans to certify Fraser sockeye.
Times Colonist article Activists, salmon farmers work together: Groups co-operate on pilot project using closed containment system(Feb.05.10 12:17 am)
Norway's King to focus on Games, not interest groups after letter from the Pure Salmon campaign(Feb.03.10 8:01 pm)
The CTV article Norway's King to focus on Games, not interest groups discusses a recent letter sent by the Pure Salmon Campaign and signed by more than 170 people to King Harald V. The letter expressed concern over Norwegian salmon farms operating in BC and asked for salmon farms to be moved out of waters used by wild salmon.
Media coverage of Watershed Watch's opposition to MSC certification of BC sockeye(Jan.20.10 7:36 pm)
Several environmental groups, including Watershed Watch, the David Suzuki Foundation, Skeena Wild Conservation Trust and the Headwaters Initiative, are strongly opposed to plans by the Marine Stewardship Council to certify BC sockeye. For more information see the media links below or see the media advisory for individuals from these organizations who can provide further comments.
Scientific American article Sea Change: Environmental Group Gives First-Time Nod to Sustainable Salmon-Farming Method(Jan.14.10 7:49 pm)
The Scientific American article Sea Change: Environmental Group Gives First-Time Nod to Sustainable Salmon-Farming Method details how Monteray Bay Aquarium has assigned a green "Best Choice" rating on Seafood Watch's Web site to an aquaculture company that has devised a new, sustainable process that raises Pacific coho salmon in freshwater. This is the first time a salmon aquaculture company has received such a rating.
Totem Flyfishers award Vancouver Sun columnist Stephen Hume with 2009 Haig-Brown Trophy(Jan.11.10 9:20 pm)
The Totem Flyfishers, BC’s oldest flyfishing club, released a media release announcing Vancouver Sun senior columnist Stephen Hume as the club’s recipient of the 2009 Haig-Brown Trophy. For more details, see the Vancouver Sun article Sun columnist Stephen Hume honoured for reporting.
Craig Orr's Georgia Straight article A call to action on BC sockeye salmon(Jan.04.10 6:08 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr's article A call to action on BC sockeye salmon calls for immediate action to protect and conserve BC's sockeye salmon. Orr discusses a statement made by scientists at a recent think tank that calls for the "need to increase Canadian research and action on the marine coastal environment and on climate impacts". He also highlights the need for more realistic expectations of the accuracy of forecasts given that 70% of DFO forecasts have overestimated run sizes in the past 10 years.
Media coverage of Watershed Watch and other ENGO's media release on clean electricity(Dec.18.09 8:38 pm)
Campbell River Mirror article Change to closed fish farms, ‘snakes’ tell feds(Dec.17.09 11:45 pm)
The Campbell River Mirror article Change to closed fish farms, ‘snakes’ tell feds discusses the demand for salmon farms to transition to closed containment systems and clear messages that are being sent to the federal government.
ENGO media release Environmental Groups Recommend New Approaches to Clean Electricity in BC(Dec.17.09 9:19 am)
Province article Acidification threatens the world's fish species(Dec.15.09 7:31 pm)
The Province article Acidification threatens the world's fish species discusses the threat that climate change, and the associated acidification of the ocean, poses to BC salmon and other fish.
Media on Scientists' Think Tank on Fraser Sockeye(Dec.11.09 12:03 am)
New York Times article Catch of the Freezer(Dec.09.09 3:16 am)
The New York Times op-ed Catch of the Freezer compares the sustainability of fresh vs. frozen salmon. Research indicates that fresh salmon may have twice the environmental impact that frozen salmon does.
CAAR responds to article with letter to the editor: No influence from U.S. funders, claims aquaculture reform group(Dec.01.09 7:40 pm)
For more information on CAAR, see the website www.farmedanddangerous.org. Watershed Watch is a founding member of CAAR.
Winnipeg Free Press article Fisheries dead wrong--again(Dec.01.09 7:16 pm)
The Winnipeg Free Press article Fisheries dead wrong--again discusses some of the reasons behind salmon declines. The article focuses on problems surrounding the management of salmon fisheries.
The Seafood Source article BC farmed salmon suit moves forward reports that the Kwicksutaineuk and Ah-Kwa-Mish First Nation (KAFN) are applauding the British Columbia Supreme Court’s decision on Friday to dismiss a series of motions brought by the provincial government in a case involving salmon farms.
Intrafish article Norway minister calls crisis meeting on lice(Nov.25.09 6:33 pm)
The Intrafish article Norway minister calls crisis meeting on lice reports on concerns that current sea lice management techniques are no longer working effectively in Norway. The development of resistance to chemical treatments (such as Slice) is always a concern and the fact that these treatments are no longer working as effectively in Norway suggests that a new way of farming salmon needs to be developed for Canada as well.
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources media release Green Energy Advisory Task Force Members Named(Nov.20.09 10:43 pm)
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources have announced the names of the committee members of the Green Energy Advisory Taks Force. See the full media release for details.
Watershed Watch quoted in Focus magazine article Fishing for answers(Nov.20.09 9:08 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Focus magazine article Fishing for answers. The article discusses Fraser sockeye and problems associated with Fisheries and Oceans Canada's management of BC's salmon.
Courier-Islander article Fish, Salmon Farms and Empty Oceans(Nov.16.09 8:33 pm)
The Courier-Islander article Fish, Salmon Farms and Empty Oceans discusses the wide range of challenges facing BC's wild salmon. It also raises the question why Fisheries and Oceans Canada continues to endorse open net salmon farming in the face of evidence that shows negative impacts on wild salmon.
Global News video that reports on progress being made with contained fish farming(Nov.13.09 8:06 pm)
The Global BC News Hour story Contained Fish Farming discusses progress being made in efforts to develop closed containment fish farming and move away from open net farms.
For more information on issues surrounding open net pen salmon farming see Watershed Watch's Aquaculture page and the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform's website www.farmedanddangerous.org.
Vancouver Sun article BC to continue gravel removal, despite salmon deaths(Nov.13.09 7:11 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article BC to continue gravel removal, despite salmon deaths discusses plans to revome gravel from the Fraser River despite a report that links the gravel removal to the deaths of 2.25 million pink salmon.
Watershed Watch is quoted in the Province article Inquiry to fry biggest fish as it takes stock of sockeye decline; DFO faces intense scrutiny over farms, conflict of interest(Nov.09.09 10:10 pm)
Office of the Prime Minister media release Prime Minister Stephen Harper Announces Inquiry into Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River(Nov.06.09 7:54 pm)
Media summary on farmed salmon escape in the Broughton Archipelago(Oct.26.09 7:43 pm)
40,000 farmed Atlantic salmon escaped from Marine Harvest's Port Elizabeth salmon farm in the Broughton Archipelago on October 21, 2009. The following media stories provide more details on the escape.
Over 700 citizens, sporting colourful salmon costumes and placards, gathered to listen to a list of powerful speakers - including biologists Alexandra Morton and Dr. Larry Dill, First Nations leaders like Bob Chamberlin and Hereditary Chief Robert Joseph, and representatives from the commercial fishing and wilderness tourism industries. They also came to join the citizen movement to save BC's wild salmon from open net salmon farms and other environmental impacts. Hundreds signed up for the Wild Salmon Circle's new email action list, which will be used to promote future events and actions for the public. The rally was covered by major media, including CBC, CTV, Global, and CKNW. Here are some media highlights from the event. The CKNW interview is a must-listen. Stay tuned for more actions led by the Wild Salmon Circle!
These responses suggest that people agree that more facts are needed, but are not confident that BC's salmon farming industry is as sustainable as it claims to be.
DFO releases update on Wild Salmon Policy implementation(Sep.25.09 12:01 am)
DFO has released its latest quarterly update on Wild Salmon Policy (WSP) implementation. If you would like DFO to highlight work that you, or others, are undertaking in regards to WSP in this newsletter, please contact them by e-mailing: wsp@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
Times Colonist article Retired fisheries expert slams minister(Sep.17.09 3:59 pm)
The Times Colonist article Retired fisheries expert slams minister details a recent letter by Gordon Hartman and Casey McAllister to federal Fisheries Minister Shea accusing the minister and DFO of doing a poor job of protecting wild salmon while supporting the aquaculture industry.
Media overview of meeting with Fisheries Minister Shea on Friday, September 11, 2009(Sep.14.09 8:14 pm)
Federal Fisheries Minister Shea visited Vancouver on Friday, September 11, 2009 for a closed meeting to discuss the situation with salmon in BC. The following articles provide an overview of this meeting:
Watershed Watch letter to the editor of the Vancouver Sun Who's looking after sockeye?(Sep.10.09 4:43 pm)
Watershed Watch's Craig Orr and Vicky Husband question what happened to this year's sockeye run and ask who dropped the ball in their letter to the editor of the Vancouver Sun Who's looking after sockeye?.
Watershed Watch Executive Director's letter to the editor of the Courier-Islander Salmon farms need to be removed(Sep.04.09 11:16 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr's, letter to the editor of the Courier-Islander Salmon farms need to be removed discusses how Fisheries and Oceans Canada has been too quick in downplaying the possible role of salmon farms in the decline of Fraser sockeye.
Haida Nation takes stand against oil transport through their territory in the QCI Observer article Haida Nation says no way to oil tanker traffic(Sep.04.09 3:57 pm)
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Various factors may be combining to hit Fraser River sockeye(Aug.31.09 10:09 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, comments on Fraser sockeye declines, salmon farms and the lack of scientific studies at the federal level in the Vancouver Sun article Various factors may be combining to hit Fraser River sockeye.
Letters to the editor respond to the issue of Fraser sockeye and the potential link to open net salmon farming(Aug.31.09 9:12 pm)
The following letters to the editor respond to recent articles and comments from the salmon farming industry regarding the potential link between declines in Fraser sockeye and open net salmon farming.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Toxic contamination will linger at Island salmon farm site, government finds(Aug.26.09 4:34 pm)
Watershed Watch Fisheries Biologist, Stan Proboszcz is quoted in the Vancouver Sun article Toxic contamination will linger at Island salmon farm site, government finds. The article discusses a new provincial government report that found that the seabed in the vicinity of a Kyuquot Sound salmon farm retained contaminants from the farm for many years. Much longer than previously thought.
Vancouver Sun article Where have all the salmon gone?(Aug.25.09 5:03 pm)
Stephen Hume discusses millions of missing salmon in British Columbia in the Vancouver Sun article Where have all the salmon gone?.
Watershed Watch quoted in Salmon Arm Observer article Fishing for answers(Aug.20.09 7:02 pm)
Watershed Watch Fisheries Biologist, Stan Proboszcz, is quoted in the Salmon Arm Observer article Fishing for answers commenting on the millions of missing sockeye salmon.
More comments from Watershed Watch on missing Fraser sockeye salmon(Aug.15.09 6:28 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, and Fisheries Biologist, Stan Proboszcz, continue to field questions from the media and provide comments on the disastrously low returns of Fraser sockeye salmon in the following articles:
Watershed Watch quoted in BC Local News article
Fraser sockeye not 'sustainable', groups say(Aug.06.09 4:57 pm)
Watershed Watch Ecologist, Aaron Hill, is quoted in the BC Local News article Fraser sockeye not 'sustainable', groups say discussing how Fraser and Skeena sockeye should not be listed as sustainable by the MSC.
Watershed Watch quoted in Nanaimo Daily News article Upstream fight for salmon(Aug.06.09 4:53 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Nanaimo Daily News article Upstream fight for salmon discussing how temperature stress may be an important factor low sockeye returns.
Watershed Watch letter to the editor of the Nanaimo News Bulletin Fish farms magnify sea lice problem(Jul.31.09 5:03 pm)
Watershed Watch quoted in Province article Sea-lice levels bring hope to fish farms(Jul.23.09 4:56 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, comments on preliminary results from the Broughton Archipelago Coordinated Area Management Plan in the Province article Sea-lice levels bring hope to fish farms.
CAAR and MHC media release Research Indicates Lower Levels of Sea Lice in 2009 in Broughton Archipelago(Jul.22.09 10:37 pm)
Times Colonist article Evidence of fish farm risks to salmon mounts(Jul.13.09 7:23 pm)
The Times Colonist article Evidence of fish farm risks to salmon mounts discusses the extensive amount of evidence that suggests that open net cage salmon farming is harmful to wild salmon stocks.
Help stop the proposal for a new farm in Georgia Strait(Jul.03.09 6:49 pm)
Recently, Strathcona Regional District approved a large new salmon farm. This is the first approval stage for a new Grieg farm that will now go through the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands approval process. If approved, the farm will be situated at Gunner Point, a wild salmon migration bottle neck in Georgia Strait. For more information about helping to stop this farm approval, go to the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform website.
PFRCC announces pilot project on Salmon Stronghold habitat conservation(Jun.25.09 6:40 pm)
The Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council (PFRCC) released a media release to announce that it would sponsor a pilot project to begin implementing the Salmon Stronghold approach to salmon habitat conservation in Canada. This pilot project was announced at a news conference where the Council released a report titled “Applying the Salmon Stronghold Concept in Canada.”
Watershed Watch quoted in Province article Critics seek closure of five BC salmon farms(Jun.18.09 5:20 pm)
Province article Run-of-river project blasted(Jun.17.09 9:23 pm)
The Province article Run-of-river project blasted announces that over 1,800 pages of complaints have been lodged by BC Ministry of Environment against the Upper Harrison Lake run-of-river project.
Sicamous Eagle Valley News article Old Town project panned(Jun.17.09 7:35 pm)
Local First Nations and environmentalists applaud the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for taking legal action against the developers of a Shuswap beachfront resort in the Sicamous Eagle Valley News article Old Town project panned.
UVIC sets a new course for water governance in BC(Jun.12.09 6:44 pm)
A media release from the University of Victoria's POLIS Water Sustainability Project announces the release of a detailed policy paper exploring the options and opportunities for water reform in the province. Setting a New Course in British Columbia was developed to assist the British Columbia government with its commitment to address water governance and modernize the 100-year-old Water Act that can no longer deal with existing and emerging water issues in the province. For more information see the POLIS Water Sustainability Project website.
Watershed Watch Executive Director discusses run-of-river hydropower in BC Business article Power Struggle(Jun.08.09 10:55 pm)
Watershed Watch and Shuswap Environmental Action Society media release Massive Shuswap Lake Development Faces Fisheries Charges(Jun.02.09 11:44 pm)
The Watershed Watch Salmon Society and Shuswap Environmental Action Society announce in their media release Massive Shuswap Lake Development Faces Fisheries Charges that they applaud the DFO and the federal government for taking action to charge a developer for damaging the environment in the case of a massive 220 acre residential resort development on Shuswap Lake.
Media release Observations on closed containment fish farm in Norway(Jun.02.09 5:28 pm)
Latest news from the Pure Salmon Coalition visit to Norway for the Cermaq and Marine Harvest annual general meetings(May.28.09 5:51 pm)
A coalition from the Pure Salmon Campaign recently visited Norway to attend the AGMs of Cermaq and Marine Harvest, as well as to meet with members of Parliament, labor union leaders, salmon farmers, scientists, financial analysts, Chilean and Canadian embassy officials, shareholders, boards of directors, river owners and fishermen.
See the Pure Salmon website for links to the latest media and images from this trip.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Sedan Creek power project likely to be shelved(May.19.09 6:39 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Vancouver Sun article Sedan Creek power project likely to be shelved discussing concerns over the approval process for independent power projects in BC.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Independent power producers relieved with Liberals' win(May.14.09 5:35 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Vancouver Sun article Independent power producers relieved with Liberals' win commenting on the "need for full and informed dialogue on the impacts of private river diversions on the environment and our social values."
Watershed Watch quoted in Tyee article Libs' River Power Push: Dangers, but Little Data(May.12.09 4:12 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, quoted in Tyee article Libs' River Power Push: Dangers, but Little Data commenting on how there is very little information on the impacts of run-of-river hydropower development.
News coverage from May 6, 2009 press conference Our rivers, wild salmon and the public interest(May.07.09 4:33 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, moderated a panel of five leading conservationists and environmental scientists discussing provincial government policies that threaten BC's watersheds. The panel included Mark Angelo, Dr. Elaine Golds, Dr. Bill Rees, Alexandra Morton and Vicky Husband. See the media below for more information.
Times Colonist article by Vicky Husband Does a carbon tax make the Liberals green?(May.07.09 3:49 am)
Vicky Husband's Times Colonist article Does a carbon tax make the Liberals green? discusses a number of steps that the provincial government must take to be truly green and help protect BC's environment.
Terrace Standard letter to editor Dry up run of river gold rush(May.06.09 7:05 pm)
Watershed Watch Ecologist, Aaron Hill's letter to the editor of the Terrace Standard Dry up run of river gold rush responds to an earlier letter entitled Run of river power will help BC (Apr. 21). Hill provides an overview of how run of river power projects pose a serious threat to BC's rivers.
Watershed Watch hosting press conference Our rivers, wild salmon and the public interest(May.05.09 7:24 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, will moderate a panel of prominent citizens on Our rivers, wild salmon and the public interest on May 6, 2009. Mark Angelo, Dr. Elaine Golds, Dr. Bill Rees, Alexandra Morton and Vicky Husband will be speaking on the severe threats to BC's rivers, fish, wildlife and ecology. See below for more information.
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Our Rivers, Wild Salmon and the Public Interest
Prominent Citizens Panel
Press Conference, SFU Harbour Centre, May 6, 10:00 AM, Room 2945
Five of Canada's most respected conservationists and scientists are lining up against severe threats to British Columbia’s rivers, fish, wildlife and ecology. All have long, distinguished track records of research and advocacy to protect BC's outstanding natural environment. Our public watersheds and wild salmon face serious challenges due to present government policies regarding private river power projects and salmon farming.
"When you see five people of this calibre gathered together to raise the alarm, you have to pay attention," said Dr. Craig Orr of Watershed Watch, the event's moderator.
The distinguished Canadians will each speak for five minutes about specific aspects of their concerns, then take questions from the media.
Mark Angelo, Chair of Rivers Institute at BCIT, Order of Canada, and founder, World Rivers Day
Dr. Elaine Golds, Biochemist
Dr. Bill Rees, UBC professor, Royal Society of Canada
Alexandra Morton, Biologist and wild salmon conservationist
Vicky Husband, Conservationist, Order of Canada
Moderator: Dr. Craig Orr, Executive Director, Watershed Watch Salmon Society; 604-809-2799 for more information.
Media resources including video and photos will be available at the press conference
New video by Calling from the Coast(May.01.09 4:28 pm)
The Tyee article Tapping Our Wild Rivers Can't Fix Climate Change by Michael M'Gonigle discusses how run-of-river hydropower development will not stop climate change, but will do significant damage to BC's rivers.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Energy issues split parties, public in election(Apr.20.09 3:39 pm)
For more information on run-of-river hydropower, see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Terrace Standard article Environmental groups at odds over river power(Apr.17.09 6:24 pm)
Watershed Watch and North West Watch discuss how run-of-river hydropower projects are not being sufficiently evaluated for environmental impacts in the Terrace Standard article Environmental groups at odds over river power. For more information see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Watershed Watch Executive Director's Georgia Straight op-ed What is your government doing for wild salmon?(Apr.07.09 10:15 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, discusses various decisions made by both federal and provincial governments that have affected BC's salmon in the Georgia Straight op-ed article What is your government doing for wild salmon?.
Hundreds gather in Nanaimo to protest large run-of-river hydro(Apr.06.09 6:09 pm)
A rally at Vancouver Island Conference Centre in Nanaimo on Saturday protested large run-of-river hydro in BC.
For more information see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Green Muze article Run-of-River Hydro(Mar.31.09 11:09 pm)
The Green Muze article Run-of-River Hydro discusses the environmental impact posed by run-of-river hydropower.
For more information see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Save Our Rivers Launches New Must-See Videos on Bute Inlet Private Power Mega-Proposal!(Mar.31.09 10:52 pm)
Save Our Rivers Society is proud to present a new documentary by Damien Gillis, Rivers at Risk: Bute Inlet, featuring interviews with local citizens fighting to protect their treasured watershed - one of the world's top eco-tourism and sport fishing destinations - footage from recent highly-charged public meetings about the proposed mega-project, and high-definition aerial footage of this natural wonder on BC's Sunshine Coast.
Save Our Rivers Society urges all British Columbians to watch this video and forward along - as it not only documents the proposal by General Electric and Plutonic Power for the biggest private hydro power project in Canadian history, with massive, irreparable environmental damage for this delicate ecosystem - but also is a summary of the whole Campbell private river power program and its many threats to our environment, economy, democracy, and, ultimately, sovereignty.
Watch the video in full or in three short chapters - plus 3 min google earth fly-over video:
To interview filmmaker Damien Gillis or Official Spokesperson Rafe Mair about this film or the proposed Bute mega-project, contact Damien Gillis at 604.780.2544
Nanaimo News Bulletin article River preservation advocates gathering in Nanaimo(Mar.29.09 11:39 pm)
The Nanaimo News Bulletin article River preservation advocates gathering in Nanaimo discusses how the BC Creek Protection Society is holding a public meeting Tuesday March 31, 2009 to discuss the rapid growth of proposed hydroelectric projects and their environmental and social impacts. For more information see www.bc-creeks.org. Representatives from Watershed Watch Salmon Society will be attending.
CAAR media release Fraser River sockeye may be at risk of sea lice infection from salmon farms(Mar.23.09 4:26 pm)
The Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform announced today that genetic analyses have confirmed the predominance of Fraser River populations in samples of juvenile sockeye salmon caught near salmon farms in northern Georgia Strait indicating that Fraser sockeye may be at risk of sea lice infection from salmon farms. Fraser sockeye populations include the world famous Adams River and highly threatened Cultus Lake salmon.
Vancouver Sun article Water smart? We won't be if the promises aren't acted on(Mar.17.09 3:44 pm)
Environmental lawyer Linda Nowlan, Randy Christensen from Ecojustice, Oliver Brandes from Project on Ecological Governance, and Craig Orr of Watershed Watch wrote the special to the Sun article Water smart? We won't be if the promises aren't acted on urging the province to commit to water sustainability and asking all BC's political parties to answer a series of questions before the provincial election.
Watershed Watch staff quoted in Williams Lake Tribune Sea lice can affect Cariboo sockeye stocks: biologist(Mar.04.09 11:52 pm)
Fish biologist, Stan Proboszcz recently visited Williams Lake to talk about potential risks Fraser River sockeye may be facing due to preliminary results which indicate juveniles have been infected with sea lice in Georgia Strait. A summary of the situation can be found in the Williams Lake Tribune sea lice article.
PFRCC releases report Responsible Fishing In Canada’s Pacific Region Salmon Fisheries(Feb.20.09 5:23 pm)
Watershed Watch letter in the Times Colonist IPP rush destroying watersheds(Feb.12.09 12:41 am)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr's, letter to the editor of the Times Colonist IPP rush destroying watersheds discusses how many run-of-river hydropower projects are anything but "green" or sustainable. The letter was written in response to the Feb. 8 opinion piece Independent power projects: Dispelling the myths. For more information, see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Vancouver Sun article BC loses salmon farm jurisdiction(Feb.10.09 9:56 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article BC loses salmon farm jurisdiction announces that "The BC Supreme Court ruled Monday the federal government -- not the province -- has exclusive jurisdiction over the management of salmon farming, a landmark decision hailed as a victory for the future of wild stocks."
CAAR media release Environmental groups commend salmon forum's acknowledgement of fish farm problems, demand government action on key recommendations(Feb.05.09 8:16 pm)
Vancouver Sun article First Nations sue over salmon(Feb.05.09 6:00 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article First Nations sue over salmon details a class action lawsuit filed by First Nations in the Broughton Archipelago against the BC government that cites damage caused by aquaculture to wild fish stocks.
Times Colonist article BC Liberals selling out our energy future(Jan.29.09 6:33 pm)
The Times Colonist article BC Liberals selling out our energy future discusses the current rush of applications for renewable energy projects. However, not all of these projects are truly "green" and they can have high environmental costs.
BC Local News article Public meeting on power proposal confirmed for city(Jan.23.09 10:23 pm)
The BC Local News article Public meeting on power proposal confirmed for city discusses how the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has announced that it is seeking public comments on Plutonic Power's proposed Bute Inlet Hydroelectric project east of Campbell River.
Public information meeting: Quinsam Centre, 2005 Eagle Dr., Campbell River, Feb. 2, 2009 from 4-8 pm
Courier-Islander letter to the editor The run of river runaround(Jan.09.09 7:14 pm)
Vancouver Sun article BC Hydro slows green energy development(Jan.08.09 5:16 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article BC Hydro slows green energy development discusses BC Hydro's decision to reduce the amount of sought in its recent call for green energy by 40%.
Tri-City News article More water should be good news for fish(Jan.02.09 6:33 pm)
The Tri-City News article More water should be good news for fish discusses how a new water use agreement for the Coquitlam River means more water for salmon, especially during peak spawning times. BC Hydro will monitor aquatic life and fish populations for the next nine years to determine whether or not increased water is in fact helpful for salmon.
BC Citizens for Green Power examined in Tyee article Who's Behind 'BC Citizens For Green Energy'? (Dec.31.08 7:56 pm)
An article by Christopher Pollen reveals the background on key members of the group "BC Citizens for Green Power". The organization surfaced in spring of 2008 around the time hydro power issues first reached provincial media outlets.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Size of Plutonic project raises alarms(Dec.08.08 4:56 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, quoted in Vancouver Sun article Size of Plutonic project raises alarms discussing concerns over a proposal that is 100 times larger than the current average run-of-river hydro project.
For more information on run-of-river hydropower see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Controversial power project ventures into salmon habitat(Dec.02.08 6:54 pm)
For more information on run-of-river hydropower see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
BC Business magazine article Blowing in the Wind(Dec.01.08 7:56 pm)
The BC Business magazine article Blowing in the Wind by Christopher Pollon discusses and alternative energy project near the Queen Charlotte Islands. The NaiKun Offshore Wind Energy Project, in planning since 2001, may have start construction of the first 320-megawatt phase in 2012.
Times Colonist article Too many delays on fish farm rules(Nov.27.08 5:31 pm)
The Times Colonist article Too many delays on fish farm rules discusses concerns over plans to expand salmon farm production before policy for the future of the industry is clearly set.
CAAR announces that salmon farm companies are seeking massive expansion(Nov.20.08 6:01 pm)
The Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform has learned that fish farm companies are seeking approval to roughly double current licensed production on several farms in critical wild salmon migration routes such as the Broughton Archipelago and the northern Georgia Strait. For more information see:
Watershed Watch quoted in Tyee article Do Salmon Hatcheries Work?(Nov.13.08 7:06 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, quoted in the Tyee article Do Salmon Hatcheries Work? discussing the role of salmon hatcheries and whether or not they are effective.
Vancouver Sun article Pink salmon in sharp decline near Broughton fish farms(Oct.31.08 4:36 pm)
Watershed Watch quoted in Terrace Standard article Opposition grows to river hydro projects(Oct.17.08 7:13 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, and ecologist, Aaron Hill, discuss issues surrounding run-of-river hydropower in the Terrace Standard article Opposition grows to river hydro projects.
Vancouver Sun article All the fish in the sea(Oct.14.08 5:08 pm)
In the Vancouver Sun article All the fish in the sea Terry Glavin discusses the issue of overfishing and some recent books that cover the issue and offer some suggestions.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Eco-battle emerging over fish and multibillion-dollar resort(Oct.10.08 8:26 pm)
Watershed Watch quoted in articles on the IUCN report on sockeye salmon(Oct.08.08 10:47 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, responded to the recent IUCN report on sockeye salmon in the Vancouver Sun, 24 Hours and the Province. For more information see the articles below:
David Suzuki Foundation and Watershed Watch media release BC sockeye added to red list of threatened species(Oct.06.08 4:47 pm)
The media release BC sockeye added to red list of threatened species discusses how the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed Pacific sockeye salmon on its Red List of Threatened Species, indicating that certain sockeye subpopulations are at serious risk of extinction. The IUCN report on which the listings are based show recent precipitous declines in sockeye salmon, especially in B.C., and underscore the need for stronger conservation measures, according to the David Suzuki Foundation and the Watershed Watch Salmon Society.
Vancouver Sun article SFU energy economist blasts IPP critics(Oct.02.08 6:10 pm)
In the Vancouver Sun article SFU energy economist blasts IPP critics Simon Fraser University energy economist Mark Jaccard discusses significant gaps he found when examining critiques of the emerging independent power sector in BC.
History comes to life for Kwikwetlem First Nation(Oct.01.08 11:16 pm)
The Kwikwetlem First Nation is celebrating the first returning sockeye salmon as well as the start of construction of the first war canoes for the Nation. Both of these are happening for the first time in over 100 years. For more information see the Tri-City News articles 15 salmon & counting and Carving history from two big logs.
Times Colonist article A fresh approach to saving salmon(Sep.29.08 9:07 pm)
The Times Colonist article A fresh approach to saving salmon discusses recent problems with salmon fisheries management and some potential solutions.
Salmon farm opponents in court to challenge Province's right to regulate salmon farms(Sep.29.08 8:56 pm)
Marine biologist Alexandra Morton is in BC Supreme Court to challenge of the provincial government's constitutional right to regulate and approve fish farm locations. For more information see the following articles:
Watershed Watch media release New Online Animation Vividly Illustrates Sea Lice Threat from Salmon Farms(Sep.21.08 5:14 am)
Nearly 20 international organizations help circulate the new Watershed Watch sea lice animation Wild Salmon in Trouble. The film was produced to increase public understanding of salmon ecology and interactions with sea lice on wild and farmed salmon. Watershed Watch staff, Stan Proboszcz and Trish Hall produced the film with Markus Radtke (animation), Earle Peache (soundtrack) and David Montie (technical advisor) and with support from the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform and the Patrick Hodgson Family Foundation. A special thanks goes to Don Staniford for help with distribution. Read more about it in the media release New Online Animation Vividly Illustrates Sea Lice Threat from Salmon Farms.
Vancouver Sun article Fraser River sockeye returns lowest in 50 years(Sep.09.08 6:56 pm)
Watershed Watch Chair quoted in Canada.com article B.C. anglers catch a fish this big(Sep.02.08 10:40 pm)
Watershed Watch Chair, Mary-Sue Atkinson, is quoted in the article B.C. anglers catch a fish this big. A huge 318 kg sturgeon was caught near Chilliwack, BC on August 27, 2008. Atkinson is also a Director of the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society.
False Creek Watershed Society media release Last Hope for Salmon(Sep.02.08 5:40 pm)
The False Creek Watershed Society media release Last Hope for Salmon discusses how an upcoming City Council vote will seal the fate for a proposed restored salmon stream. The City Council vote will take place on September 16 at 7:30 at Vancouver City Hall. If the East Fraser Lands Waterfront proposal is passed in its present form, this will end any chances of salmon returning where they historically lived.
Lake Cowichan Gazette article Environment Minister asked to declare diesel spill an emergency(Aug.20.08 4:48 pm)
Watershed Watch Salmon Society and the Haig-Brown Fly Fishing Association have joined with the University of Victoria's Environmental Law Centre to call for Environment Minister Barry Penner to declare a diesel spill into Oliver Creek an environmental emergency. For more information see the Lake Cowichan Gazette article Environment Minister asked to declare diesel spill an emergency.
Sea lice infection dynamics explained visually by the Wilderness Tourism Association(Aug.06.08 11:12 pm)
The Wilderness Tourism Association has produced a concise diagram illustrating the route of louse transfer from farmed to wild salmon. It highlights the fact that although sea lice are naturally present in the ocean, lice from farms are an unnatural source for wild fish and carry serious consequences for wild salmon.
Watershed Watch quoted in Canadian Press article Environmentalists renew calls for opposition to development in Clayoquot Sound(Aug.05.08 8:43 pm)
Coquitlam NOW article Sockeye return to Coquitlam Lake(Jul.21.08 9:19 pm)
The Coquitlam NOW article Sockeye return to Coquitlam Lake discusses sockeye returning to Coquitlam Lake for the first time in more than a century.
Watershed Watch media release announces that history is made as the first sockeye in 100 years returns to Coquitlam Lake!(Jul.18.08 10:37 pm)
The Kwikwetlem First Nation along with Fisheries and Oceans Canada staff transported a returning 3.5 kg sockeye back over the dam to Coquitlam Lake. Read more in our press release.
Environmental News Service article Ontario protects vast Boreal Forest to fight climate change(Jul.16.08 5:28 pm)
The article Ontario protects vast Boreal Forest to fight climate change discusses the recent announcement by Premier Dalton McGuinty that half of Ontario's northern boreal forests will be protected from resource development so they can continue to fight climate change.
Watershed Watch Executive Director responds to letter on sea lice in the Vancouver Sun(Jul.15.08 12:47 am)
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Sea lice jump from prey to predator(Jul.07.08 4:20 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Vancouver Sun article Sea lice jump from prey to predator. The article discusses a recent study by Simon Fraser University doctoral candidate Brendan Connors and researchers from the University of Alberta. Watershed Watch is a co-sponsor of this research.
Georgia Strait Alliance media release Farmed fish escapes preventable: closed containment needed now(Jul.04.08 5:00 pm)
Times Colonist article Water and the new business-as-usual in BC(Jun.16.08 6:55 pm)
Times Colonist article Water and the new business-as-usual in BC warns that the provinicial government's new Living Water Smart initiative is only a first step and there is much work yet to be done.
Tyee article Behind the 'Green' Screen(Jun.16.08 6:52 pm)
In The Tyee article Behind the 'Green' Screen Rafe Mair discusses run-of-river hydro in British Columbia.
The Chilliwack Progress article Auditor asked to check gravel claims discusses a recent petition to federal auditor-general asking to look into government flood-proofing claims to justify its approval of gravel mining in the Fraser River following the approval by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to remove up to 400,000 cubic metres of Fraser River gravel at Spring Bar near Seabird Island.
Watershed Watch media release Watershed Watch Salmon Society supports bold recommendations of the Skeena Independent Science Review Panel, urges government to act(Jun.10.08 8:54 pm)
24 Hours article Planning can save the ocean from disaster(Jun.10.08 3:24 pm)
The 24 Hours article Planning can save the ocean from disaster discusses the need for Canada to catch up with countries like Australia in the area of marine planning. Comprehensive planning between government and industries is required. Canada currently protects only 0.5% of its oceans.
Vancouver Sun article The silent collapse of coastal waters rings alarm bells(May.27.08 12:54 am)
IPS article Lousy Salmon Causes an Upset(May.26.08 11:13 pm)
The Inter Press Service News Agency article Lousy Salmon Causes and Upset discusses the delegation of Canadian tourism and environmental organizations, and representatives from Canadian First Nations and Chilean Mapuche-Huilliche indigenous populations that visited Oslo to bring attention to the issue of sea lice from Norwegian-run salmon farms killing wild salmon in Canada and Chile.
SFU media release Report urges major changes in salmon management(May.16.08 6:07 pm)
CAAR media release New report says we can have our fish and eat it too: Global Assessment of Closed System Aquaculture Released Today(May.16.08 5:39 pm)
Vancouver Sun article Salmon crisis threatens ecology and culture(May.13.08 12:59 am)
The Vancouver Sun article Salmon crisis threatens ecology and culture describes how the current low returns of salmon along the West Coast threaten the coastal ecosystem and our very culture.
B.C. fish farm opponents plan to petition court to put an end to salmon farms(May.07.08 9:08 pm)
The following articles describe how biologist Alexandra Morton, the Wilderness Tourism Association, the Southern Gillnetters Association, the Fishing Vessel Owners' Association of B.C. and the Pacific Coast Wild Salmon Society are petitioning to have the province's right to regulate salmon farms ruled constitutionally invalid.
Watershed Watch's Georgia Straight opinion editorial Green hydro please, hold the greenwashing(Apr.28.08 4:47 pm)
Watershed Watch's Georgia Straight opinion editorial Green hydro please, hold the greenwashing discusses the BC government's push for "new" hydropower and the dramatic public concern that has been expressed at recent meetings on plans for an independent power on the Upper Pitt River.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Fraser sockeye fishery threatened(Apr.14.08 4:50 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Vancouver Sun article Fraser sockeye fishery threatened. Commercial and recreational fisheries for Fraser sockeye may be closed for the second year in a row due to low projected numbers.
Watershed Watch media release Terrace Resident Jim Culp receives Haig-Brown Award for Half century of Fighting for Fish(Apr.07.08 10:25 pm)
Watershed Watch media release announces that the Totem Flyfishers of B.C. have honored, Jim Culp, one of B.C.’s longest-serving and most-respected fish advocates with the prestigious Roderick Haig-Brown Conservation Award.
Georgia Straight article Kwikwetlem First Nation "extremely happy" park power line rejected (Mar.31.08 4:37 pm)
The Georgia Straight article Kwikwetlem First Nation “extremely happy” park power line rejected discusses the reaction of the Kwikwetlem First Nation to news that the plan to pass transmission lines from a proposed hydro project in the Upper Pitt River through Pinecone-Burke Provincial Park has been rejected.
BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands announces Finfish aquaculture suspended in the North Coast area(Mar.27.08 7:12 pm)
BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands announces Finfish aquaculture suspended in the North Coast area. The Province will not be issuing any licences or tenures north of Aristazbal Island while it examines new management options in cooperation with First Nations.
BC Ministry of Environment rejects plan for transmission lines to run through Pinecone-Burke provincial park(Mar.27.08 12:30 am)
BC Ministry of Environment media release Proposal for transmission lines in park rejected announces that Minister of Environment Barry Penner has rejected a plan for transmission lines to run through Pinecone-Burke provincial park. This plan was part of a larger application from Northwest Cascade Power Limited to develop a series of run-of-river hydro projects in the Upper Pitt River.
Vancouver Sun article Upper Pitt named B.C.'s most endangered river(Mar.25.08 6:54 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article Upper Pitt named B.C.'s most endangered river discusses the Outdoor Recreation Council's decision to list the Upper Pitt River as BC's most endangered river due to fish and wildlife at risk from a proposed industrial-scale power project.
Update from Alexandra Morton on the plan to medevac juvenile salmon in the Broughton Archipelago(Mar.19.08 10:44 pm)
Alexandra Morton provides an update on plans to medevac juvenile salmon past salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago.
The Spokesman Review article Scientists think weather changes left salmon starving discusses how weather pattern changes that affected the bottom of the foodchain in 2005 are likely the cause of the widespread collapse of West Coast coho and Chinook salmon.
Wilderness tourism operators in the Broughton Archipelago are concerned about salmon farm derived sea lice and their effects on wild salmon. The Wilderness Tourism Association considers potential threats to wild salmon numbers as threats to BC's tourism industry. Read more here .
Public outcry over proposed power project in Upper Pitt River(Mar.07.08 10:54 pm)
Anger continues to grow over a proposed independent power project in the Upper Pitt river that includes run-of-river facilities on eight tributaries of the river and a transmission line through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. A recent public meeting was shut down by the fire marshall an hour early because so many people attended. Recent media on the issue includes:
Watershed Watch media release Minister’s call for more chemicals to combat sea lice defies logic, science, and the public interest(Mar.06.08 2:18 am)
BC's Minister of Agriculture and Lands has announced that Slice (a chemical used to control sea lice on salmon farms) will be the sole protective measure implemented this year to protect juvenile salmon migrating past farms. This announcement flies in the face of a recent Environment Canada report acknowledging the unknown chemical fate of this substance in the marine environment and a recent study from Scotland documenting its decreased effectiveness as a chemical control. Read the media release here .
Media release Opposition Building Against Proposed Power Line in BC Park(Feb.29.08 6:41 pm)
The media release Opposition Building Against Proposed Power Line in BC Park discusses a public meeting held in Pitt Meadows to determine if a power line will be allowed through Pinecone Burke Provincial Park. The open house meeting will also invite public comment on whether seven private hydro projects should go ahead in the adjacent Upper Pitt River Watershed, one of the most important wild salmon sanctuaries in the province.
Alexandra Morton's letter to the Premier calls for immediate action to protect juvenile salmon that have arrived in the Broughton Archipelago(Feb.29.08 6:35 pm)
In a February 28, 2008 letter to Premier Gordon Campbell, Alexandra Morton announces that juvenile pink and chum salmon have now started to leave their home rivers and enter the Broughton Archipelago. Morton is calling for immediate government action to protect these juvenile salmon from sea lice from the area's salmon farms. In the meantime, she is awaiting permits to ferry some of these juvenile fish past the farms in the hopes of allowing some of the fish to continue to the open ocean lice free. For more information on this plan see www.adopt-a-fry.org.
For more information on salmon farming and sea lice, see Watershed Watch's Aquaculture page.
Canadian Press article First Nations chief frustrated at government inaction on sea lice on B.C. coast(Feb.21.08 5:53 pm)
The article First Nations chief frustrated at government inaction on sea lice on B.C. coast discusses concern that within weeks juvenile wild salmon will begin to head to the ocean, past fish farms infected with lice. Chief Bob Chamberline wants the government to order fish farms in the area temporarily inactive for the migration, and half a dozen fish farms on the central coast closed for good.
CAAR media release Budget Creates Bad Climate for Wild Salmon(Feb.21.08 1:17 am)
For more information on run-of-river hydro power, see Watershed Watch's recent reports on our Green Power page.
Simon Fraser University tool promises to reduce fisheries tug-of-war(Feb.16.08 5:05 pm)
A Simon Fraser University professor’s use of digital maps and mathematical analysis to evaluate vulnerable marine habitats could help decision-makers better wrestle with the complex trade-offs between lucrative fishing and biodiversity conservation. See the full media release for more details.
Vancouver Sun article Planned resort raises concerns over endangered river system(Feb.12.08 9:52 pm)
First Global Study Finds Fish Farms Detrimental to Wild Salmon Populations(Feb.12.08 5:55 pm)
A new study funded by the Lenfest Ocean Program and published in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS Biology found that wild salmon populations generally decline in rivers where fish farms exist. The study found that in rivers where juveniles passed by fish farms during migration, the number of wild salmon surviving and returning to spawn decreased by 50 percent or greater, on average, when compared to similar rivers with no fish farms.
See the links below for the full paper, a summary of the research and recent media on the paper:
PSF acknowledges that recent Science study shows link between sea lice and pink salmon declines in Broughton Archipelago(Feb.08.08 11:09 pm)
The BC Pacific Salmon Forum has issued media release after meeting with the authors of the recent peer-reviewed Science article Declining Wild Salmon Populations in Relation to Parasites from Farm Salmon. The PSF acknowledges that the study shows a link between sea lice and pink salmon declines in the Broughton Archipelago and that the prediction of extinction will depend on future management plans.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Sockeye back in Coquitlam River after a century(Feb.05.08 6:10 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article Sockeye back in Coquitlam River after a century discusses how sockeye salmon that have returned to the Coquitlam River for the first time in nearly a century will be allowed to spawn in Coquitlam Lake. The Kwikwetlem First Nation, whose name means "red fish up the river", has been working to restore this run of sockeye salmon. Watershed Watch is an environmental advisor to the Kwikwetlem First Nation.
New Scientist article Corruption is devouring the world's fish stocks(Jan.31.08 9:02 pm)
Corruption is eating into the bones of the fishing industry, say fisheries experts, who are in Washington DC this week to discuss the issue with the World Bank and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
They say that fishing rules are increasingly being disregarded, as catches across the world shrink. The number of pirate boats flying flags of convenience from landlocked nations has boomed; fish are falsely labelled sustainable; inspectors are increasingly harassed or bribed; shrimp farms employ child labour; and a fifth of all catches worldwide are illegal.
This has led scientists to underestimate the pressure on stocks, so they recommend quotas that are too high. Even these may not be observed by authorities. "Fisheries managers should be held accountable when ignoring scientific advice," says Andrew Hurd of the IUCN.
Endangered species - Learn more about the conservation battle in our comprehensive special report
New video Save the Upper Pitt now available(Jan.30.08 12:51 am)
A video has been created outlining the dangers of private power projects to the unique and spectacular Upper Pitt River water system. The video is a collaboration of COPE 378, the Alouette River Management Society, the Burke Mountain Naturalists and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee. The video is available in Windows Media Player or Quicktime versions and briefly describes how the BC Energy plan created the private power ‘gold rush’ and details how the Upper Pitt would be negatively impacted by such a project.
For more information on private power and run-of-river projects, see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Vancouver Sun article First Nations ponder suits as alarm over sea lice spreads(Jan.29.08 1:11 am)
The Vancouver Sun article First Nations ponder suits as alarm over sea lice spreads discusses how Chief Darren Blaney of the Xwemalhkwu First Nation is urging fellow chiefs to start thinking about class action suits directed at governments constitutionally required to protect wild fish for First Nations.
Vancouver Sun article The sea lice are spreading. Is the government noticing?(Jan.23.08 10:03 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article The sea lice are spreading. Is the government noticing? discusses new research that indicates that the sea lice problem extends beyond the Broughton Archipelago to juvenile pink, chum and sockeye, as well as larval herring in the Discovery Islands.
The Tyee article Ministry Fish Farm Biologists Won't be Penned(Jan.17.08 4:34 pm)
The Tyee article Ministry Fish Farm Biologists Won't be Penned discusses how the provincial government has required many of its biologists to register as members of the College of Applied Biology, but not the ones in the Agriculture and Lands Ministry who work on aquaculture and oversee the province's contentious salmon farming industry.
Chilliwack Times article Rock solid resolve discusses plans to remove gravel from Fraser River(Jan.17.08 4:25 pm)
Chilliwack Times article Rock solid resolve discusses plans to remove up to 400,000 cubic meters of gravel from the Fraser River at the Spring Bar near Seabird Island Indian Reserve. This bar is nearly half the size of Stanley Park. Opponents of the plan say that this gravel removal will do little to prevent flooding but will significantly affect salmon that require gravel for spawning.
Canadian Press article Critics scoff at compliance report on B.C. salmon farm operations(Jan.09.08 11:23 pm)
The Canadian Press article Critics scoff at compliance report on B.C. salmon farm operations discusses two reports released by the BC provincial government that state that the salmon farming industry was in almost perfect compliance with provincial standards in 2006. Critics state that this fails to address the central issue--problems caused by the interaction between farmed salmon and wild fish.
Vancouver Sun article Salmon forum loses credibility as it mires itself in wrangling(Jan.07.08 6:11 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article Salmon forum loses credibility as it mires itself in wrangling discusses how the forum is wrangling with scientists whose conclusions about sea lice appear to differ from its own. Scientists include Martin Krkosek, Alexandra Morton and Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr.
Monday Magazine interview with Alexandra Morton Upstream battle for BC salmon(Jan.03.08 8:14 pm)
Monday Magazine interview with Alexandra Morton Upstream battle for BC salmon discusses salmon, sea lice and the recent peer reviewed study published in Science.
New study says 99 percent of pink salmon populations in the Broughton will be gone if sea lice infestations continue(Dec.13.07 5:57 pm)
A group of researchers including Alex Morton, analyzed government data from periods before and after the appearance of salmon farming in the Broughton Archipelago, BC. They report that pink salmon populations in this area are on the verge of extirpation due to amplified sea lice infestations from salmon farms. Martin Krkosek, the study's primary author has received past support from Watershed Watch and continues to publish extensively in the worlds top scientific journals on the negative implications of farm derived sea lice. The abstract and full text for the paper Declining Wild Salmon Populations in Relation to Parasites from Farm Salmon is available on Science magazine's website.
Watershed Watch quote in Vancouver Sun article Critics query sustainability of sockeye runs up for eco-approval(Dec.13.07 4:59 pm)
The Vancouver Sun article Critics query sustainability of sockeye runs up for eco-approval discusses the recent submission made by Watershed Watch and the David Suzuki Foundation to the Marine Stewardship Council on BC sockeye fisheries. Conclusions from the recent assessment were that only the Nass fishery met the standards for certification and that other BC sockeye fisheries should not be certified as sustainable.
Watershed Watch quoted in Vancouver Sun article Campground obliterated as slide triggers 'tsunami'(Dec.10.07 7:11 pm)
Vancouver Sun article Rich area of Fraser River in jeopardy(Nov.27.07 12:07 am)
The Vancouver Sun article Rich area of Fraser River in jeopardy discusses a new report by the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council that says that urgent action is needed to protect a 90 km gravel reach between Hope and Mission that represents the most biologically rich part of the Fraser River. For a link to the report and more information on the PFRCC see www.fish.bc.ca.
Province article Farmed fish infect salmon early, report contends(Nov.21.07 11:09 pm)
The November 21, 2007 Province article Farmed fish infect salmon early, report contends discusses the findings of a new study that indicates that salmon migration helps prevents the transmission of parasites, such as sea lice, in natural systems, but the opposite is true in for aquaculture reared fish. The new paper was published in the peer reviewed journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The Westcoaster article Tourism operators pressure salmon farms discusses how a group of British Columbia business owners took out a full-page ad in the first section of a national newspaper last Friday, hoping to pressure the provincial government to force changes in the salmon farming industry. For more information see SaveBCSalmon.ca.
CAAR and WCWC media release Wild Salmon Haunt Safeway, Demand Halt to Farmed Salmon Sales(Nov.01.07 6:01 pm)
The Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee are honouring the spirits of B.C.’s dying wild salmon today as Day of the Dead celebrations “haunt” Safeway stores in three Canadian cities. See the full media release Wild Salmon Haunt Safeway, Demand Halt to Farmed Salmon Sales.
Click here to send a fax to encourage Safeway to change.
Craig Orr's letter to the editor of the Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Times Hawes' denial old and tired(Oct.26.07 11:46 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, wrote the letter Hawes' denial old and tired in response to MLA Randy Hawes' letter to the editor on October 16, 2007, regarding run-of-river hydro power and Watershed Watch's recent reports.
For more information on run-of-river hydro, see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Update on conservation efforts in the Glendale tonight on Global TV(Oct.22.07 8:05 pm)
Watch Global TV tonight (October 22, 2007) for an update on conservation efforts made in the Glendale River.
Tyee article BC's Hinterlands Are Opened Up for Business--River power projects bring roads, people, wildlife threats(Oct.18.07 6:42 pm)
For more information on run-of-river hydro, see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Vancouver Sun article Government urged to protect salmon from effects of climate change(Oct.05.07 5:46 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Vancouver Sun article Government urged to protect salmon from effects of climate change. The article discusses two recent reports released by the Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council. Click here for the full reports.
Oil spill model shows risks to BC coast(Sep.28.07 7:25 pm)
Living Oceans Society has released an online computer generated model that shows how oil spills would affect ecosystems and communities on the North Coast of British Columbia. The oil spill animation, built using leading edge computer modeling software and the most up to date oceanographic data available, is able to generate oil spill scenarios from oil tankers and drilling platforms in coastal waters.
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, interviewed in Georgia Straight article Electric companies(Sep.27.07 11:26 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is interviewed in the Georgia Straight article Electric companies discussing run-of-river hydropower and two recent Watershed Watch reports on the issue. To download these reports, or for more information, see Watershed Watch's Green Power page.
Vancouver Sun article Hydro project sought for Pitt(Sep.26.07 4:56 pm)
For more information on run-of-river power generation, see Watershed Watch's page on Green Power with links to two recent RoR reports.
New David Suzuki Foundation report urges more resources for salmon habitat protection(Sep.21.07 8:45 pm)
A new report by the David Suzuki Foundation High and Dry: An Investigation of Salmon-Habitat Destruction in British Columbia investigates nine instances of significant damage to fish habitat found that little or no action was taken by the DFO on cases reported to them, in part because of staff shortages and budget and time constraints, and in part because of policies that appear to restrict DFO staff. See the media release for more details.
Farmed salmon escape from Mainstream farm in Clayoquot Sound(Sep.06.07 4:55 pm)
There have been few details reported regarding a breach in the net system at a Mainstream farm in Clayoquot Sound. See the Westcoaster article for more information.
The province of British Columbia has issued another licence for an open net pen salmon farm in spite of the all-party Special Committee on Aquaculture recommending that open net pen salmon farming be phased out. See the full article for details.
BC Ministry of Environment media release DNA tests confirm origin of Alouette sockeye(Aug.27.07 5:45 pm)
Genetic sampling by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) of sockeye salmon that have reappeared in the Alouette River system after an 80-year absence has confirmed that the fish originated from kokanee found in Alouette Reservoir, Environment Minister Barry Penner announced today.
Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Times article Sockeye DNA tested in 'Jurassic' scenario(Aug.22.07 6:59 pm)
Although the Fraser sockeye run has been labeled a disaster, sockeye may be returning to the Alouette River. DNA samples have been taken to determine if the fish in the river are returning adults of juvenile kokanee (lake-locked sockeye) that were released in Alouette Lake in 2005 and allowed to pass the dam. See the article for details.
Media release Foundation of the BC Rivers Alliance(Aug.21.07 4:25 pm)
A group of conservation, recreational and public power organizations have banded together to create the BC Rivers Alliance to fight the proliferation of private power projects on BC rivers.
See the full media release for more details. Watershed Watch is a member of the BC Rivers Alliance. For more information on Watershed Watch's work on IPPs see our Green Power page
Keep up to date on the low returns of Fraser River sockeye with this weekly counter(Aug.10.07 3:35 pm)
Middle Bay Sustainable Aquaculture Institute Fish Farm Research Project Receives Funding for BC Closed-Containment Project(Aug.08.07 3:39 pm)
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) recently announced it was contributing $2.4 million to a project led by British Columbia’s Middle Bay Sustainable Aquaculture Institute (MBSAI) to further develop and demonstrate the use of commercial-scale solid wall containment systems for aquaculture. See the following articles or the full press release for details.
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, quoted in the Province article Where have all the sockeye gone--and why?(Jul.26.07 10:07 pm)
In the Province article Where have all the sockeye gone--and why? Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, states that Fraser sockeye are declining due to environmental pressures and overfishing. He warns that unless fishing pressure is reduced, numbers could decline to the point where the fishery would have to be closed permanently like the cod fishery on the east coast.
New Scientist article Influence of global warming seen in changing rains(Jul.23.07 9:43 pm)
Patagonia Times article Chilean government admits to sea lice 'outbreak'(Jul.18.07 10:37 pm)
Although it is a different species than usually appears in British Columbia's coastal waters, a recent Patagonia Times article indicates that sea lice are also causing problems salmon farming operations in Chile.
Illegal pumping from Nanaimo area river may impede salmon reintroduction(Jul.12.07 6:07 pm)
An article in the Nanaimo News Bulletin discusses excessive pumping from Millstone River. Read the entire article here.
Watershed Watch director quoted in Vancouver Sun article, "Jury's still out, salmon forum says" (Jul.04.07 5:58 pm)
A Vancouver Sun article discusses the recommended future of the salmon farming industry in BC as described by a government appointed committee and the Pacific Salmon Forum's opinion on the issue. Craig Orr maintains that several international meetings have concluded that "sea lice from salmon farms are hurting wild salmon".
Vancouver Sun article Fisheries biologists had concerns about Skeena: Government 'caved' under pressure, environmentalists charge(Jun.26.07 4:36 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the article: "We think these documents show DFO managers put politics ahead of science in
making critical management decisions. They had management tools to protect endangered salmon and steelhead populations and they chose not to use them."
For more information, see the Watershed Watch and North Coast Steelhead Alliance media release.
Watershed Watch and North Coast Steelhead Alliance media release Documents Reveal DFO “Caved Under Pressure” in Mismanagement of Skeena Fishery(Jun.25.07 4:50 pm)
Watershed Watch and the North Coast Steelhead Alliance have issued the media release Documents Reveal DFO “Caved Under Pressure” in Mismanagement of Skeena Fishery and are taking part in a press conference on the morning of June 25, 2007. See the full media release for further details and background information.
CAAR's NY Times ad calls on Safeway to stop selling farmed salmon, demand more sustainable product(Jun.22.07 10:04 pm)
The latest press release from the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR) provides an overview of their NY Times ad calling on Safeway to stop selling farmed salmon and demand a more sustainable product. For more details and background information, visit CAAR's Smarten Up Safeway action site.
Click here to sign a petition calling on Safeway to stop selling farmed salmon until it's safe for the oceans.
Watershed Watch Salmon Society is a founding member of CAAR.
Global BC interview with Dr. Larry Dill on salmon farming(Jun.19.07 5:22 pm)
Video clip of the Global BC interview with Dr. Larry Dill as he discusses his recent resignation from the Pacific Salmon Forum in response to the lack of industry cooperation with ongoing research on sea lice and salmon farming.
Press release Wilderness Tourism Association Urges Norwegian Corporations to Stop Killing Wild Salmon in BC(Jun.18.07 6:25 pm)
Vancouver Sun article Sea lice problem is growing, reports say(May.28.07 4:33 pm)
Click here for a Vancouver Sun article containint an interview with Alexandra Morton and a summary of sea lice research results from the Broughton Archipelago.
Morton's original press release is also available here.
More media on the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture's report(May.17.07 5:22 pm)
See the articles below for more details on the report recently released by the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture:
Watershed Watch Executive Director quoted in Vancouver Sun article Fish farm report likely to reignite controversy(May.16.07 10:15 pm)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is quoted in the Vancouver Sun article on the recent report released from the Special Committee on Salmon Aquaculture.
Aquaculture feed company recalls food tainted with melamine(May.09.07 10:43 pm)
See the articles below on the recall of tainted aquaculture feed.
Also see the press release from the David Suzuki Foundation calling for more inspection and mandatory listing of ingredients.
Wilderness Tourism Association calls for fallowing of salmon farms(May.09.07 10:29 pm)
A recent article in the Campbell River Mirror details the Wilderness Tourism Association's call for salmon farms to be fallowed seasonally to protect wild salmon.
Global TV exposé on salmon farming in British Columbia's Broughton Archipelago May 7-11.(May.08.07 6:20 pm)
Watch Global TV News at 6pm from May 7-11 for a segment on the impact of open net cage salmon farming on coastal communities and ecosystems in the Broughton Archipelago.
See the Broughton Archipelago video link on the Global TV BC website for daily video updates.
Cooperation between the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform and Marine Harvest Canada continues to grow(May.04.07 4:55 pm)
A recent article in the North Island Gazette details how cooperation between CAAR and Marine Harvest Canada is continuing to grow as the groups work together to reform and improve salmon farming.
Watershed Watch Salmon Society is a member of CAAR and is involved in the joint research being carried out by CAAR and MHC.
Alexandra Morton named Conservationist of the Year by the BC Wildlife Federation(May.04.07 4:50 pm)
Alexandra Morton has been honoured once again for her conservation efforts. A recent article in the North Island Gazette details Morton receiving the Barsby Award for her perseverance in the face of criticism from industry and government while working to bring awareness to the effects of sea lice on outmigrating juvenile salmon.
Convenor's report from the Summit of Scientists on Aquaculture and the Protection of Wild Salmon now available(Apr.27.07 5:52 pm)
The Convenor's Report from the January 25-27, 2007 Speaking for the Salmon Summit of Scientists on Aquaculture and the Protection of Wild Salmon is now available. Additional briefing notes and information on this summit are available here.
Fifty-one California sea lions drown at Tofino-area salmon farm(Apr.20.07 3:53 pm)
The sea lions became entangled in predator nets surrounding a open net cage salmon farm. Read the entire story in the Westcoaster here.
Xwemalhkwu First Nation and Marine Harvest reach an agreement to close Church House salmon farm(Apr.04.07 6:07 pm)
Earlier this month Xwemalhkwu First Nation and Marine Harvest reached an agreement that brought the 2004 Injunction on placing atlantic salmon in the Church House Farm to a conclusion. A key aspect of the agreement was the closure of the fish farm. The date set for that closure is March 31, 2007.
Xwemalhkwu elders are very happy with this outcome. For them, Church House represents a beacon of hope for passing on Xwemalhkwu culture and traditional practices to the youth, and for future generations. The village at Church House is where Xwemalhkwu elders dug clams, jigged for a variety of rock fish, set nets for salmon and other types of fish, and gathered urchins and other seafood resources. The connection to Church House remains very strong, and the elders are very much looking forward to returning in the summer months to carry out ceremonies and to teach the next generation what it means to be Xwemalhkwu.
Province article River still surgin' with sturgeon(Mar.28.07 7:01 pm)
See the recent Province article River still surgin' with sturgeon that discusses the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society's efforts to tag, monitor and protect sturgeon. Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, is a director of the FRSCS.
Celebrate World Water Day on March 22 with ThinkSalmon.com(Mar.22.07 4:58 pm)
The Think Salmon campaign goal is to engage and inspire changes in public behaviour that will make a positive difference in salmon and watershed sustainability. ThinkSalmon.com offers an abundance of information, resources, stories, and art to support positive behaviour change to benefit salmon populations.
B.C. salmon farms producing billions of sea lice eggs, new
Watershed Watch study shows(Feb.26.07 12:50 am)
Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr's recent peer-reviewed study published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management shows that salmon farms are the major producers of sea lice threatening juvenile wild salmon in B.C.’s Broughton Archipelago. For further details see:
Environmental groups demand withdrawal of Bill C-45 (proposed new Fisheries Act)(Feb.13.07 5:42 pm)
Conservation groups across Canada are calling on the Conservative government to withdraw a proposed new Fisheries Act for Canada, Bill C-45, from further discussion in Parliament. The groups say that the proposed Bill is flawed and fails to adequately mandate protection for Canada's marine and freshwater environments or for environmental protection in general. See the complete media release and backgrounder for details.
Environment now the No. 1 issue for world's politicians(Feb.07.07 6:15 pm)
Vancouver Sun article discusses how the environment has become a key issue for politicians around the world.
International meeting of scientists sponsored by SFU and the Consortium for Genomic Research on All Salmonids Project (cGRASP) was a huge success(Jan.30.07 5:48 pm)
Scientists from across Canada, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, and Norway toured the Broughton Archipelago and surrounding fish farms. A consensus based on lessons learned in Europe was easily achieved regarding sea lice and other environmental risks. All participants agreed that fish farms pose serious threats to BC's wild salmon stocks. A conveners' report detailing the meetings achievements is currently being produced.
New salmon farm moving forward in the besieged Broughton Archipelago(Jan.26.07 7:25 pm)
The BC government is moving forward with a new open net-cage salmon farm in the besieged Broughton Archipelago. See the latest action alert from the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform to see what you can do to help.
New report on sustainable aquaculture(Jan.17.07 7:14 pm)
An independent panel convened by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute has produced a new report on sustainable aquaculture recommending strong, clear guidelines for the development of marine aquaculture in the United States. The news release is available here.
Future of Cultus Lake sockeye 'uncertain'(Jan.13.07 12:56 am)
The Chilliwack Progress reports that although 2006 should have been a good year for Cultus Lake sockeye, it "turned out to be disastrous". Read the full article here.
WWSS collaborates with Simon Fraser University to organize international meeting of scientists regarding sea lice issues(Jan.10.07 10:57 pm)
Watershed Watch is busy working with the Centre for Coastal Studies and Continuing Studies in Science at SFU to organize a summit of leading scientists to discuss sea lice issues as related to wild salmon conservation. The meeting will be held on January 25-27 in Alert Bay.
Vancouver Sun feature on current and historical state of the Coquitlam River(Dec.12.06 10:08 pm)
The Coquitlam Watershed has a long and interesting past. During the early part of the last century, salmon were barred from migrating to its uppermost sections. Currently, Watershed Watch and Kwikwetlem First Nation are involved in several initiatives working towards returning the River to a more natural state to benefit migrating salmon. Read the entire article here.
Mine expansion includes proposal to kill an entire fish bearing lake northwest of Prince George(Dec.12.06 7:22 pm)
A mining company based in Vancouver stated that it must destroy a trout bearing lake in order to expand a gold-copper mine. It is estimated that 85,000 fish reside in Duncan Lake and about 4,500 are angled each year. Read the Vancouver Sun article here .
Late spawning seen as climate change calamity (Esquimalt News November 22, 2006)(Nov.30.06 1:04 am)
The late arrival of salmon to Goldstream River, combined with local collapses of Chinook salmon runs, and declining ocean survival rates are raising concerns over the impact that climate change could have on salmon. Click here for the full article.
High water affects fish stocks (Merritt Herald November 15, 2006)(Nov.17.06 7:03 pm)
The recent heavy rains in BC could benefit coho salmon in the Coldwater River, allowing them to migrate further upstream. However, scouring caused by the high discharge may damage eggs already laid. The overall impacts of the recent rainfall on salmon are still unknown. Read more here.
New study predicts all currently harvested seafoods will collapse before 2050 unless we allow stocks to recover(Nov.05.06 9:34 pm)
A study published in the prestigious journal Science, reports that the loss of biodiversity in the worlds oceans is dramatically impairing its capability to produce seafood, resist disease, filter pollutants, and recover from overfishing and climate change. Read more in the press release here.
On October 18, 2006, Watershed Watch Salmon Society's Executive Director, Dr. Craig Orr, made a presentation to the Legislative Assembly of BC's Special Committee for Sustainable Aquaculture in Vancouver.(Oct.27.06 8:54 pm)
To read a copy of Dr. Orr's Presentation; please follow this link to our here .
Speaking before the provincial government's touring Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture on October 18, 2006; Larry Albright presented evidence that salmon can be successfully farmed in fresh water.(Oct.27.06 8:24 pm)
Freshwater home suitable for salmon
AdvanceNews (Langley)
Fri 20 Oct 2006
Many say it can't be done.
But Larry Albright, a recently retired marine microbiologist at Simon Fraser University, is proving that salmon - even the prized sockeye - can be farmed successfully in fresh water.
"All Pacific salmon, including sockeye, coho, chinook, chum and pink salmon can be cultured throughout their entire life cycle in freshwater," said Albright.
The scientist has 17 years experience raising trout and now salmon in fresh-water fish farms and co-owns a fresh-water fish farm in Langley.
"I have personally cultured the same stock of domesticated sockeye salmon through four sequential life cycles in fresh water only," he said.
Speaking before the provincial government's touring special committee on Sustainable Aquaculture on October 18, Albright went beyond explaining how salmon can be farmed in fresh water.
He predicted that switching from conventional salmon farming in ocean-based netted pens to enclosed inland freshwater pens would have significant positive outcomes:
- Disease- and antibiotic-free: Unlike conventional commercial fish farms, fresh-water fish farms rarely use antibiotics and other chemotherapeutants because their ground-based water sources don't have common pathogens.
- Improved public perception of fish farming: Inland and groundwater-fed fish farms are not mired in the controversy that shrouds ocean-based fish farming. Recent research done by other scientists at SFU and elsewhere demonstrates that ocean-based fish farming breeds sea lice in numbers that kill nearby juvenile wild salmon.
- Smaller ecological footprint: While ocean-based fish farms cover several kilometres of seacoast, a typical fresh-water farm occupies no more than five acres of land.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada failing to protect wild salmon stocks (Vancouver Sun, October 19th, 2006)(Oct.23.06 6:00 pm)
An article by Scott Simpson echoed Craig Orr’s sentiments concerning Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s lack of responsibility with regards to conducting research on the negative effects of open net cage salmon farming. Dr. Orr presented key scientific evidence on these effects before the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture.
Watershed Watch Salmon Society's Executive Director, Dr. Craig Orr, quoted in Vancouver Sun Editorial, "Cultus Lake sockeye provide a brutal lesson in 'conservation'."(Oct.16.06 10:26 pm)
Vancouver Sun
Friday, October 13, 2006
Page: A13
An ecological tragedy -- perhaps I should say travesty because it's that, too -- now appears to be unfolding on the lower Fraser River.
It's made all the more infuriating because it was entirely predictable, most probably avoidable, and is occurring because of greed, stupidity, cowardice and moral bankruptcy on the part of spineless politicians and stakeholders who put themselves before the public trust.
I'm talking about a warning from the Watershed Watch Salmon Association that the exploitation rate for the unique Cultus Lake sockeye run appears to be almost double the maximum that fisheries experts thought this terribly fragile stock could reasonably sustain.
Preliminary survival numbers for spawning Cultus Lake fish are just coming in, I was told by Craig Orr, executive director of the association. Orr also sits on the South Coast integrated harvest committee for the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The 2006 returns he cited for this genetically unique stock are bleak.
"We thought the exploitation rate shouldn't be as high as 20 per cent of the stock," Orr said. "We agreed to 30 per cent. We have the numbers now for Cultus Lake and we are approaching a 60-per-cent exploitation rate -- and this is an endangered run."
Just to keep that term "endangered" in context, the return in 1940 was 73,536 fish. In 1997, the return had dwindled to 88 salmon. Between 1991 and 2002, the number of adult sockeye that reached the spawning grounds in Cultus Lake declined by 92 per cent.
Nobody who knows anything about the fishery is in any doubt about the reasons for this. The stock has been brutally overfished by a rapacious commercial fleet which is responsible for 98 per cent of the Cultus Lake harvest in sequential troll, gillnet and seine fisheries that take place off the north coast, the west coast of Vancouver Island, in Johnstone, Juan de Fuca and Georgia straits, in Puget Sound and finally in the Fraser itself.
"Exploitation rates have frequently exceeded 80 per cent and sometimes 90 per cent," says a paper published in 2003 by the science branch of DFO's Pacific region.
The main problem for the Cultus Lake stock is that it migrates at the same time as some other hatchery-enhanced stocks that are a fat target for the commercial industry and so it is frequently the victim of an unintentional but indiscriminate by-catch. To make things worse, the vulnerability of the population has been further heightened by additional stresses in the natural environment caused by what appear to be climate-induced changes in ocean and river conditions.
What makes the Cultus Lake sockeye particularly interesting to science and important to all Canadians is the fact that it is genetically distinct from every other sockeye population. It appears to have evolved special adaptations that permit it to spawn in Cultus Lake, an environment in which all attempts to introduce and artificially establish other sockeye populations have failed.
As a consequence, this sockeye population was identified as being of national significance to Canada's inventory of biodiversity.
Because of the stock's rapid collapse, largely due to management failures that resulted in consistent over-harvesting, the Cultus Lake run was given an emergency listing as being at risk of extinction by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, a federal assessment body comprised of leading scientists. COSEWIC urged immediate protection under the Species at Risk Act.
But in January, 2005, the federal fisheries minister declined, succumbing instead to the fishing industry's not-very-rigorously examined claim their economic burden would be too great if harvests on some mixed stocks were suspended while Cultus Lake fish passed through.
"We talk the talk but we're not walking the walk when it comes to preserving biodiversity. We continue to hammer these weaker stocks," Orr told me, rather wearily, I thought.
Now we're seeing the consequences at Cultus Lake and they are not pretty. Doubtless we'll soon be hearing horror stories from elsewhere about poor steelhead and coho returns .
Keep this in mind the next time industry claims concern for the resource, or our craven government assures you that it cares about the environment.
shume@islandnet.com
New study links farm sea lice production with elevated wild salmon mortality(Oct.03.06 8:18 pm)
According to the results published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, up to 95 percent of young wild salmon that migrate out to sea die after swimming through plumes of sea lice from infected fish farms. "We know that fish farms raise sea lice levels, and we know that sea lice kill fish," said Martin Krkosek, the lead author of the study. To read more go to CTV news.
Watershed Watch summarizes key scientific evidence supporting the prosecution of a Broughton Archipelago fish farm.(Sep.21.06 7:47 pm)
Dr. Frederick Whoriskey was retained as an independent expert to give advice on the seriousness of sea lice and their effects on BC’s wild salmon. He concluded that “sea lice in the Broughton Archipelago are infecting and killing salmon.” Watershed Watch’s summary of his report can be found here.
Watershed Watch's Executive Director, Dr. Craig Orr, quoted in Chilliwack Times article, "Gill Nets Problem for Teen Sturgeon."(Sep.07.06 6:25 pm)
An article in the Chilliwack Times stated that recent openings in the commercial salmon fishery may mean trouble for endangered white sturgeon in the Fraser River; but stakeholder cooperation will minimize the problem. Dr. Craig Orr, Watershed Watch Salmon Society's Executive Director was quoted in the article saying cooperation from government enforcement, First Nations and commercial and sport fisheries is a positive sign.
UN report says almost half of all fish consumed today are farmed(Sep.06.06 5:09 pm)
A new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations details the current state of aquaculture worldwide. The report draws concerns about aquaculture and its ability to meet the demands of the human population in the coming decades. It points to concerns such as the inefficient use of fishmeal used to feed carnivorous species such as salmon.
Nass River fishery receives top marks(Aug.14.06 5:53 pm)
A study conducted by the Sierra Club revealed the Nass River is likely the most effectively managed fishery in BC. Their press release discusses the merits of the fishery and its overall grade.
Read Watershed Watch’s review of a misleading report on farmed salmon escapes(Aug.02.06 11:00 pm)
On behalf of the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR), Watershed Watch critiqued a document from the Fraser Institute that claims there is little risk of escaped farmed salmon negatively affecting wild populations in BC.
Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture to assess positive and negative economics of salmon farming and wild salmon industries(Jul.21.06 5:12 pm)
A press release from the Special Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture announced plans to examine the economics of the salmon farming and wild salmon industries in BC. In addition, they revealed dates for upcoming fall public hearings taking place around the province on aquaculture issues.
Alaska officials documented first Atlantic salmon in Cook Inlet (Associated Press, July 14, 2006)(Jul.17.06 6:51 pm)
The first Atlantic salmon caught in Cook Inlet, Alaska was netted near Kasilof on July 1 and was reported in the Anchorage Daily News. Biologist Jeff Fox said it probably escaped from a fish farm or hatchery in Canada.
Watershed Watch funded SFU student publishes paper on salmon energetics(Jul.10.06 8:19 pm)
Simon Fraser University graduate student Sandra Webster published her results with co-author professor Lawrence Dill in the journal Functional Ecology (20:621–629). The study examined the energetic costs of foraging juvenile salmon in varying water salinities and temperatures. The study was co-funded by Watershed Watch.
Species at Risk Act fails again: White sturgeon left off list(Jun.14.06 3:50 am)
Joint media release by Watershed Watch and the Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter expressing concern over white sturgeon not being listed under SARA.
First Nations' local knowledge and concern leads to discovery of mercury in rockfish near BC fish farms(Apr.21.06 4:02 am)
Media release detailing an important study where elevated mercury levels were discovered in rockfish near BC fish farms. Watershed Watch Executive Director, Craig Orr, has been the science advisor to the Musgamagw Tsawataineuk Tribal Council for this study.
CAAR Media Release: Province approves another fish farm in beseiged Broughton Archipelago(Apr.07.06 5:23 pm)
Watershed Watch Salmon Society is a member group of the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform. Read CAAR's media release here.
