Tag Archives: DFO

Rivers & Oceans

BC fish farm slapped with hefty fine for illegal operations

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A West Coast fish farm was hit with a $350,000 fine for illegally operating a steelhead salmon farm in Lois Lake, near Powell River. 

West Coast Fishculture (Lois Lake) Ltd pleaded guilty Thursday in Powell River Provincial Court to operating without a license under the Fisheries Act after knowingly operating its fish farm outside the bounds of its aquaculture tenure. 

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Rivers & Oceans

Fishing communities welcome B.C. intention to reform licensing and quotas

Editor’s note: Fishing was one of Cortes Island’s major industries. The museum records the names of 28 boats and 40 individuals active during the 1970’s. Government regulations changed that. According to  the study SET ADRIFT: THE PLIGHT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA’S FISHING COMMUNITIES, 71% of the people working in the province’s commercial fishing industry lost their jobs. “What remains in the commercial fishery is not a vibrant and healthy fleet, but a fleet ravaged by consolidation.” DFO licensing practises “diverted the fish away from the populous small-boat fleet and delivered the resource into the hands of a venture capitalist…”

By Hope Lompe,  Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Fishing communities, harvesters and advocates are welcoming British Columbia’s intention to work with the federal government to reform the purchase system for fish licences and quotas for B.C.’s commercial fishing industry.

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Rivers & Oceans

HACI: Parking Restrictions While Work Underway At Gorge & Whaletown Docks

Harbour Authority Cortes Island is asking the public to not use its upper Gorge Harbour parking lot or park at the Whaletown Commercial Dockhead until further notice. There is work underway at both locations.  

“A few years ago the Harbour Authority entered into a lease agreement with MOTI, the Ministry of Transportation, and we actually hold the road allowance leases for the lower part of Robertson Road. We  did some clearing,  graveled and then developed a parking lot,” explained Harbourmaster Jenny Hartwick.

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Transportation

 Recent Sinking & Previous Derelict Vessels in Squirrel Cove

On Sunday, June 2nd, a 50 foot vessel sank near the Squirrel Cove dock on Cortes island.

“There was quite a lengthy,  involved, process with the Coast Guard and Transport Canada. I am very happy to say  that the vessel has now been removed and environmental remediation has taken place, but that was quite an exciting event for the Harbour Authority,” explained Jenny Hartwick, Harbourmaster for the Harbour Authority Cortes Island (HACI).

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Animals, Energy, Rivers & Oceans

Feds urged to use emergency order to save endangered orcas

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Emergency protections for endangered southern resident killer whales are urgently needed because of increased oil tanker traffic from the expanded Trans Mountain (TMX) pipeline, says a coalition of conservation groups.

Six environmental organizations are formally petitioning Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault and Fisheries and Oceans Minister Diane Lebouthillier, urging them to recommend that cabinet issue an emergency order under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) to save the remaining 74 whales, said Margot Venton, nature program director of Ecojustice, a legal charity working for the environmental groups. 

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