Ian McAllister and Andrew Nikiforuk’s recent speaker series, “A Story with Two Ends,” discussed how the Enbridge Pipeline Project would threaten Canadian heritage, both on natural and economical fronts, and called for everyone to take action now by protesting the project, pushing for a legislated moratorium — “no oil tankers on BC’s coast” — writing letters to the editors of your local newspapers, signing petitions, and helping to raise awareness of the problems this project will bring.
Another Canadian author, James Hoggan, offers top-ten facts and further resources of Alberta’s tar sands oil project.
It is crucial to learn more about about the proposed Enbridge pipeline project, which would threaten BC’s west coast with oil tankers, devastate 1,000 of BC’s salmon rivers and streams where pipelines will cross, and cause an “earth-destroying economy” across Canada’s unique northern environment.
Call to action: fish farms
How you can take action against BC fish farms. If you cannot attend the public meeting on December 10-11, you can still write in and make your voice heard! Click the link above for more information and a sample letter.
Ocean acidification rates pose disaster for marine life, major study shows:
Report launched from leading marine scientists at Copenhagen summit shows seas absorbing dangerous levels of CO2
This Vancouver Sun article by Stephen Hume calls this season the “Silent Fall,” after an ominous summer of very low returns on the Fraser River for sockeye salmon. Fish populations have been in decline for years on the Fraser, but now most sites are reporting minuscule or in many cases zero stock.
Digital Journal: Vancouver Wild Salmon Rally Draws Hundreds – Fraser Riverkeeper’s Lauren and Mary joined the wild salmon rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery on October 3rd. Hundreds joined the rally, put on by Wild Salmon Circle, to raise public awareness of wild salmon issues. The crowd called for governmental agencies to study marine parasites caused by fish farms and to support funding for scientists in order to find out why there was a collapse of sockeye salmon this past summer.
See our photo gallery of the event.
Arctic Seas Turn to Acid, Putting Vital Food Chain at Risk: With the world’s oceans absorbing six million tonnes of carbon a day, a leading oceanographer warns of eco disaster.
Alexandra Morton’s letter to the fisheries minister on missing sockeye.
I am following the news that DFO is reporting 11 million sockeye salmon have vanished. The magnitude, social impact and trajectory of this fishery failure is on a par with the collapse of Canada’s Atlantic cod. Scientists have published on what went wrong within DFO to allow the cod, one of earth’s most abundant food resources to collapse. They identified political distortion of the science as a critical factor. They argue the public was not accurately informed as the collapse was underway.
Click link above to read the entire letter.
Riverkeeper Doug Chapman is currently on a multi-day investigatory sailing trip with board member Kari Siirala. They started at Port McNeill and are heading south, looking for signs of pollution as well as indications of the most current sockeye crisis. Follow their journey at the Riverkeeper’s Corner.
Fraser River sockeye salmon fishery closes again
Millions of sockeye salmon have not returned this summer to the Fraser River, which has led to the closure of all the sockeye fishing on the river for the third year in a row. Possible causes are warmer waters, food suplies, over-fishing at sea, and fish farms. Ecologist Craig Orr, who studies sockeye as the executive director of Watershed Watch Salmon Society, said the cause of what is now three years of low returns is unclear. “Whether it’s as juveniles leaving the system, or as adults returning, they are not getting the food in the high seas. Canada needs to get its act together and get some real investigation going on what’s happening to these fish.” (A comment referring to Fraser Riverkeeper is on page 12.)
Millions of missing fish signal crisis on the Fraser River
“More than nine million sockeye have vanished from a B.C. River. How it happened remains a mystery.” This article by Mark Hume says that the estimates for sockeye salmon population returning this summer was good, but the official count by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans shows actual numbers at 1.7 million instead of the estimated 10.6-13 million. So that leaves between 9-11 million missing fish returns. The article says that the migration runs are not late, but that the fish died sometime in migration.
Climate Disobedience: Is a New ‘Seattle’ in the Making?
A little history about activists and coal-fired plants, followed by a case in which renowned climate scientist James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, testified to one coal plant alone to be expected to cause sufficient global warming to prompt “the extinction of 400 species over its lifetime.” This article looks at coal-fired plants and their relation to global warming, and discusses political agendas from Al Gore to John McCain and Barack Obama’s actions when it comes to industry like mountaintop-removal mining and coal-fired plants.
Doug notes that we have a huge coal port facility in the mouth of the Fraser.
Related link: Climate Camp: Savior of the Environmental Movement?
Battle over chemical used to make non-stick pans heats up
A large manufacturer and user of a chemical in non-stick cookware and stain resistant fabrics is pressing New Jersey state regulators to reduce what could amount to a multi-billion dollar water cleanup bill.
The tug-of-war between the state of New Jersey and DuPont over perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA, in drinking water has reached a critical stage, according to documents posted Wednesday by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, PEER.”
Plastic Soup “A ‘plastic soup’ of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States, scientists have said.”
“The slowly rotating mass of rubbish-laden water poses a risk to human health, too. Hundreds of millions of tiny plastic pellets, or nurdles – the raw materials for the plastic industry – are lost or spilled every year, working their way into the sea. These pollutants act as chemical sponges attracting man-made chemicals such as hydrocarbons and the pesticide DDT. They then enter the food chain. What goes into the ocean goes into these animals and onto your dinner plate. It’s that simple.”
Warming Waters Lead to Smaller Fish This is the latest result of French and German research in the Tuesday issue of the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Also see NRDC’s concerns about fish disappearing due to the warming of cold water rivers.
UBC Calls for Closing of Sports Fishing on the Fraser Grand Chief Phillip said, “With the river warming rapidly, coupled with the much lowered projections, the conservation of sockeye should be of paramount concern to all involved. DFO must act immediately. Any delay shall only serve to endanger and jeopardize the fishing stocks of the future.”
Youth raises awareness of the Fraser A young Burnaby resident is going on a life-changing rafting trip down the Fraser River and hopes to raise environmental awareness in the process. Owen Stewart, 19, is a fisherman who studies at Capilano College in North Vancouver. Through fishing, he became interested in environmental sustainability and turned his efforts to Burnaby’s Stoney Creek Environment Committee, a local volunteer organization committed to protecting four kilometres of waterways comprising the creek and its tributaries. He will be taking off August 6.
WATERLIFE – Opens Friday, July 17, at Tinseltown, with a special matinee showing on Saturday, July 18. See site for showtimes.
Do You Know Where Your Water’s Been?
WATERLIFE follows the epic cascade of the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. From the icy cliffs of Lake Superior to the ornate fountains of Chicago to the sewers of Windsor, this feature-length documentary tells the story of the last great reserve of fresh water on Earth. Filled with fascinating characters and stunning imagery, WATERLIFE is directed by Kevin McMahon and narrated by Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip.
Under assault by toxins, sewage, invasive species and dropping water levels, many scientists believe the Great Lakes are on the verge of ecological collapse. We are teaming up with grassroots environmental groups who care about our water to help get the word out about the film.
Winner of the Special Jury Prize – Canadian Feature at Hot Docs 2009
Special Event – July 18
Join representatives from the Council of Canadians and the Rivershed Society of BC to discuss local water issues and ways you can get involved. To follow the matinee screening on Saturday, July 18th. Time TBA. For more details, please visit the Waterlife site.
Stay informed of upcoming Waterlife screenings and events – join the mailing list.
Join the Waterlife Facebook Group.
Community Partners:
Fraser Riverkeeper, Council of Canadians, Rivershed Society of BC, Pollution Probe, Sierra Club Canada, Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA), Ecojustice, Great Lakes United.
Fish Farms Closing Five fish farms are being closed to protect juvenile salmon from sea lice and diseases.
“Industry has dragged its feet on transitioning to closed containment far too long, and while the government delays, wild salmon populations are being impacted by sea lice,” David Suzuki Foundation’s Corey Peet says. “No other region in the world is risking so many stocks of wild salmon with net pen salmon farms.”
Fraser River Journey SFU’s Learning & Instructional Development Centre’s Media Design group will make its television debut on the CBC at 5 p.m., Sunday, June 21, as part of the network’s National Aboriginal Day programming. This film follows a group of 12 aboriginal youths from all over British Columbia on a raft trip down the Fraser River.
Harper Breaks First Election Promise
“Just one month after re-election, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has already broken an election promise, as his government today shut down a sewage prosecution in the same city where he vowed to crack down on environmental crime…”
BC Save Our Rivers
If you’re wondering why Canada is removing our ability to protect rivers, please visit the BC Save Our Rivers site. In particular, if you have any doubts about what’s going on, and why the federal government pushed changes to the NWPA through in its budget bill without public and First Nations consultation, please take some time to watch the Ashlu video 49 Megawatts and the video series Powerplay on the Save Our Rivers site.
What is happening in BC right now, where rivers are literally being ripped away from people and communities and given to private interests, is an indication of where all of Canada may be in a very short time. The removal of the public right of navigation is the removal of the public’s right to be consulted about developments on waterways. It is the removal of the public’s right to access and protect waterways. It is the removal of one of the safeguards in place that ensure our waterways remain publicly owned.
“In the fourth spot is the Fraser River, which for the 16th time in 17 years, finds its way into the top half of the endangered rivers list. ‘Of particular concern this year are the development pressures facing the ‘Heart of the Fraser’ between Hope and Mission, one of the most productive sections of river anywhere in the world,’ said [Mark] Angelo.”
By the Outdoor Recreation Council of British Columbia
“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.”
By Save Our Rivers
Even the Mighty Need Helping Hands
“Along many of the river’s smaller tributaries that run though agricultural settings, there is a lack of riparian protection, while other issues relate to the inappropriate use of pesticides and fertilizers,” according to the latest endangered rivers report.
By Brian Lewis, The Province
Metro beats rap on sewage
“Ottawa has flushed a private prosecution against Metro Vancouver that alleged the Iona sewage treatment plant illegally polluted the Strait of Georgia with fish-killing effluent…”
By Jeff Nagel, BC Local News
Environmentalist Alumni Address Conservation Issues at Reunions ’08
“Bob Boyle ’58 and Doug Chapman ’58 discussed their roles in the environmental movement to a Kennedy Auditorium packed with alumni…”
by Kye Lippold
Metro sewage plants failing federal tests
“Three Metro Vancouver sewage treatment plants have been failing federal environmental tests at least seven years while dumping billions of litres of partly treated waste into the Fraser River…”
by Leslie Young, with files from Glenn Bohn, Vancouver Sun
Fraser Riverkeeper featured on CBC (Windows Media Video)
CBC News features Fraser Riverkeeper and our campaign to buy a patrol boat.
Fraser Riverkeeper and Friends host Earth Day Fraser River Cleanup
“Fraser Riverkeeper, in partnership with Woodtone Building Products, and other friends of the Fraser River, will be cleaning up Pegleg Bar in Chilliwack on Sunday, April 27…” Chilliwack Times
Canada Urged not to Share Water with Americans
“BANFF – Canada must resist pressure to sell or share its water with the United States if it wants to avoid an environmental catastrophe, said environmentalist Robert F. Kennedy Jr…”
by Nick Lees, Edmonton Journal
U.S. Energy Company to Face Prosecution For Cross-Border Pollution in Canada
“A Canadian Court in Sarnia, Ontario, has given the green light for the prosecution of a U.S. energy company…”
by Environmental Protection
DTE Energy Company accused of environmental offences in Canada
“Michigan’s DTE Energy Company is being charged for its role in polluting the St. Clair River with mercury…” by CNW Group
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