Spring Edition April, 1997 Vol. 6 No.
6
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR!
Sunday, May 25 - FINGERLING FESTIVAL at the Hatchery.
Wednesday, June 4 - Gary Williams, Marsh Ecologist will lead a field trip down to the estuary. Meet at the Hatchery at 7:30 pm.
The summer of '96 saw the first pool iful place of contemplation which will attract humans escaping the hurley-burley as well as the piscine species for which it was designed.
Outdoor Classrooms at Noons Creek
Because of their location close to Noons Creek, we have had to apply to the City for a variance permit and consequently there have been several meetings with the City, DFO and B.C.’s Ministry of the Environment to review the impact on the riparian zone. DFO have subsequently written to the City giving their approval to the project, subject to our complying with a number of mitigation measures to enhance the natural habitat with native species together with a strict monitoring program over a period of five years.
The variance was dealt with by the Advisory Planning and Land Use Committee who recommended its acceptance. On 14 April, 1997, it came before the City Council meeting and after some questioning by the members the variance was approved unanimously. The structures have been designed to harmonize with the hatchery and will be constructed with cedar post and beam with a low pitch roof with the same coated metal standing seam system as was used on the Hatchery roof.
We have received a grant from the Coquitlam Rotarian Club which will be augmented from awards from recent Inlet pollution prosecutions, for which we are enormously thankful. Councillor Trasolini, in his role as contractor, has offered to carry out the concrete footings, and again we are indeed grateful.
For the framing we have reserved a crew from the Fishermen and Allied Workers who are carrying out work on stream enhancement under the Mifflin Plan, and we see this as a healthy liaison with the other end of the food chain. The current program is for the concrete work to be done about April 20th, and the framing to start on April 28th.
Hatchery Break-in
...oh heck, where’s a decent Editor when you need one? -Ed.)
I guess this story started on March 23 or 24. That’s when some individuals with collective IQ’s only slightly greater than their collective hat sizes broke into our Hatchery. Fortunately there was not much damage done, but we no longer have a fax/phone, a printer for the computer, or a photocopier. (I guess our 486 AST computer was too old to interest them, so they left it behind.)
I did not learn about the break-in until I went to the Hatchery at about 5:15 pm on Tuesday the 25th. Earlier I had picked up a new aquarium chiller (for doing live displays of salmon) which had been made for us by Polar Industries Ltd. I had parked my van beside the Hatchery. As I walked to the main entrance, I noticed that where the office window had been there was now a piece of plywood. I thought "...oh good, they guys are improving security by replacing the window." Just then Graham Bartlett came out of the building and I asked him to help me get the new equipment out of the van.
We moved it inside and went into the Hatchery office to talk with Joanne Bartlett. After about five minutes we heard a noise outside. I opened the office door and found myself face to face with a Sergeant of the Port Moody Police Department. (Obviously by this time I was well aware of the break-in). “Oh hi,” I said, “Thanks for stopping by.” Just then from behind the cop (and safely around the corner) came Ann Hulbert’s voice - “Oh it’s okay, it’s only Jim Spurr.” The officer’s radio squawked, “...Grey van is registered to Royal City Fire Supplies Ltd. of New Westminster...” and in alarm I said “That’s right, that’s who I work for.” At this point Sarah Jamieson showed up. It developed that she had seen another van and two males acting very suspiciously in the area a short time before and had phoned the police as well as Ann and Peter. The police had indeed found a van at the Hatchery... mine! Thank you Sarah for your prompt action, and thank you, Port Moody Police, for your speedy response at the height of rush hour. Ann and Peter, thank you for caring and coming back to the Hatchery. As the result of the break-in, some changes have been made to our security. Among other things, the Hatchery is now equipped with a monitored alarm system. And remember: if you drive a van, don’t park it next to the building. You may get more visitors than you bargained for! --------------------- (Addendum: In March the Hatchery was broken into twice, once by kicking in the main door and the office door and a second time through our office window. The first time the only things stolen were three bottles of wine left over from the AGM, plus considerable damage was done to the doors. The second time, we sustained a major loss in office equipment. The hatchery guys have done their usual wonderful job in strengthening the doors so they can no longer be kicked open, and in filling in our windows. As of April 16, 1997, the Hatchery is alarmed. It is a real blow to people who give freely of their time, their talents and their hard work to have to deal with a “real world” where volunteer societies are ripped off. I guess we’ve come of age. - Editor)
President's Message
Along with the new Board of Directors, I am looking forward to yet another constructive, productive and busy year. One of our bigger projects will be the construction of outdoor classrooms which our naturalists have been waiting for. A lot of meetings on site with City staff and Fisheries and Oceans - as well as Ministry of Environment officials and Board and regular members - have been held with vehement discussion. Eventually agreement was achieved and maps and vegetation plans as well as a variance application to the City have been submitted.
Once we receive the permit, Councillor Joe Trasolini in his capacity as a business person will be the first one on site to donate the concrete footings. (Joe had already donated the transfer of the hatchery shed which was necessary as its site became needed for one of the two outdoors classrooms). Many thanks, Joe - your support is greatly appreciated!
The framing will be done by a crew from the Fishermen and Allied Workers who are carrying out work on stream enhancement under the Mifflin Plan.
Well, it looks like we will have another busy year. Our school programs resumed early in April and will continue until mid-June. Let’s hope for a drier season than last year’s! We hope to expand on our environmental education programs this summer, with summer programs for pre-schoolers and students in grades 1-3. I would like to take this opportunity to announce two new members added to our naturalist core, Christine Chapman and Janet Boxwell. Welcome aboard!
We are continuing work on our “Urban Salmon Habitat Program” proposal to undertake watershed assessment work. At the end of May, some of our members will be off to Victoria to participate in the Streamkeepers Workshop ‘97. Wow, it’ll be a lot of fun!
Besides all this, we will have loads of little fishies to look after. We hope the spring algae bloom won’t cut down dramatically in the numbers.
To all our Board members and to our PMES membership, my best wishes for another fulfilling volunteer year.
- Jutta
Hatchery Report
by Nancy Aichberger
On January 29th, in conjunction with Mark Johnson and Kathy McLean, the cutthroat were weighed, measured and had their adipose fins clipped.
In total we raised 197 cutthroat. The smallest was 125 mm (5") and weighed 19.0 gms. The largest was 290 mm in length (11”) and weighed 256 gms. (9 oz.). They are unabashedly beautiful, flecked and dappled along the side with the red markings along the gills which give them their name. With the help of the public, we released them on April 12th at the footbridge in the estuary.
We had applied to the Ministry of the Environment for licenses for Eric Olsen and Larry Cardiss to capture cutthroat broodstock. These licenses were approved and they will be allowed to capture 4 females and 4 males in the Burrard Inlet area.
Nursery
At the beginning of February we did an egg count - 76,000 chum and 19,900 Coho.
The first chum hatched on February 9th and the hatching has carried on slowly into March. By April 1st we had 66,785 chum alevins and 18,754 coho alevins. Because of the cool spring, the alevins are developing slowly, somewhat behind schedule, and with a higher mortality rate. This delay has been reported at other hatcheries, and may be due to the fact that the water is not warming up (Remember the SNOWSTORM of March 15th!)
Coho Pond
On March 3rd we sampled fifty of the coho fry from the outside rearing pond. The average length was 117 mm (4“) and average weight 19 grams.
PMES Offers Watershed Tours
Tours are four hours long, either 8:00 to 12:00 am or 1:00 to 5:00 pm. on THURSDAYS ONLY. Since the primary direction for half the tour anyway will be UP, you will need good boots and a moderate level of fitness. Rick can provide transportation for 3-4 people. A general itinerary is as follows:
Rick Simpson has spent literally hundreds of hours in the Noons Creek and other local watersheds and will provide an illuminating experience for anybody interested in streams. What is he getting out of this? Rick: “I’m hoping for new, committed volunteers for the PMES water quality testing program, more public awareness of the importance and fragility of our urban streams and the appreciation of the dynamics of local watersheds under the pressure of urbanization.”
If you are interested but cannot come on a Thursday, arrangements can be made for Saturday. Call Rick weekday evenings before 8:00 pm at (604) 937-5300 (e-mail: rlsimpson@mindlink.net) or leave a message at the Noons Creek Hatchery (phone/fax 469-9106).
Please note: The Noons Creek Water Quality Lab operates on a cost recovery basis. We therefore would like to ask people for a donation of $5.00 per person for a watershed tour.
School Program Report
This summer for the first time we will offer nature programs through the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. This means the City will also benefit from our new outdoor classrooms.
We plan to run these programs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for 6-9 year old children. The format will be similar to our school programs, however less instructional and more fun, keeping in mind that it’s a summer break for the children! They would start with a “stream day” at the hatchery, continue with a “forest day”, and finish with an “estuary day”. We anticipate starting the programs on July 7th, running for three weeks until the end of July.
On Fridays during this period, we will offer a program for the younger ones (3-5 year olds) during the mornings, with felt-board activities and exploration of the duck pond mud for aquatic insects.
Watch for the Summer “Happening”, or call the Noons Creek Hatchery for more information!
by Jutta Haunerland
The watercourse protection bylaw seems to be undergoing some changes ight now. Port Moody’s Mayor and Council are trying to set up a mutually agreed upon bylaw with our neighbouring municipalities of Anmore and Belcarra; Coquitlam may be approached as well, but hasn’t so far to my knowledge.
The Port Moody Watercourse Protection Bylaw had received third reading in Fall ‘96. The MOE Land Development parameters for suspended solids and a pH level as guidelines in the Environmental Incident Response Procedure were incorporated after consultation from Fisheries and Oceans and MOE officials. The Bylaw states regarding discharge into our waterways: “No person shall foul, obstruct, impede the drainage system or permit any prohibited material or water containing any fouling discharge to be discharged, dumped, deposited, spilled or washed, directly or indirectly, into the drainage system.”
The Bylaw defines that “drainage system” means the system and network of streams, creeks, waterways, watercourses, ponds (excluding storm-water control ponds, but not their discharge), lakes, waterworks, ditches, drains or sewers, drainage works, mains, pipes, culverts, catch basins, leads, curbs and gutters, located in the City of Port Moody private or public property, by which water is conveyed to receiving waters.
“Prohibited material” means any rock, gravel, sand, clay, silt, sediment, earth, clearing debris, construction debris, excavation wastes, concrete, cement, chemicals, sewage or other substances which result or will result in fouling, impeding or obstructing all or part of the drainage system.
Regarding prosecution - “Any person who violates any provision of this Bylaw or who neglects or fails to do anything required to be done by this Bylaw .....commits an offence under this Bylaw”
Such a person is also subject to prosecution and, upon conviction for such offence a court of competent jurisdiction, is subject to a fine of not less than $500.00 and not more than $10,000 for each and every offence.
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HELP NEEDED!! Noons Creek Hatchery is putting out an appeal for:
If you can help, call PMES SuperScrounger Dave Bennie at 942-6167 or leave a message at the Hatchery at 469-9106 |
Since the last “Creek Crier” we have managed to get some new lab equipment. Through a generous donation by D.F.O. we were able to obtain a used chromatograph. An analytical instrument that is used to determine gaseous components in a mixture of gases. This instrument will be useful in determining the concentration of organic compounds such as herbicides and insecticides that are present in water samples.
Later on in the spring we will also start a more accurate examination of the waters in our local streams for coliforms - bacteria that indicate the presence of pollution from septic tank and sewer contaminants. The presence or absence of coliform bacteria, particularly fecal coliform bacteria is a good indication of the environmental quality of water in streams and lakes.
We have several secondary students from Centennial School, who are going to continue the monitoring programs of the streams that drain into Burrard Inlet that they began last fall.
Anyone interested in this water quality testing program would be most welcome to contact me either by phone (469-0833) or by e-mail (jmattson@direct.ca) to learn more about the extent of the program and also the times that testing procedures will be run in the lab.
We would certainly welcome any volunteers who would like to get involved in the water quality monitoring of our local creeks!
Terry Glavin is a former Vancouer Sun aboriginal affairs reporter and researcher for tribal fisheries groups. He is currently working with the Katzie First Nation and ‘some white guys’ (including BC Steelhead Society) in the Pitt River watershed and lower Fraser River on re-introducing selective terminal fisheries (i.e.: traditional aboriginal fishing methods) (eg.: beach seines, fish wheels, fish weirs, fish traps). PMES was fortunate enough to have him come and speak at our March regular meeting.
“Dead Reckoning” will be of interest to BC/Pacific fisheries stakeholders and/or people interested in BC/Pacific fisheries issues (eg: fish consumers, fisherpeople (aboriginal, sport, recreational, commercial), shore workers, fish processors (owners, employees, backers) and canners, resource stewards, streamkeepers, salmonid enhancement volunteers, fisheries and fish habitat conservation biologists, fisheries managers and enforcement officers, fisheries and fish habitat sciences researchers, people in coastal and interior fishing communities, writers and/or students interested in BC/Pacific fisheries issues)
“Dead Reckoning” is a lay-readers text-book about BC/Pacific fisheries issues. It provides a sobering view of the state of the universe in BC/Pacific fisheries, covering the history and current status of BC/Pacific fisheries from before first contact to 1996.
It’s all been said before, nothing new and/or unique. Compellingly presented nonetheless. Terry’s anecdotes poignantly illustrate his themes (eg: the coho Matt Foy saw that homed in on their natal gravel by following a small ground-water spring and then re-engineering a ploughed farmers field, to re-create their redds that were there when they left them 2-3 years before). The information provided is dense, irrefutable and overwhelming. Take your time, absorb Terry’s facts slowly.
But does the book succeed in conveying its purported message? You bet! In spades! I bought it. In spite of the painful, infuriating and depressing recounting of our stupidity towards BC/Pacific fisheries, I literally couldn’t put it down. I’m not a masochist. “Dead Reckoning” is that enthralling! I reread it for this review and still couldn’t stop myself from reading just one more page. Thank goodness Glavin ends “Dead Reckoning” on a note of hope. In addition, Glavin is a great storyteller! “Who Killed Byrne Creek?”, the story of an urbanized stream in Burnaby, B.C. which died the slow death of a thousand cuts, really grabbed me.
The one shortcoming on this compelling work is a lack of graphics These would help to illustrate important points (eg: photos of: huge factory ships operating inches outside BC territorial waters, Byrne Creek (now and then), reintroduced traditional aboriginal fishing methods, habitat enhancement/restoration work by stewards). There is but one graphic: a sketch map of BC.
Glavin’s anecdotes used to illustrate his themes in “Dead Reckoning” are clear and compelling. He is a great storyteller, and despite his sometimes confusing co-mingled messages of hope and despair, I wish he’d written more.
Please note: Feedback is genuinely welcome. Phone or fax (604) 937-5300 weekday evenings before 8:00 pm, or e-mail: rlsimpson@mindlink.net.
Rick Simpson works as an outside director and/or management consultant for emerging and established technology-based companies, focusing on business development and growth issues. His volunteer commitments include: Director BC Steelhead Society; Founding President (1989-1992) Port Moody Ecological Society; Director, Pacific Streamkeepers Federation; Member, City of Port Moody Environment Protection Committee; Director, Vancouver Natural History Society.
An award of $500 is offered to a School District No. 43 student currently engaged in environmental studies at a post secondary institution.
You must have:
Complete the application form below:
a) volunteer experience and its benefits to you;
b) career plans;
c) financial need.
This statement should be typed and may not exceed 500 words.
Scholarship Committee
Port Moody Ecological Society
300 Ioco Road
Port Moody, B.C. V3H 2V7
PLEASE NOTE: Your application must be postmarked no later than May 16, 1997.
Inquiries: Call Rick Simpson (937-5300); e-mail: rlsimpson@mindlink.net; Hatchery telephone 469-9106
Selection will be made by the Port Moody Ecological Society Scholarship Committee. The Scholarship Committee may request an interview of short-listed candidates. All applications and supporting documents become the property of the Society. The award money will be deposited directly to the bursar’s office of the post- secondary institution on behalf of the student. The Society reserves the right to refrain from awarding the scholarship in the event that no suitable candidate can be selected.
Port Moody Ecological Society SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION FORM Name ____________________________________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________________________________ Postal Code ___________________________________Telephone___________________________________ Post Secondary Institution ___________________________________________________________________ Course of Study ___________________________________________________________________________ I hearby declare that the information submitted in my application package is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. Applicants’s Signature__________________________________________ Date ________________________
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