Worst floods in 200 years ravage coast salmon streams
Christmas floods which ravaged almost every area of the province were the worst in 200 years and destroyed up to 90 percent of the spawned roe in many streams, according to fisheries field services officer Al Gibson.
"This has definitely been a black winter to fishermen," he said, although the effects will not be felt until the cycle years of 1983 and 1984.
Damage to salmon and salmon spawning areas was particularly severe in the Squamish area and the lower reaches of the Fraser system. "The extent of flooding was severe everywhere except in northern B.C. and the Queen Charlotte Islands," Gibson said.
"This is a natural disaster that we have to live with," he said, adding that the department will be undertaking restoration work in areas where it is most needed.
He said logging practices in areas of the coast where flooding occurred may have caused greater damage than what it would normally be expected.
"If we dealt with virgin nature the damage would have been less severe, I'm sure."
He said the department is still assessing the damage in most areas and noted that fisheries officers have not even been able to visit some isolated inlets in the central coast where damage was severe.
"Channels have changed course, river banks eroded and spawning beds were destroyed," he said.
A preliminary damage estimate by the department indicated losses of nearly 90 percent to salmon eggs, fry and smolts in most areas of B.C., except in the north.
"Major losses occurred in the Squamish River system," said an interdepartmental assessment document, adding that the Mamquam river, a tributary of the Squamish, suffered extensive riverbed scouring, gravel movement and siltation.
"There are indications that almost all of the 20,000 chum spawners which used the river last November have been lost," said the document.
The document noted that the estimated loss of chum, spring salmon and coho eggs in the Cheakamus river was 75 percent to 90 percent.
Record flood levels, massive riverbank erosion and gravel movement in the Birkenhead river, near Lillooet, caused extensive damage to sockeye and spring salmon species.
The Coldwater river, near Merritt, and the Fraser River area below Hope, B.C., also suffered severe losses of nearly 90 percent in chum and spring salmon eggs and juveniles.
A preliminary estimate of Vancouver Island damage recorded extensive destruction to all spawning grounds with a possible loss of nearly 50 percent of all salmon eggs.
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Rivers Inlet areas have also recorded losses of nearly 50 percent in spring salmon and chums.
Gibson said extensive destruction of spawning areas nearly 10 miles south of Bella Coola was detected in the early stages of fisheries inspection tours.
The document added that only minor damage occurred to sal-monid enhancement facilities around the coast.
"A real assessment of the damage will be made once water levels drop and isolated areas can be reached," the document concluded.
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UFAWU STAFF APPOINTMENTS
Applications Invited
A PPLICANTS must be UFAWU members and be resident in or prepared to take up residence in the areas of the posts for which they make application — Prince Rupert for northern B.C. posts, Vancouver area for all other B.C. posts except the Vancouver Island post.
f OSTS for which applications are invited are welfare director, assistant welfare director, northern representative, northern organizer, Vancouver Island organizer, Fraser Valley organizer, general shoreworkers' organizer, Vancouver waterfrontorganizer.
• Advertising of these posts does not necessarily imply that those now holding these appointments are relinquishing them. Staff members must notify the UFAWU general executive board in writing if they do not intend to seek reappointment or wish to apply for another post.
F ULL details of these posts are obtainable from UFAWU headquarters in Fishermen's Hall, Vancouver — phone 684-3254.
APPLICATIONS, addressed to the General Executive Board, United Fishermen and Allied Workers Union, 138 East Cordova Street, Vancouver, must be made in writing and received on or before February 13, 1981.
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