Developments threaten salmon
BILL Procopation, genial Fraser River organizer for the UFAWU and a fisherman since he was 16, says he has received from the federal environment department a list of 26 proposed developments in the lower Fraser, some or all of which could spell disaster to migrating fish.
Many of the proposed developments already are well known through media coverage. Examples are extensions to the Roberts Bank superport and Vancouver International Airport, a 5,000 to 10,000 boat marina directly north of Iona Island on the Musqueam Indian Reserve and the proposed natural gas pipeline between the superport and the Tsawwassen ferry terminal.
What boggles the mind is not this or that proposed development but revelation of the aggregate threat the 26 proposals pose to the aquatic environment.
One organization which is wasting no time in sounding warnings about the lower Fraser's deteriorating water quality is the UFAWU Fraser River District Council, of which Procopation is an active member.
Unhampered by the political restraints that force federal fisheries biologists to keep a fairly low public profile, the council for the past couple of years has attempted, through meetings and press releases, to focus fishermen's attention on the growing threat to their livelihood.
The priority of salmon enhancement, coastwide and on the Fraser, is the major talking point for river fishermen today. But, as Procopation points out, in the long run enhancement can only be effective as part of a general clean-up program on the Fraser.
At a meeting called by the council April 25 in New Westminster between fishermen and Fisheries Service representatives, he proposed, in addition to an immediate start to the federal-provincial salmonid enhancement program:
— A moratorium on construction of wing-dams and jetties for the purpose of water diversion.
— Immediate legislation — backed by stiff penalties — to ensure source control of industrial effluents, plus a monitoring system.
— Federal-provincial cooperation in construction of secondary (and preferably tertiary) treatment facilities at the Annacis Island plant.
"When these things are done, and the cleaning up of the river is assured, then, and only then, are we on the road to recovery of the salmon runs on the Fraser," Procopation declared.
Though the fisheries representatives present were quite
UFAWU MEETINGS
NANAIMO LOCAL
NANAIMOWA JOINTMEETING
THURSDAY, MAY 13 7:30 p.m. CAVALIER ROOM TALLY HO MOTEL
• Report on s a 1 m on price negotiations.
VANCOUVER SHOREWORKERS' LOCAL
THURSDAY, MAY 27
8 p.m. FISHERMEN'S HALL 138 East Cordova Street
• Report on negotiations
â–
STEVESTON SHOREWORKERS' LOCAL
TUESDAY, MAY 11 8 p.m. STEVESTON COMMUNITY CENTRE
• Report on negotiations
adamant that the enhancement program cannot start before next year, there were encouraging signs that closer cooperation between commercial and sport fishermen in the continuing
struggle to save the Fraser may be brought about in future.
If this is the case, inevitably it will mean a wider role for the Fraser River District Council, which already has met separate-
ly with the Fisheries Service numerous times, works with the New Westminster Harbor Commission and the federal public works department and maintains a presence on government steer-
• Sewage given only primary treatment pours into the river from Gilbert Road and other outfa
Proposed developments listed
HERE is the complete list of lower Fraser developments currently under proposal, as furnished to the UFAWU by the federal environment department.
B.C. Ferry terminal (North Arm or Iona Island jetties); dredging to allow log boom storage areas (North Arm adjacent to Musqueam Reserve No. 2); North Fraser Harbor Commission scow basin in approximately the same location as above.
Musqueam Marina containing berths for 5,000 to 10,000 boats (directly north of Iona Island); MacDonald Slough barge unloading ramp (Sea Island); road relocations connected with the proposed ferry terminal (Iona-Sea islands).
North Fraser Harbor Commission Marina (Sea Island, near Grauer Point); Swishwash Island Marina; Garry Point condominium development and marina park; Lulu Island foreshore residential area (west of the sea dike, approximately 160 acres directly off Blundell Road and Westminster Highway).
Steveston Island fishing craft harbor; river training program (Steveston Cut); Tilbury Island Industrial Park; Ladner Marina; Lower Fraser River Channel training program (South Arm* from the Fraser's mouth to New Westminster).
Residential and commerical development in Ladner marsh; diking program (Tsawwassen Indian land); energy corridor (proposed natural gas pipeline to Vancouver Island commencing between Roberts Bank superport and Tsawwassen ferry terminal).
Proposed expansions to existing facilities are:
Richmond boat-launching ramp (near Wood Island); Vancouver International Airport; sea plane base (off Sea Island on the Fraser's middle arm); Cholberg Marina (near Den-smore Bridge on the Sea Island side).
Vancouver Marina (opposite Cholberg Marina on the Lulu Island side); Roberts Bank superport; Tsawwassen ferry terminal; Boundary Bay Airport.
ing and technical committees concerned with Annacis Island.
One of the major bones of contention with the river fishermen is their being forced to shoulder the major share of the burden of conservation of Fraser salmon stocks.
A one-month delay in the opening of the river net fishery — from March 15 to April 19 — brought the issue to a head this year, and the council led protests to the Fisheries Service and the three Canadian commissioners on the International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission.
The Fisheries Service did not relent over the late openings, and only one of the commissioners replied to the council's request for extra fishing time for Canadian fishermen in District 1 of convention waters as compensation — and only then to ask the council to back up its contention that sport fishermen have overcropped Fraser system spawning grounds.
"The season used to open at the end of February, with four to five days a week," explains Procopation.
"Then it was four or five days starting March 15, then finally it was down to only one day a week. This year fishermen had to wait until April 19, and still only a day-a-week fishery."
Largely unconvinced of the need for still more studies prior to implementation of the enhancement program, coast-wide fishermen say the critical state of Fraser spring stocks allow no excuse for delay. Spawners at Lillooet Lake last summer were down to 400, Procopation claimed at the April 25 meeting.
"Yet sportsmen, mainly Americans, travelled in to the lake by snowmobile and four-wheel driven vehicles, taking 200 of those 400 fish.
The council also contends that expansion of the U.S. fishery intercepting non-treaty Fraser stocks, especially off Point Roberts, which has become intensified since the Boldt decision restricted non-Indian fishermen in Wshington state.
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