Archive

July 26, 2011 10:13:00

Posted By Trish Hall

From Ian Scott at Moody International:

Please note that version 5 of the assessment report has been posted on the MSC web site.

Following a 30 day period of comment on the Draft Report, the independent Governing Board of the certification body for the above fishery, Moody Marine Ltd, has reviewed the report of the assessment team, the reports of the peer reviewers and all stakeholder comments.

The Determination reached by the certification body is that the BRITISH COLUMBIA HOOK & LINE SPINY DOGFISH FISHERY SHOULD be certified according to the MSC Principles and Criteria.

There is now a 15 working day period (until 19 August) during which any party that disagrees with this determination may send a written statement of intent to lodge an objection.

July 20, 2011 04:03:47

Posted By Trish Hall

Watershed Watch Salmon Society has released Salmon Leaks Part 8 – Fraser sockeye management, habitat use and dynamics expert reports.  Salmon Leaks is a series of highlights from the Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River.  Key testimony and exhibits are highlighted to help people deal with the overwhelming amount of information emerging from the Inquiry.  Part 8 provides an overview of several expert reports and the testimony on habitat enhancement and restoration.

For more information, see other Salmon Leaks posts:

• Salmon Leaks: Backgrounder
• Salmon Leaks Part 1: The Beginning
• Salmon Leaks Part 2: Additional Highlights from 2010
• Salmon Leaks Part 3: Ringing in 2011 with Harvest Management
• Salmon Leaks Part 4: Inquiry Digs Deeper into Fishing
• Salmon Leaks Part 5: Expert Reports on Climate Change and Habitat
• Salmon Leaks Part 6: A thorough cross-examination of DFO’s Regional Director of Science—Dr. Laura Richards
• Salmon Leaks Part 7: DFO habitat management and enforcement panel

July 19, 2011 02:03:47

Posted By Trish Hall

In the letter MSC condition being ignored in Area 4 fishery, MCC member groups, Watershed Watch Salmon Society and SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, highlight a condition not being met in the MSC certified Skeena River sockeye fishery that is putting beleaguered Skeena River chum salmon at risk and urge DFO to take action.  Condition 36b states:

Certification will be conditional until there is a clear commitment from the management agency and fishers to identify and implement selective fishing techniques that are consistent with the goal of reducing the catch of non-target species, especially steelhead. (Skeena Condition #3.2b).

However, DFO’s plans to implement half nets/short sets for gillnets starting August 1 will be too late to protect early-timed chum.  These changes would also have to be implemented by July 18 to avoid excessive impacts to steelhead which are singled out in the condition.

Watershed Watch and SkeenaWild request the following:

1. Implementation of half nets, short sets for gill net fisheries in Area 4 starting July 18. Doing otherwise will jeopardize MSC certification of both the sockeye and pink fisheries.
2. Half nets/short sets, small mesh nets, and observer coverage for all further north coast gill net fisheries targeting pink salmon in areas 3-6. As you know, chum stocks across the north coast are in trouble. While not explicitly required by MSC conditions, half nets/short sets should have been used for all gillnet fisheries in Area 3 this season to minimize impacts on domestic chum and thereby demonstrate progress on condition 23 of the Nass sockeye certification, and to demonstrate progress on the impending conditions of the pink certification.

 

For more information on our efforts to ensure that eco-certifications are truly meaningful see:

• A review of the December 7, 2011 draft MSC assessment of B.C. pink salmon fisheries, SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, David Suzuki Foundation and Watershed Watch Salmon Society, January 19, 2011
• BC sustainable salmon labels raise doubts, CBC News, July 6, 2010
• Canadian Salmon Fisheries Granted Eco-Certification: Conservation Groups Wary, Watershed Watch and SkeenaWild media release July 5, 2010

July 18, 2011 10:35:53

Posted By Trish Hall

On July 8, 2011 MCC representatives from Watershed Watch Salmon Society, Raincoast Conservation Foundation, SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, Living Oceans Society, Steelhead Society of BC and David Suzuki Foundation met with Minister Ashfield to discuss a range of habitat and fisheries management issues for both groundfish and salmon.  Briefing notes relating togroundfish and salmon were also provided to the Minister as an overview of our key concerns and recommendations.

The MCC also referred back to our request for increased consultations with DFO on habitat issues as per our June 27, 2011 letter.

July 6, 2011 02:58:20

Posted By Trish Hall

The MCC is pleased to announce that the Steelhead Society of BC has become a member of the MCC Steering Committee.  For more information on MCC members and operations, see ourwebsite.