Critical Fraser River Salmon Habitat is Threatened!

cohochinook

Well-Known Member
Are you familiar with the area known as the Heart of the Fraser? It's the stretch of the Fraser River between Mission and Hope, and is critical to the survival of Fraser River salmon and sturgeon. Its gravel reaches are prime spawning habitat for salmon and the endangered white sturgeon, and it serves as a nursery for billions of baby salmon every year.

Today, two large islands in the Heart of the Fraser are in grave danger. Herrling and Carey Islands not only provide a large amount of vital fish habitat but are an important area for fishing and outdoor recreation. Developers want to turn this prime salmon and sturgeon habitat into subdivisions and industrial farmland.
The developers have applied to build bridges to these islands which, if approved, would clear the way for large scale destruction of the islands’ wetlands and side channels that provide important fish habitat. Developing these islands will also remove them from the floodplain, likely increasing flood risk in the surrounding communities.

Click on the link below to voice your concerns:

www.heartofthefraser.ca


The main thing we need people to do is call their MLA or Minister Donaldson’s office to demand that the bridge permits not be approved. The main issue isn’t with the direct impact of the bridges themselves, but what the bridges would enable: diking, draining, ditching, and shoreline hardening that would completely ruin these islands as fish habitat and mess up the surrounding spawning and rearing habitats for salmon and sturgeon by altering the natural processes. With 90% of these types of habitats in the lower Fraser already lost, we have to hold the line and not let any more get wrecked!

It seems insane that the Province and Feds would allow this destruction to occur while claiming to be taking serious action to rebuild Fraser chinook and SR killer whales.

BCWF is trying to purchase the islands for conservation but if the bridges get approved the price will skyrocket.
 
It occurs to me that this is the perfect opportunity for all of us to join with the indigenous people of B.C. to put this to an end immediately. I am certain that these islands have been used and occupied for centuries by the indiginous people notably in the summer and fall during the salmon runs.,and I am equally certain there are many native artifacts and indications of this fact. I can assure everyone that nothing scares the hell out of property developers more than evidence of previous native occupation. Lets work together to put a stop to this outrageous abuse of these and all such places on the river. Brian.
 
Sea bird island band takes part of the gravel extraction on their land on the Fraser!
Working with FN to stop it? Kermit this is just another quick buck for FN at the cost of exploiting our resources to extinction.
https://www.nationalobserver.com/20...troversial-fraser-river-gravel-mining-project

Maybe read up and see how the keepers of land are protecting one the best spawning areas of sturgeon on the Fraser!
Wake up man and realize what the majority of region 2 FN are about
 
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Are you familiar with the area known as the Heart of the Fraser? It's the stretch of the Fraser River between Mission and Hope, and is critical to the survival of Fraser River salmon and sturgeon. Its gravel reaches are prime spawning habitat for salmon and the endangered white sturgeon, and it serves as a nursery for billions of baby salmon every year.

Today, two large islands in the Heart of the Fraser are in grave danger. Herrling and Carey Islands not only provide a large amount of vital fish habitat but are an important area for fishing and outdoor recreation. Developers want to turn this prime salmon and sturgeon habitat into subdivisions and industrial farmland.
The developers have applied to build bridges to these islands which, if approved, would clear the way for large scale destruction of the islands’ wetlands and side channels that provide important fish habitat. Developing these islands will also remove them from the floodplain, likely increasing flood risk in the surrounding communities.

Click on the link below to voice your concerns:

www.heartofthefraser.ca


The main thing we need people to do is call their MLA or Minister Donaldson’s office to demand that the bridge permits not be approved. The main issue isn’t with the direct impact of the bridges themselves, but what the bridges would enable: diking, draining, ditching, and shoreline hardening that would completely ruin these islands as fish habitat and mess up the surrounding spawning and rearing habitats for salmon and sturgeon by altering the natural processes. With 90% of these types of habitats in the lower Fraser already lost, we have to hold the line and not let any more get wrecked!

It seems insane that the Province and Feds would allow this destruction to occur while claiming to be taking serious action to rebuild Fraser chinook and SR killer whales.

BCWF is trying to purchase the islands for conservation but if the bridges get approved the price will skyrocket.

Your directing that argument in the wrong place. That is a Provincial issue, and province still take lead with these projects under the current fisheries act. The federal is Environment Canada. Wow this look familiar. Beware of the BC Ministry Environment alone. That is your battle. With the professional reliance model still working in BC you are going to have a steep battle.

Contact the ministry of environment and start reading on the proposal.

I know you don't want to hear this but the First nations are a useful ally if you have concerns, and you may have to put the issues aside. Beware as industry will likely already be talking with them, and most likely are engaged already in the process.

Either way your likelihood of stopping it may not work, but you can insist on proper technical evaluation of the impact to sensitive salmon habitat areas. Riparian regulations must be followed to put the project in. What you want to ask is how us MOE is going to monitor it if it does get approval.
 
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It occurs to me that this is the perfect opportunity for all of us to join with the indigenous people of B.C. to put this to an end immediately. I am certain that these islands have been used and occupied for centuries by the indiginous people notably in the summer and fall during the salmon runs.,and I am equally certain there are many native artifacts and indications of this fact. I can assure everyone that nothing scares the hell out of property developers more than evidence of previous native occupation. Lets work together to put a stop to this outrageous abuse of these and all such places on the river. Brian.


Do your homework on gravel removal in the Fraser.

It has been fought before and even with science on our side was lost.

DFO, The Province and FN do not care.

The greens do not care.

The only hope you might have is hooking this to Killer Whales.
 
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