Re: “Farmed B.C. salmon could carry organic label under federal plan,” July 15.

The proposal by the Canadian General Standards Board and the organic aquaculture working group at Fisheries and Oceans Canada to give the “organic stamp of approval” to B.C. farmed salmon raised in open-net pens is nothing short of Orwellian.

Among many practices that should be considered antithetical to the spirit and intent of organic certification, the B.C. fish farm industry relies on the application of the agricultural drug Slice to address chronic sea lice outbreaks.

Emamectin benzoate is the active ingredient in Slice, which is administered in feed. The use of Slice is a concern to scientists like David Carpenter, professor at the environmental health and toxicology division at the University of Albany in New York. Carpenter has said that “emamectin is one of a class of drugs known to block a major inhibitory neural transmitter in the brain. Animal studies have demonstrated exposure to this chemical during development causes changes in behaviour and growth as well as pathological changes in the brain.”

Little is known about the long-term impact of Slice on other aquatic life. Mounting evidence indicates that Slice may negatively affect crustaceans. Canadian scientist Les Burridge, who works in the field of ecotoxicology, has written that “chemicals used to control infestations of sea lice on cultured salmon have a potential for impacting non-target organisms, particularly other crustacea. Investigations have been conducted on lethal impacts but observations made during these experiments indicate potential for ecologically important sub-lethal impacts.”

Chris Genovali

Raincoast Conservation

Sidney

Buzzflash.com July 25 2010

When Neil Young recorded the anti-Big Oil “Vampire Blues” for his brilliant album On the Beach in the mid-1970′s, who could have known that the song would end up even more relevant a quarter century later?

To read the rest of this article visit The Huffington Post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-genovali/vampire-blues-suckin-bloo_b_650204.html

http://www.buzzflash.com

As the boat containing my fellow Raincoast colleagues and I drew near the Koeye River, memories of the last time I was here, nearly five years ago (at age fourteen), began to return. As a first year engineering student and volunteer with Raincoast, I looked forward to the following days I’d be spending with Doug, Kyle and Heather, sharing our knowledge of the environment with the children at the camp.

Upon our arrival at the Koeye Lodge, I was under the impression that the next morning would be fairly relaxed, running activities and assisting the counselors. Therefore I was quite surprised to find myself waking up early and preparing for a five hour canoe paddle to Hakai. After a quick breakfast, the campers and I climbed into the twelve person canoe and began the journey. Doug piloted one of the two support boats accompanying the canoe, while Heather and Kyle remained at Koeye to do some activities with the campers staying behind. The paddle was longer than any I’ve done in the past, but with the help of support boats beside us and the motivation of the skipper, the paddle seemed to go by very quickly. Fatigue set in as we neared our destination, so it was helpful to remember that many years ago, the Heiltsuk people would frequently make this paddle in search of shellfish without the help of support boats.

When we arrived, I was amazed by the beauty of the area. The perfect sandy beach spread out to either side, and the blue-green waves curled near the shores beneath the cloudless sky. The new owners of the nearby lodge were also very friendly, even transporting our bags to the beach for us. I was impressed by all they’ve done to the place, even installing a reverse-osmosis system. After allowing the campers to frolic on the beaches for a bit, Doug and I gathered everyone together for some activities. They included a web game to test their knowledge of ecosystems, an island biogeography game to demonstrate why larger islands have a greater variety of species, and a foraging game to discuss the differences between specialist and generalist species. Having never led a group of campers before, and having less knowledge of the ecology of the area than the other “Raincoasters”, I admit I felt a little nervous at first to be leading the activities we had planned, however having Doug at my side was certainly reassuring. Plus, the kids were so friendly and eager to participate that I found myself enjoying leading the activities as much as they enjoyed participating in them!

After we returned to Koeye, Doug and I joined with Heather and Kyle to assist with some more activities. I have to say, the creativity behind some of the educational games really impressed me. Kyle led an activity involving a hook attached to three ropes suspended by pulleys, which were then controlled by the campers in an effort to catch a bucket. The purpose: to demonstrate how wolves use teamwork to catch their prey. Heather meanwhile had the kids playing a game with fish crackers, an excellent pre-lunch game, to show the affects of overfishing and the importance of only taking what you need. Doug had a third group of kids on the beach, showing them how to make a plaster cast of animal tracks.

At the end of our stay we tested the campers on what they had learned. I was amazed at how much information they retained and how eager they were to answer (with a little motivation from prizes of course)! It gives me hope to see these kids still enjoy themselves in nature in an age so dominated by technology. As it becomes more crucial to resolve the world’s environmental issues, it will fall to young people like these campers (and even myself) to try and resolve them.

Calgary Herald, July 16, 2010

Edmonton Journal July 18, 2010

Regarding the billboard ads urging Americans not to visit Alberta this summer, B.C. conservation groups might want to take a page from U.S. environmental organizations and adopt a similar campaign urging British Columbians to “rethink” travelling to Alberta.

As the Alberta government, oilsands industry and Enbridge Inc. attempt to shove the Northern Gateway pipeline down our throats in B.C., maybe it’s time we launched a boycott of our own. Why should British Columbians be willing to put our magnificent north coast at risk so that Alberta can reap profits from shipping “the world’s dirtiest oil” to Asian and American markets?

And sorry, we’re not falling for the full-page hyperbole-filled Enbridge advertisements in newspapers across B.C. trumpeting how Northern Gateway will solve unemployment, build sustainable communities and even make B.C.’s rocky north coast safer for all marine traffic.

Chris Genovali,

Sidney, B.C.

Re: The billboard ads urging Americans not to visit Alberta. B.C. conservation groups might want to take a page from U.S. environmental organizations and adopt a similar campaign urging British Columbians to “rethink” travelling to Alberta.

As the Alberta government, oilsands industry and Enbridge Inc. attempt to shove the “Northern Gateway” pipeline down our throats in B.C., maybe it’s time we launched a boycott of our own.

Why should British Columbians be willing to put our magnificent north coast at risk so Alberta can reap profits from shipping “the world’s dirtiest oil” to Asian and American markets?

And sorry, we’re not falling for the full-page hyperbole-filled Enbridge ads in newspapers across B.C. trumpeting how Northern Gateway will solve unemployment, build sustainable communities and even make B.C.’s rocky north coast safer for all marine traffic.

Chris Genovali

Raincoast Conservation

Sidney, B.C.

Playing "The Nose Knows"

Nests with too many chicks had low survival rates, as individual chicks didn’t receive sufficient crackers to survive, whereas parents risked losing all their chicks if their clutch size was too small and some died from eating environmentally-poisoned food (gummy bears). In the second game we learned to ‘see’ the world as many predators do, using our sense of smell as our primary modality. Kids began by smelling each other. They were then blindfolded and tried to identify their friends by scent alone. As per usual, the kids were a bundle of insights, laughs, jokes, and the occasional flatulence.

Playing the brood provisioning game at Kvai

After the games I took a relaxed walk back to the main lodge,  giving me some time to collect my thoughts and appreciate how fortunate I’ve been to spend the past week as part of the experience of Kvai. In particular, I realized how lucky I’ve been to spend time with such great kids!

These kids provide so much fodder for hope! As an ecologist, it’s easy to become jaded and cynical when confronted with knowledge of ecological degradation and the unwillingness of many people to take such degradation seriously. It’s easy to think that we, as a species, have lost our way. However, the kids of Kvai provide the perfect antidote to such a poisonous and counterproductive stance. These kids are at a stage in their lives where they are in fact finding their way; they’re finding out who they are as people, and learning about their place in the world. They have an uncanny ability to quickly understand the complex ecological processes of the temperate rainforest they call home. They have honesty and directness adults should strive to maintain. Most importantly they fully understand the importance of their role in carrying into the future the Heiltsuk culture and traditions that have played such a crucial role in this area for thousands upon thousands of years. They also understand that the survival of their people depends on the survival of the land and all the plants and animals that form the underpinnings of their cultural legacy.

Kvai camp has been a great learning experience and a great inspiration for the Raincoast crew (Doug, Heather, Bryce and Me). At a time when much of humanity seems to have lost its way, seeing a snapshot of young people respectfully learning their place in the world provides me with great hope for humanity as a whole. Perhaps we’ll all find our way yet!

For more information about the QQS programs here at Kvai, please visit http://www.koeyelodge.com/programs/

On our first morning, I head towards the lodge for breakfast. The sand ahead of me is decorated with hundreds of small footprints made by a train of young campers. From where I am, the procession looks like a little caterpillar winding its way along the beach. The sound of their laughter blends in with the crashing of waves.

Ecosystem game, photo by Kyle Artelle

After a hearty breakfast prepared by dedicated and hard-working kitchen staff, the campers trek from the lodge back to their camp. There, we play games on the beach designed to explore ecological concepts. In one of the games, shown in the photo below, we use twine to illustrate the complexity of ecosystems and the interconnections among local species. In a game analogous to the teamwork required by a pack of wolves to hunt prey, the campers work together to pick up a bucket using a system of pulleys (second picture).

Wolf teamwork game, photo by Kyle Artelle

Later, the campers will swim and continue playing games on the beach. They will also practice traditional dances in preparation for ‘Feast Day’. The feast is the culmination of the week when campers share what they have learned with friends and family that come to take part in the celebration. As I watch the focus that these young people have for their dances, I am inspired and filled with hope for the future.

For more information on Koeye camps, please visit http://www.koeyelodge.com/programs/

By Misty MacDuffee, Corey Peet and Chris Genovali

As the Canadian federal inquiry examining the 2009 Fraser River sockeye salmon collapse in British Columbia kicks into full gear, one might be surprised to learn that at the same time, the Marine Stewardship Council wants to designate this fishery as “eco-certified.”

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for the Fraser River sockeye fishery raises serious questions about the process and methodology for MSC certification, especially given the latest Fraser sockeye collapse of some eight million fish. Even the possibility of MSC certification for Fraser
sockeye has led many of BC’s environmental NGO’s to express qualms about the logic and rationale of the MSC, as their judgment in this matter has, thus far, overlooked serious concerns about the status and management of Fraser sockeye.

It is an unfortunate situation as the existence of MSC certification should signify an opportunity to increase the protection of wild salmon on the coast and to work around the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) who have been a major obstacle to achieving that goal.

MSC began in 1997 when the World Wildlife Fund and Unilever – a major seafood buyer – formed a partnership to try to leverage buying power into transformative change for global fisheries and collectively define sustainable, or at least environmentally preferable, fisheries. A collaboration of this type represents a potentially powerful step forward, as conscientious members of industry can work with NGOs to integrate conservation and social justice agendas into fisheries sustainability.

This new approach also changes the role of governments, given their poor track record at managing fish, into a follow-up function that implements policy as it is defined by the collaboration between industry and NGOs. This scenario has the potential to drive substantial change as long as the
environmental NGOs involved fully grasp the conservation science at the local level. It is also key that they never lose sight of the fact that establishing sufficient rigorousness for such a process is of paramount importance to ensuring that their integrity is not squandered for bad tradeoffs.

The Raincoast Conservation Foundation recognizes the value that certification could play in terms of improving fisheries practices. However, we are concerned that MSC relationships between the client (industry) and the certifier are far too close and not independent. Secondly, we are concerned that the MSC criteria sets a low bar and will not result in transformative change. These factors have allowed them to endorse fisheries around the globe that are not sustainable. For example, the stock status of
both Alaskan pollock and New Zealand Hoki have declined under MSC certification. Their criteria also lack sufficient ecosystem considerations. For example, BC salmon fisheries do not consider whales, bears or other wildlife that depend on salmon. In addition, if the Fraser River certification moves forward then Cultus Lake or Sakinaw sockeye would also be certified; this leads us to raise the question, is the MSC actually sanguine about certifying endangered fish populations?

Certification must account for all environmental (and social) issues facing the certified fish in question, even if this means committing to continuous improvement on certain issues, especially as science and conservation objectives evolve. Failure to do so is greenwashing and forces NGOs who are also working on these issues into difficult positions, where they find themselves opposing the MSC instead of supporting it.

As an example, the industry is proposing that MSC give the green stamp of approval to pink and chum salmon runs in the Great Bear Rainforest, the area where Raincoast has been working for over a decade to protect salmon- grizzly systems and other important salmon ecosystem linkages. In the last
several years, however, there has been a disturbing silence at the time of year when these streams should be vibrant with spawning fish and splashing bears. Raincoast believes it to be imperative to account for these types of ecosystem functions when considering a fisheries sustainability.

We suggest that the MSC re-examine both their process and certification standards are determined and pay much more attention to their ecological shortcomings if they want long-term legitimacy from conservation groups. They need a transparent, independent and impartial certification process, as
well as a mechanism for ongoing improvement of criteria that would continually push for the highest fishing standards and truly drive conservation in the world’s oceans. To attain this, they must address the structural flaws in their certification process and commit to incorporating ecosystem objectives for marine and terrestrial environments. Their brand reputation is at stake and they run the risk of turning their theoretical supporters into very real opponents if their approach to these issues is
allowed to continue.

Misty MacDuffee is a biologist with Raincoast Conservation Foundation’s wild salmon program. Ecologist Corey Peet is an aquaculture specialist and Raincoast board member. Chris Genovali is Raincoast’s executive director.

When British Columbia Conservation Officer Andrew Anaka learned that a Bella Coola Valley resident was threatening to “pop” a grizzly bear mother and her three cubs for stealing salmon off his deck, Anaka advised the man to instead remove his salmon. He said the family of bears should only be shot if they were an imminent threat. The resident did not remove the salmon and later shot all four bears.

Read the full story at  Huffington Post

It is always comforting to see a familiar face after a long time.

I have often wondered if we shared the same thoughts of our favourite things since our last encounter. The salmon and a deep connection to this area have been special to our bond.  Once again it has brought us together for a short time in one of our favourite places.

Reunions like this don’t happen often so each moment will be cherished and never be forgotten.

A familiar face in a familiar place

Gestating. Lactating. Comforting. Safeguarding. Loving.

(Not) sleeping. Sacrificing.

Repeat. Hour by hour. Day after day. For years.

Today I want to share with you a very special mother.

She is the mother-of-three grizzly we wrote about over the last few weeks.

I can assure you that she is working as hard as other young mothers out there. Especially with three little furballs.

Let’s take the time to thank her for all she does for the grizzlies of the future.

check out momma bear play-biting the neck of one of her 3 youngsters!

As the Canadian federal inquiry examining the 2009 Fraser River sockeye salmon collapse in British Columbia kicks into full gear, one might be surprised to learn that at the same time, the Marine Stewardship Council wants to designate this fishery as “eco-certified.”

For the rest of this Raincoast article visit The Huffington Post at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-genovali/would-a-grizzly-bear-cert_b_615947.html

The trail cameras were placed at several select sites and captured images every two seconds when triggered by motion. The resulting string of images plays back as a slightly disjointed silent film starring grizzly bears, black bears and wolves that often demonstrate a comic competence that rivals Charlie Chaplin. This season’s cinema highlights included a mother grizzly and her 3 cubs, curious wolves, and a handsome looking blonde grizzly couple.

The trail cameras add a unique and complementary addition to our field methods. Our daily tasks of searching the numerous barbs of the snare for hair at each site involve some imagination to determine entry and exit points where more hair may be found. This day-to-day routine requires focus on many small individual hairs (it takes a Jedi-like mind-set to locate underfur on a bed of moss), making it easy to become captivated by the details. The trail camera images showing these miraculous animals allow us to put the research in context and to connect the recorded data of “4-10 partial dark brown guard hairs found on the ground under barb E8″ to a charismatic individual bear. These images also provide a great resource for outreach and allow us insight into the behavioral component of these animals in order to improve our hair capture methods.

Chris already posted one of the best pictures from this season’s field camera’s in his latest blog, but here are a few more for you to enjoy!

As it appears, somebody else is doing some reflection.

We are pulling some of our remote cameras and inspecting the images of bears at our non-invasive hair-snagging stations.

We have captured some very beautiful bear moments, which I want to reveal over the next week or so.

Here’s the first image…it’s very beautiful. How pensive this big boy seems.

About what is he thinking? That he is sick of sedges? That he can hardly wait for salmon to arrive? That he is thankful that he is not being hunted by a commericial hunting operation?

I cannot tell you where it was taken, but I can tell you that it was in a watershed in our ‘hunting territory’ (in which we extinguished the commercial trophy hunting of bears and other carnivores). There is something profoundly special about knowing that Raincoast’s foresight could have saved the life of this bear and others. Clearly, his life is as valuable as yours and mine.

Hands Across the Sand is now international . Any person in any country may plan events on this website. This is a peaceful gathering of the people of the world. Planning an event is as simple as this:

Go to your beach on June 26 at 11 AM.
Form lines in the sand and at 12:00, join hands.
The image is powerful, the message is simple. NO to Offshore Oil Drilling, YES to Clean Energy.

NO to Offshore Oil Drilling
YES to Clean Energy.
12 Noon, Saturday June 26th, at a beach near you.
Hands Across the Sand

Locally in British Columbia, there are 4 events planned so far, and more may arise before June 26th:

Victoria – Willows Beach (not Ogden Point). Meet 11am onwards
Renee Lindstrom and Lisa Cole lisafcole@gmail.com 250-361-7508 Facebook

Vancouver – English Bay. Meet 11am onwards, 1795 Beach Ave
Fiona Bowie BCAAOSD@gmail.com

Hornby Island – Big Tribune Bay. Meet 11am onwards
Shannon Warwick bridging@telus.net

Kelowna – Tugboat Bay. Meet 11am onwards
Miriam Cunha yonisha.ar.raqis@gmail.com 250-448-5523 Facebook

In Victoria, Willows Beach is 800 metres long, so we need 600 people to cover the entire length of the beach. It will be a good low tide that morning. Please come and enjoy the fun, and help send the powerful message of NO OFFSHORE DRILLING FOR OIL in BC’s waters – CLEAN ENERGY NOW.

Supported and endorsed by the BC Sustainable Energy Association , the Green Party of Canada , the Sierra Club of BC , the Raincoast Conservation Foundation , the Georgia Strait Alliance , and the David Suzuki Foundation .