Category Archives: Fishing

Fishing, Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Coho Smolts Dying on Byrne Creek in Burnaby

One day after schoolchildren released coho smolts into Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC, fish were found dying. Studies show that coho are particularly sensitive to road wash that contains a toxic combination of pollutants including gasoline, oil, antifreeze, and metals.

coho smolts dying


They actually try to swim with their heads above the water as they try to escape the pollutants

It would likely help if the City of Burnaby council would actually implement the Byrne Creek Integrated Stormwater Management Plan and the Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

The watershed needs rain gardens, swales, and biofiltration ponds. The more road wash that is intercepted and naturally filtered in the ground the better.

UPDATE: I sent this to Dr. Jenifer McIntyre, a professor at Washington State University, who has been researching the impacts of road runoff on salmon. She shared a link to her latest published study comparing road runoff effects on coho vs chum.

Looks interesting!

 

Fishing, Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

More Coho Dying Unspawned on Byrne Ck in Burnaby

Volunteers with the Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society are seeing more coho prespawn mortality this season. That’s when coho that return to spawn die before they can do so.

This has been a recurring problem on the creek over the years, and is likely due to polluted road wash that carries contaminants into the water. There are ongoing studies in Washington State that point to a toxic brew of contaminants in stormwater as being lethal to coho, which seem particularly susceptible to it.

male prespawn mortality coho
We found this coho male today

female prespawn mortality coho
And this coho female full of eggs a couple of days ago

We get so few coho back to Byrne Creek that we treasure every one, and it’s so sad to see them die without completing their life cycle.

We desperately need to infiltrate water washed off from roads and parking lots into the ground through swales and rain gardens. The ground acts as a natural filter. Yet the Byrne Creek watershed in Burnaby, BC, is seeing more and more ground paved over despite hundreds of hours of professional and public input into Stormwater Management Plans and a recent Environmental Sustainability Strategy.

Note that it is illegal to interfere with spawning salmon. Streamkeepers have training and permission to process dead salmon to collect data on species, size, spawning status, etc. We return the carcasses to the creek after processing as they provide food and nutrients to other fish, animals and the overall ecosystem.

UPDATE (Dec. 7, 2017): More research coming from the US northwest. 

Fishing, Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

SEHAB Meeting on Sunshine Coast

The volunteer Salmonid Enhancement and Habitat Advisory Board to the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans met in Gibsons, BC, for a 2-1/2 day meeting this weekend. Thanks to local stewardship volunteers who showed us around! Here are some shots taken over the weekend.

We had a great working weekend, got lots done, and have lots of things to share with DFO Pacific Regional HQ.


The ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Langdale


Me and Jan on the ferry. Thanks to my wife Yumi for this photo. I represent the North Side of the Fraser River from Burnaby to Mission, and Jan is a rep from the north coast.


Getting down to work


Great presentations from DFO


Some happy guy who just loves meetings! 🙂


A local Gibsons, BC, icon, that will be familiar to lots of Canadians of certain generations.


Now that’s a huge 3D watershed map!


Hopeful heron wishing the nets at the hatchery were not quite so effective 🙂

sehab sunshine coast gibsons chapman


Gotta goof around a bit to stay sane, eh?


Eagles checking us out as we were checking out the hatchery


American Dipper

Fishing, Nature, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

Reveling at the Chill, the Rain

Gotta go to sleep, early shift tomorrow, but hearing what sounds like a few drops outside my window in south #Burnaby makes me happy.

Yes, I’m happy at the chill in the air, and the looming precipitation. Rain means salmon are coming. . .

All ya folks out there sad at the rain and the dark, get thee back outside, and feel, touch, smell the season.

Autumn is glorious, especially here in the lower mainland of BC.

Nighty night.

Business, Fishing, Nature, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

Canadian Govt Seeks Input on Strengthening Enviro/Regulatory Reviews

If you’re involved in environmental issues in Canada in any way, be it as a volunteer, consultant, NGO staff member, etc., you may be interested in contributing feedback to this discussion paper.

Environmental and Regulatory Reviews: Discussion Paper

Purpose

Our Government is committed to deliver environmental assessment and regulatory processes that regain public trust, protect the environment, introduce modern safeguards, advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, ensure good projects go ahead, and resources get to market.

We made this commitment because we share common concerns about the ability of Canada’s environmental assessment and regulatory processes to protect and sustain the natural environment while getting resources to market and creating good, middle class jobs for Canadians. In the current system:

  • There is a need for greater transparency around the science, data and evidence supporting decisions and to ensure Indigenous knowledge is sufficiently taken into account;
  • Protections to Canada’s fisheries and waterways are insufficient; and,
  • Indigenous peoples and the public should have more opportunities to meaningfully participate.

This discussion paper outlines the changes our Government is considering for Canada’s environmental assessment and regulatory processes that will:

  • Regain public trust;
  • Protect the environment;
  • Advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples; and,
  • Ensure good projects go ahead and resources get to market.

Government is seeking feedback on this discussion paper.

Camping, Fishing, Photography, Travel

Camping at Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park

I tacked a few days on to my trip to Quesnel for SEP2017, the BC-wide streamkeepers workshop, so that I could relax and camp for a couple of days. Here are some shots from the road trip, and  a lovely stay at Ten Mile Lake Provincial Park. All of these photos were taken with my new Canon SX720HS.

Quesnel road trip Ten Mile Lake
Here’s an example of the amazing 40X optical zoom, from widest to the telephoto limit.


The view a few steps from my campsite


Killdeer


Loon

Ten Mile Lake
White-winged Scoter at Ten Mile Lake north of Quesnel, BC. This is the first time I’ve seen this bird.


One of humankind’s greatest inventions :-). The folding chair with built-in cup holder.


OK, so I got a pack of dogs at Wal-Mart for $2.99, but at least I paired them with a baguette!


At the campfire wearing my Vancouver Half-Marathon T from a few years back. Hot dogs and beer — the athletes dinner. . .


Lots of trout jumping in the lake


The view from the fishing-only dock


There were several frogs near the boat launch


I admired this cute furball — it didn’t solicit any treats from me, just happily munched away on a healthy natural diet

Fishing, Food, Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

DFO Community Advisor’s Last Fish Release on Burnaby’s Byrne Creek

Kids from Clinton Elementary in south Burnaby helped Byrne Creek Streamkeepers volunteers and DFO release coho smolts (yearling salmon) in Byrne Creek today.

It was a bittersweet event, as it was the last release on Byrne with retiring DFO Community Advisor Maurice Coulter-Boisvert.

But we’re very happy that long-time tech Scott is taking over Maurice’s role. Looking forward to working with you!

Byrne Creek coho smolt release
DFO and City of Burnaby staff share a laugh. It was that kind of uplifting day, and event, eh?


Byrne Creek Streamkeepers stalwart and Stream of Dreams co-founder Joan helps connect the kids to nature


Maurice on the salmon life cycle


Joan demonstrates proper fish release technique


Lining up to take fish down to the creek. The excitement is palpable. . . : – )


Netting coho smolts out of the tank, and putting them in baggies for the kids


Helping hands guide excited kids for a safe release


Look at them go!


Volunteer Ray points out how the fish quickly change color to match their new surroundings


They are so beautiful. Thanks so much to the volunteers at Kanaka Creek who raise these cuties!


Don’t mess with this crew : -)