Category Archives: Streamkeeping

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.

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 : -)

Fishing, Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping, Sustainability

Spring Bug Count on Byrne Creek

Byrne Creek Streamkeepers Society volunteers sampled nine sites on the creek today for bugs — AKA aquatic invertebrates. The types and quantities of bugs found are an indicator of water quality.

Byrne Creek Bug Counting
After the bugs are collected using D-nets, we retire to a volunteer’s home to count in comfort, accompanied by coffee, tea, and muffins.


Caddisfly


Growing collection of mayflies


A cool aquatic snail

Photography, Streamkeeping

DFO Community Advisor Coulter-Boisvert’s Retirement Lunch

I was grateful to be invited to DFO Community Advisor Maurice Coulter-Boisvert’s retirement lunch today in Burnaby. Dozens of representatives from the stewardship volunteer community and DFO staff celebrated his over 35 years of service.

Maurice is a wonderful person, and has done so much for so many years in mentoring and supporting the volunteer community in BC’s lower mainland.

DFO CA Coulter-Boisvert retirement lunch

Nature, Photography, Streamkeeping

Byrne Ck Fish Trapping Turns Up Trout, No Coho

Volunteer streamkeepers set out Gee traps overnight in Byrne Creek in SE Burnaby, BC, with DFO permission. Today we went and pulled the traps. Got lots of trout, including some cool color variations, but unfortunately no coho.


Gee trap emptied into tub for IDing and measuring


Fish trapping is an activity that gets us out into some challenging terrain!


Wondering if this is a “cutbow”? We got a few cutties today that had faint pink lines, or pink dots along their sides.


Interesting color variations — reddish-brown trout and greenish-grey ones.

Byrne Creek fish trapping

Hiking, Society, Streamkeeping

Good to See Some of my ‘Elders’ Out on the Creek Trails

Happy to see a couple of Byrne Creek Ravine Park trailwalking “elders” out and about now that the snow and ice are gone.

Ran into Dave on the creek trail today, and it was good to chat. He’s 87, and always has a good tale to tell about what it was like growing up in the area. If I recall, he was a boxer in his youth, and he keeps telling me to keep moving!

Saw Ron the other day, too. Ron’s a retired stonemason also pushing 90, if not there already, who had a hand in some of the magnificent greystone work at the University of Saskatchewan where I did a couple of degrees. He speaks with a hint of a lovely Scottish burr, and also has tales to tell.

Good to see you, gentlemen, and hope I’m still walking the ravine 30 years from now!