You are invited to attend a meeting to discuss the extraction of gravel from the Fraser River.

Date & time:
March 19th, 2009. 6:30pm - 9:00pm

location:
Best Western Chilliwack
43971 Industrial Way (just off Lickman Road)
Coffee will be provided

The Fraser River Gravel Stewardship Committee (FRGSC) first met as an informal group (ad-hoc) of local citizens who were concerned about losses of fish and fish habitat which were caused by the removal of gravel from sites on the Fraser River in the Upper Fraser Valley.

The committee has since formalized and is composed of representatives from the BC Wildlife Federation, the David Suzuki Foundation, Fraser Valley Salmon Society, Sportfishing Defence Alliance, BC Federation of Drift Fisheres, Fraser Valley Angling Guides Association, Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Coalition, Alouette River Management Society, local professional biologists, scientists and other concerned citizens.

They are not opposed to gravel removal where there is a proven flood benefit but they are very worried that extraction is proceeding with inadequate scientific examinations of the flood control benefits or the huge potential for damage to fish and fish habitat.

Some of the questions that the committee members are asking themselves are:

If we continue to ignore the fact that significant habitat losses is one of the key reasons for the rapid decline in the numbers of fish in BC's rivers (and removing massive amounts of gravel can be considered to be very signifcant loss of habitat) and we continue blindly down this path, what will be left for our children?

Is the removal of gravel really only about flood protection?

Please come to this meeting and provide us with your questions and/or concerns or just to become better informed about this very important issue. An open mike will be available.

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