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[IronNoggin]

Today at 1:00pm. Link can be found here: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/

Fingers Crossed...

Nog

[Dave]

Thanks Nog

[IronNoggin]

In a nutshell...

Move the management of fish farms away from DFO into a separate entity - DFO is in a Direct "Conflict of Interest" in their current role;

Fish Farm siting to be severely scrutinized, and removed in any area where there is any reason to perceive they could negatively impact wild stocks;

The latest changes to the Fisheries Act (especially regarding Habitat) are Problematic and should be revisited - Habitat is CRITICAL for sustainable fish populations;

DFO Pacific "must be adequately resourced", especially so Enforcement. Enforcement should be "scaled up".

More than a little critical of DFO (but did give credit where due to Front Line Troops) as expected. Also critical to some extent of the Harpo Regime regarding the omnibus bills and obscured changes to Habitat & the Fisheries Act.

Many recommendations regarding Directed & Focused Research.

All in all a rather Fine Job IMHO!

Copies of the Final Report are now online, and can be found here: http://www.cohencommission.ca/en/FinalReport/

It will be interesting (and likely Frustrating) to see the spin Harpo et al's paid MouthPieces put on this over the next little while. Given their current direction, seemingly completely opposite of what is recommended in the Report - I ain't holding my breath regarding anything remotely resembling Positive Change.

That said, KUDOS to Cohen for a job rather Well Done! 

Cheers,
Nog

[Dave]

That`s pretty much what I heard to.  I like the fact he recommends $$ to further science to FFing issues, because as he suggests, at this point salmon farms are only a possible/potential problem. 
I came in a bit late - did he mention climate change/global warming as an issue at all?

Looking forward to wading thru this report.

[Easywater]

In the report, he mentions that Fraser Sockeye are at the southern end of the range for Sockeye and that global warming could/will have a significant impact.

Warmer water has already had an effect.

The text: http://www.cohencommission.ca/en/pdf/FinalReport/CohenCommissionFinalReport_Vol03_04.pdf#zoom=100

Second, the waters constituting Fraser River sockeye habitat are warming. Fraser River sockeye live near the southern limit of the Pacific
sockeye range, and rising water temperatures will be particularly difficult for them. To the extent that warming waters result from increasing
greenhouse gas emissions, solutions will require national and international attention, though local action is also possible.

[Easywater]

More:

Although I do not make a recommendation regarding licensing, the current licensing regime applied to the Fraser River sockeye fishery
contains several inequities. Commercial and recreational licence fees have not been adjusted for at least 15 years. Communal licences for Aboriginal
economic opportunity fishing are issued without fee, even though the economic opportunity fishery is a commercial fishery. DFO should consider a
licensing regime in which all these sectors of the fishery (commercial, recreational, and economic opportunity) pay their fair share.

[Easywater]

Finished a quick scan:

DFO has no specific definition for the term “food, social, and ceremonial” (FSC) fishing. Not surprisingly, then, there is a lack of consistent understanding
within DFO and between DFO and First Nations as to what this term means.
 
Contrary to most Fraser River sockeye stocks, the Harrison River population has been increasing in productivity and abundance since the 1990s and,
in 2010 and 2011, returned in record numbers. Harrison River sockeye exhibit unique freshwater and marine life history patterns, and they appear to
follow migration routes that are distinct from most other Fraser River sockeye populations. While numerous witnesses commented on
these different life history patterns, the reasons underlying the Harrison River population’s recent increases in productivity and abundance are not
clear. In my view, the success of this population would be a fruitful area of research because it may provide important insights into the production
processes of Fraser River sockeye salmon.

Bill C-38 also repeals the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, which some participants worry signals a move away from commitments to lead
international efforts to address climate change. As I mentioned above, climate change and warming waters present perhaps the most daunting longterm
threat to the Fraser River sockeye fishery, and leadership in addressing root causes at the national level is critical.

The importance of productive habitat to the longterm sustainability of the Fraser River sockeye fishery was never challenged during this Inquiry.
Accordingly, the amendments to the Fisheries Act cause me concern. They appear to expand the circumstances in which harm to fish habitat may
be authorized, and they allow damage to habitat where there is no permanent negative impact or death of fish.

List of recommendations:

2) In relation to wild fisheries, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans should act in accordance with its paramount regulatory objective
to conserve wild fish.

3) The Government of Canada should remove from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ mandate the promotion of salmon farming as
an industry and farmed salmon as a product.

4) The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should immediately create a new position in the Pacific Region at the associate regional
director general level

5), 6) & 7) outline funding, staffing, and reporting for the new regional director general position.

18) to 22) big section on fish farms

63) The Department of Fisheries and Oceans should not include in fishing licences a clause that allows for retention of “mortally wounded”
Fraser River sockeye salmon.

[rheticus]

Here's a petition for anybody to sign who is concerned with the future of salmon in the waters of British Columbia. Please share it around:

http://www.change.org/petitions/premier-christy-clark-do-not-renew-salmon-farm-leases#share

[IronNoggin]

From Alex:

Hello

Justice Bruce Cohen just released his Final Report on his 3-year, $26 million commission into the 17-year decline of the Fraser Sockeye.

I want to share Cohen's incredibly strong wording within the confines of his mandate, which was specific to the Fraser sockeye. Clearly, however, Fraser sockeye are not different from other salmon in their vulernability to the array of farm salmon pathogens.

I will write more detail in my blog soon, but I wanted you to know the good news as soon as possible. The Cohen report includes:

    Salmon farms have the potential to import exotic viruses and amplify endemic ones
    There should be an immediate freeze on farm salmon production on the Fraser sockeye migration route
    DFO should be relieved of their duty to promote salmon farms
    Mitigation into the impact of salmon farms on wild salmon should not be delayed and should be carried out in the absence of absolute certainty
    DFO must assess ALL research done on the impact of farm salmon on wild salmon and if found greater than minimal, the industry must be prohibited from operating on the Fraser sockeye migration route!
    Siting criteria has to be revised to include wild salmon migration routes.

As this report is tabled, you should know the Province of BC is in the process of renewing many salmon farm leases. The Province of BC remains the landlord of the industry even though regulation has become federal.  If BC offers this industry long term leases, Justice Cohen's recommendations and our $26 million will be wasted.  The Province cannot at this point offer these lease renewals without consulting with the Fraser First Nations, because the salmon they have rights to are swimming through effluent from the salmon farms, Cohen is specifically reporting on.

I am actively researching exotic salmon viruses, but if these leases are renewed in the next few weeks, there will be little chance of the Cohen recommendations being acted on.

This report is the result of a massive amount of work, I especially thank my lawyers Lisa Glowacki and Greg McDade - they went the extra mile and beyond!

There is something you can do now.  I have created a petition in honour of Cohen's work asking Permier Clark not to renew the salmon farm leases to the sea floor of BC.

If you step up and share it widely, there is a chance our children will have wild salmon in their lives, and honestly it looks like there are tough times ahead, they will need everything we can leave them.

www.change.org/NoSalmonFarmLeases

In celebration of hope and thanks to you Mr Cohen for seeing the difficult truths,

Alexandra Morton

[chris gadsden]

http://wildernesscommittee.org/victoria/press_release/cohen_commission_report_gets_solid_b_grade_the_wilderness_committee