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Federal cuts to salmon enhancement program contradict DFO’s protection mandateOctober 15, 2004 - VANCOUVER - Proposed cuts to DFO’s Salmonid Enhancement Program sharply contradict the federal government’s commitment to the environment, aboriginal peoples, and B.C. communities, says the David Suzuki Foundation. The cuts are another example of the erosion of DFO’s capacity to protect fish habitat and recover salmon populations on B.C.’s coast. "Much of B.C.’s critical salmon habitat is already in serious trouble," says Bill Wareham, acting director of the David Suzuki Foundation’s marine conservation programme. "We continue to see unexpected crashes of stocks. With so many uncertainties in managing fish, cutting habitat programs is exactly the opposite of what DFO should be doing." The proposed cuts underscore a worrying trend within DFO to cut programs and download responsibilities:
These cuts have come in the context of increased federal government investment in aquaculture activities, which are implicated in harming wild fish stocks and undercutting the commercial wild salmon fishery. The B.C. provincial government has not made up for the monitoring, enforcement, or habitat protection deficiencies of DFO, steadily cutting stewardship programs and habitat protection technician positions. "Cutting habitat protection programs, especially after a summer of alarming declines in salmon runs is baffling," says Jim Fulton, executive director of the Suzuki Foundation. "If the federal government is truly committed to environmental protection, a clean economy and a sustainable future for all Canadians, we strongly encourage them to restore funding to this critical program." For more information, contact: Jennifer Brown
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