 |
|
 
Prominent Canadians challenge government plans to remove gravel from Fraser riverDecember 7, 2004 - VANCOUVER -- Five prominent British Columbians submitted a petition today to the federal Auditor General, challenging an agreement by Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and Land and Water B.C. to allow a massive increase in the amount of gravel being removed from the Fraser River. Four of the five signatories hold the Order of Canada, including scientist and broadcaster Dr. David Suzuki, Mark Angelo of the Outdoor Recreation Council, Vicky Husband of the Sierra Club of Canada, and Ron Macleod, former Director General of DFO. The fifth petitioner is Dr. Daniel Pauly, Director of the Fisheries Centre at UBC and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. The petition alleges that this gravel extraction project can cause significant environmental damage, threaten several Fraser River fisheries, and strain an already endangered ecosystem. Sierra Legal Defense Fund filed the petition on behalf of these prominent fisheries experts and environmentalists asking that the Auditor-General investigate the process leading DFO to agree to enormous gravel extractions from the Fraser River, despite the warnings and concerns of scientists, environmental groups and commercial fishermen. "The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is mandated to protect wild fish species and their habitat," says Otto Langer of the David Suzuki Foundation. "Expediting gravel removal without adequate scientific review is in direct contradiction to this mandate" The area proposed for gravel extraction, known as the ‘gravel reach,’ is located between Hope and Mission. The gravel reach is also subject to intense development pressure from human activities and is looked upon as an important resource for the aggregate industry, to supply the construction industry needs in the Lower Mainland. "This gravel reach contains some of the most diverse and productive fish habitats in British Columbia," says Mark Angelo. "There are more freshwater fish species in this small stretch of river than in any other waterway in the province." DFO is under fire for its failure to meet its mandate and for its ongoing cuts to habitat protection, monitoring and enforcement. Recently, the Auditors-General of B.C. and Canada called for urgent action to protect endangered salmon runs. The summer of 2004 experienced disturbingly low sockeye returns. And despite strong scientific recommendations and public criticism, the Cultus Lake and Sakinaw sockeye salmon have again been left off the federal list of endangered species. "We already have unacceptable levels of habitat destruction and poor salmon returns. Some of BC's wild salmon stocks are on the verge of extinction and all this will do is threaten them further," says Vicky Husband of the Sierra Club. "The agreement for massive amounts of gravel removal has everything to do with habitat damage and nothing to do with flood control." "DFO is remiss in their responsibilities to protect salmon habitat," says Randy Christensen, staff lawyer for Sierra Legal Defence Fund. "This petition will force them to provide answers on how this irresponsible project was approved." A copy of the petition is available at www.sierralegal.org For more information contact: Randy Christensen Otto Langer Vicky Husband
|
