Community Articles (listed by posting date)
General News · 6th April 2008
Save Our Shores Group
The Sunshine Coast Community has prevented their shoreline between Wilson Creek & Roberts Creek (near Sechelt) from becoming a Geoduck Clam Farm. This is the 2nd application rejection, as Quadra Island’s Open Bay was also saved from a similar fate last year.
In addition, the Sunshine Coast’s Sliammon First Nation filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court last May/2007, asking the court to quash the provincial government's decision to award three tenures to proposed geoduck clam farms near Savary and Hernando Islands. The legal petition, seeks an injunction to prevent potential work on any of those three sites covering a total sub-tidal area of approximately 255 hectares or 600 acres.
There are a total of 10 communities resisting Phase-1 Geoduck Farms on their shores, including: Cortes Island, South Rebecca Split on Quadra Island, Nelson Island near Jervis Inlet, Trail Islands on the Sunshine Coast, plus Union Point in Baynes Sound between Denman and Vancouver Islands.
More details on the most recent aquaculture decision announced March 27/08 by Minister Pat Bell: “…a submission by Discovery Diving Ltd., for a geoduck clam sub-tidal facility proposed off Wilson Creek on the Sunshine Coast, was denied. Amongst other factors, the site was rejected due to the sensitive habitat designation of the area.”
“Numerous parties were consulted on these applications, including the Canadian Coast Guard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ministry of Forests and Range, Ministry of Environment, Environment Canada, the First Nations groups in the area, non-governmental organizations, the Regional Districts and the public.” Read the entire announcement by following the link below this article.
Cortes Island is still awaiting a decision on application #1411185 for a 21 hectares (50 acres) sub-tidal Geoduck Clam Farm between Squirrel Cove & Seaford. This is an appropriate time for reminding Minister Pat Bell to honour 280 signatures on our local petition, which requested that this application be denied due to: environmental issues, existing aquaculture zoning bylaws, residential neighbourhoods, island-based
eco-tourism, existing oyster leases, endangered species feeding grounds, and Regional District recommendations.
Express your concerns to protect Cortes Island's shoreline by writing:
Pat Bell, Minister of Agriculture & Lands
E-mail: pat.bell.mlaleg.bc.ca
OR fax: 250-387-1522
OR post: Room 137 Parliament Buildings, Victoria, BC, V8V1X4
Remember to send CC copies to our local representatives:
Jenny Hiebert, Cortes Regional Director, brijenoberon.ark.com
Claire Trevena, MLA North Island, claire.trevena.mlaleg.bc.ca
In addition, the Sunshine Coast’s Sliammon First Nation filed a petition in B.C. Supreme Court last May/2007, asking the court to quash the provincial government's decision to award three tenures to proposed geoduck clam farms near Savary and Hernando Islands. The legal petition, seeks an injunction to prevent potential work on any of those three sites covering a total sub-tidal area of approximately 255 hectares or 600 acres.
There are a total of 10 communities resisting Phase-1 Geoduck Farms on their shores, including: Cortes Island, South Rebecca Split on Quadra Island, Nelson Island near Jervis Inlet, Trail Islands on the Sunshine Coast, plus Union Point in Baynes Sound between Denman and Vancouver Islands.
More details on the most recent aquaculture decision announced March 27/08 by Minister Pat Bell: “…a submission by Discovery Diving Ltd., for a geoduck clam sub-tidal facility proposed off Wilson Creek on the Sunshine Coast, was denied. Amongst other factors, the site was rejected due to the sensitive habitat designation of the area.”
“Numerous parties were consulted on these applications, including the Canadian Coast Guard, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ministry of Forests and Range, Ministry of Environment, Environment Canada, the First Nations groups in the area, non-governmental organizations, the Regional Districts and the public.” Read the entire announcement by following the link below this article.
Cortes Island is still awaiting a decision on application #1411185 for a 21 hectares (50 acres) sub-tidal Geoduck Clam Farm between Squirrel Cove & Seaford. This is an appropriate time for reminding Minister Pat Bell to honour 280 signatures on our local petition, which requested that this application be denied due to: environmental issues, existing aquaculture zoning bylaws, residential neighbourhoods, island-based
eco-tourism, existing oyster leases, endangered species feeding grounds, and Regional District recommendations.
Express your concerns to protect Cortes Island's shoreline by writing:
Pat Bell, Minister of Agriculture & Lands
E-mail: pat.bell.mlaleg.bc.ca
OR fax: 250-387-1522
OR post: Room 137 Parliament Buildings, Victoria, BC, V8V1X4
Remember to send CC copies to our local representatives:
Jenny Hiebert, Cortes Regional Director, brijenoberon.ark.com
Claire Trevena, MLA North Island, claire.trevena.mlaleg.bc.ca
Plastic Debris from Experimental Geoduck Farm near Seascape Road
Diver with Geoduck Clam
First Nation perspective
Comment by ken brown on 13th April 2008
In typical NDP fear mongering fashion the misguided and infirm of purpose party and the sheep like followers continue to perpetuate myths about the industry. It's typical of people living on the island to subscribe and champion these disconnect from reality causes as in there eyes all development is bad unless it's got a fraudulent eco- stamp on it. People make fortunes working for big corporations in the city and then gravitate to small islands with a new ideology that sharply contrast how they lived the majority of their life but even more sad is how they try and shove these "values" down the pallets of hard working people trying to earn a living.
By the way , Sliammon have hired several independent consultants to asses the enviro implications and there findings are the same as 98% of all other independent studies which has inspired them to embrace the industry and become a participant. I am also proud to say we at the Klahoose are already engaged and building our business in the industry and the first band to do so but surely not the last.
Call it another economic development opportunity to create self sufficiency within our community to ultimately achieve the goal of not being reliant on the government.
In closing I would like people to persue info with their own due diligence and not be so eager to form opinions and pass them off as gospel based on the envouge trend of hating all development. Run of river , logging and geoducks are some of the many wonderful opportunities the first nations will continue to participate in with or without local island support and support abroad
In typical NDP fear mongering fashion the misguided and infirm of purpose party and the sheep like followers continue to perpetuate myths about the industry. It's typical of people living on the island to subscribe and champion these disconnect from reality causes as in there eyes all development is bad unless it's got a fraudulent eco- stamp on it. People make fortunes working for big corporations in the city and then gravitate to small islands with a new ideology that sharply contrast how they lived the majority of their life but even more sad is how they try and shove these "values" down the pallets of hard working people trying to earn a living.
By the way , Sliammon have hired several independent consultants to asses the enviro implications and there findings are the same as 98% of all other independent studies which has inspired them to embrace the industry and become a participant. I am also proud to say we at the Klahoose are already engaged and building our business in the industry and the first band to do so but surely not the last.
Call it another economic development opportunity to create self sufficiency within our community to ultimately achieve the goal of not being reliant on the government.
In closing I would like people to persue info with their own due diligence and not be so eager to form opinions and pass them off as gospel based on the envouge trend of hating all development. Run of river , logging and geoducks are some of the many wonderful opportunities the first nations will continue to participate in with or without local island support and support abroad