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To Minister of Water Land and
Air Protection
On behalf of the members and directors
of Steelhead Society of BC (SSBC), I would like to express
my concern over the provincial government’s lack
of commitment to fish habitat preservation. In the face
of forceful pressure from the development community
and related stakeholders, it appears the Ministry of
Water Land and Air Protection (MWLAP) is revamping the
Streamside Protection Regulation (SPR) contained in
the Fish Protection Act, and relaxing riparian setback
requirements.
SSBC is aware that after much urging,
most municipalities in the Lower Fraser area are currently
assessing riparian setbacks based on the SPR, with a
few utilizing the older DFO/MELP “Land Development
Guidelines for Aquatic Habitat”, leave strip recommendations.
DFO has currently embraced the more prescriptive SPR
setbacks with the realization that riparian habitat,
particularly in urban areas, is rapidly dwindling as
are the fish populations which utilize it. SSBC understands
that MWLAP is proposing to change the current SPR to
a new results based, site specific riparian assessment
methodology, which may provide limited riparian protection
(5-12m) for small streams and disconnect the regulatory
agencies from the assessment process.
Small streams are where a majority of
coho, cutthroat and steelhead, BC’s most threatened
salmonids, spawn as mature adults and rear as juveniles.
The trees, shrubs and forbs contained within the riparian
corridor are extremely important for buffering the effects
of residential, commercial and industrial land use.
Furthermore, riparian vegetation plays a critical role
in water quality, water quantity, channel morphology,
food and nutrient contribution, instream complexity
and overall stream ecosystem health. Best science (See
below for example references) has shown us that small
streams, with a functional riparian corridor of 15-30m,
are more healthy and stable and provided a much higher
index of productivity in terms of macro-invertebrates
and fish population numbers.
The SSBC is committed to steelhead and
salmon habitat preservation. As angler’s we are
intimately aware of the local and global pressures affecting
the health of our anadromous fish species. Many of us
have experienced a favorite fishery which has suffered
until poor returns force angling closures. This reoccurring
theme in British Columbia is what the SSBC is determined
to fight. I implore you, the Minister of Water, Land
and Air Protection, to stand up and use the precautionary
approach for riparian setback assessment. Let us err
on the side of caution and not be persuaded by economic,
developmental pressures. After all, with the protection
of fish habitat, are we not in turn taking steps to
ensure this highly economically valuable resource is
perpetuated?
Sincerely,
Scott Baker-McGarva
Steelhead Society of British Columbia President
Cc:
1- John Millar et al. 1997. “Establishing Fisheries
Management and Reserve Zones in Settlement Areas of
Coastal British Columbia”.
2- Leavitt, Jennifer. 1998. “The Function of Riparian
Buffers in Urban Watersheds”.
3- Knutson, K.L., and V.L. Naef. 1997. “Management
Recommendations for Washington’s Priority Habitats:
Riparian”.
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