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wildlife watching companies, are all strong
advocates for a healthy marine environment
and have a history of promoting responsible
use of our coastal waters and shores.
They’ve been supporters of GSA’s work for
some time. Now, through the new program,
they’ll be encouraging their clients to
support GSA as well, in order to help keep
coastal BC spectacular.
Bluewater Adventures
Coast Mountain Expeditions
Ecomarine Ocean Kayak Center
Ocean River Sports
Pacific Northwest Expeditions
Sea Legs Kayaking Adventures
Spindrift Resort
Taku Lodge
Tide Rip Tours
West Coast Expeditions
For more info, contact gsa@georgiastrait.
org or call 250-753-3459.
SUMMER RAFFLE
Three prizes have been donated to the
Georgia Strait Alliance for the group’s
annual Summer Raffle:
• a 17.5 ft Discover Aurora sea kayak
from Seaward Kayaks (value: $2825)
• a luxurious 3-night Adventure Package
from Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa
(value: $1475)
• handcrafted silver pendant set from
Dolphin Spirit Jewellery (value: $152).
A wildlife cruise with EcoCruising BC and
a paddling with Ocean River Sports are part
of the Brentwood package.
Ticket sales will begin on May 15th
and continue all summer, with the draw
happening on September 14th at Seaward
Kayaks in Ladysmith, BC.
Only 2,500 tickets printed ($6 each
or 3 for $15). All proceeds go to marine
conservation. To order, contact 250-753-
3459 or raffle@georgiastrait.org.
FIRST NATION PARTNERSHIP
In April the Xwémalhkwu (Homalco)
First Nation and the Georgia Strait Alliance
announced the signing of a protocol
agreement outlining how the two groups
will work together on marine restoration
and protection initiatives in BC’s Bute Inlet
and the surrounding waters.
The Homalco band has turned down
the fish farm which was being urged upon
them by government and industry, and is
focusing instead on ectourism, including
bear-watching. They have an excellent
website: www.BearsofBute.com.
“Wild salmon are integral to our culture
and to the well being of Bute Inlet,” said
Chief Darren Blaney. “Signing this protocol
with the Georgia Strait Alliance is another
step towards protecting and restoring this
precious resource in our traditional territory.
We want to continue to build bridges as we
work towards economic development that
does not put our marine environment,
and the industries that depend upon it,
at risk.”
BC FAILS ON FISH FARMS
A Report Card on the state of salmon
farming in BC released this spring gave
the BC Government a failing grade for
its regulation of the industry. Regulating
Salmon Aquaculture in BC—A Report Card
shows that the government has failed to live
up to most of the recommendations tabled
by its own Environmental Assessment
Office (EAO) in 1997. Contrary to the
government’s claim to have implemented
39 out of 49 recommendations, in fact
only 10 recommendations have been fully
implemented.
The Report Card gave the government a
failing grade in 8 out of 10 areas previously
identified by the EAO.
“The government has failed British
Columbians and continues to endanger
wild salmon,” said author, Suzanne Connell
of the Georgia Strait Alliance. “We’re
calling on the government to reinstate the
moratorium and live up to its responsibility
to regulate the salmon farming industry.”
This call was echoed recently by the BC
Wildlife Federation, a former supporter
of salmon farming, which passed a
resolution calling for the moratorium to
be reinstated.
In all areas, the Report Card found
the government fell far short of claims
to have properly regulated the industry,
and noted that government consistently
failed to provide the public with access to
information on salmon farms.
The Report Card called on government to
require salmon farm operators to disclose
all information to the public concerning
disease outbreaks, drugs and chemical use
on their farms.
The Report Card was produced by the
Georgia Strait Alliance for the Coastal
Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR). A
full version is available at www.georgiastrait.
org/BCFishFarmReportCard.pdf.
For further information on fish farms, visit
www.farmedanddangerous.org. ❏
www.skils.ca
June/July 2004 www.WaveLengthMagazine.com
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