s Gulf Island Every Second Thursday & Online ‘24/7’ at Regional News ~ Linking the Salish Sea Archipelago islandtides.com Volume 23 Number 23 November 17–30, 2011 $2 at Selected Retailers Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement Nº 40020421 Photo: Toby Snelgrove Mayne Islanders packed the Agricultural Hall on October 29 to hear seven trustee candidates—the greatest number running in any Local Trust Area this election. Winter herring quota could be ‘catastrophic’ Small step for CRTC; giant leap for he unusually large quota set for the ‘food ‘A fishery at this time and in this region could and bait’ herring fishery in the Strait of have catastrophic consequences for resident Gabriola’s own radio station T Georgia this winter is garnering herring, as well as for other marine species,’ the fter more than a decade of drafting endless applications, holding considerable public opposition, although the letter states. A group of professors from UBC, UVic dozens of public meetings, putting on fundraiser after fundraiser decision was never announced publicly. The fishery and SFU also wrote to the minister in support of A and negotiating with broadcast industry giants, a small group of opened November 7 with a target quota of 6,000 RCF’s comments. dedicated volunteers has finally succeeded in getting approval from the tonnes, a massive increase over last year’s catch of Industry Decision Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission for Gabriola’s community-run radio station, CKGI 98.7 FM. 283 tonnes. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) ‘It’s almost unbelievable,’ says Ken Zakreski, President of the Gabriola Conservationists are asking Minister Ashfield to indicates, in its draft 2012 Integrated Fisheries Radio Society. ‘All the hard work paid off at last. I want to thank everyone not only stand down the herring fleet, but also Management Plan(IFMP), that the quota decision in the community, everyone who has donated time and money, and all the impose a moratorium on the herring fishery until was made because industry asked for it: legal and technical experts who offered us their help, for their support. stocks recover in the Salish Sea, especially in light ‘As a result of increased interest in this fishery ‘Our biggest single sponsor has been the Gabriola Island Fire Trustees. of the newly-declared boundary of the proposed and development of global markets, and as I’d also like to acknowledge my wife Donna. Without her support I wouldn’t National Marine Conservation Area reserve. recommended by the Herring Industry Advisory have been able to commit the time and energy to do this.’ In early November, the Raincoast Conservation Board, the allocation to this fishery will be 6,000 The hard work isn’t over for Zakreski and his fellow volunteers, though. Foundation (RCF) wrote to Minister of Fisheries tons (one hundred licenses) for the Strait of Georgia CKGI has 18 months to establish the radio service, but Zakreski is confident Keith Ashfield, expressing doubt that the resident area for the 2011/2012 season.’ herring populations were taken into account in the that is achievable. quota decision. HERRING, please turn to page 2 RADIO, please turn to page 10 Local Election Voting Places: Saturday, November 19, polls open 8am-8pm 7 All positions acclaimed on: Cortes Island, Pender Island, Texada Island • For candidate names, please see the website of your Regional District or the Islands Trust. Campbell River—Phoenix, Southgate or Discovery Hornby Island—Hornby Island Elementary School, 2100 Salt Spring Island—Community Gospel Chapel, 147 Passage school gyms Sollan Road; CVRD Boardroom, 550B Comox Road, Vesuvius Bay Road; Fulford Elementary School Gym, 203 Denman Island—Denman Island Seniors Centre, 1111 Courtenay; AR MacNeill Secondary School, 6611 No. 4 South Ridge Road; Salt Spring Island Elementary School, Northwest Road; CVRD Boardroom, 550B Comox Road, Road, Richmond 122 Rainbow Road; Piers Island Fire Hall, Piers Island; AR Courtenay; AR MacNeill Secondary School, 6611 No. 4 Lasqueti Island—False Bay School, Lasqueti Island MacNeill Secondary School, 6611 No. 4 Road, Richmond Road, Richmond Mayne Island—Mayne Island Agricultural Hall, 430 Saturna Island—Saturna Recreation Centre, 104 Harris Gabriola Island—Gabriola Elementary School, 580 Fernhill Road; AR MacNeill Secondary School, 6611 No. 4 Road; AR MacNeill Secondary School, 6611 No. 4 Road, North Road Road, Richmond Richmond Galiano Island—Galiano Lions Hall, 992 Burrill Road; Quadra Island—Quadra Elementary School, 678 Heriot Thetis Island—Chemainus Elementary Community AR MacNeill Secondary School, 6611 No. 4 Road, Bay Road; Strathcona Regional District Office, 301-990 School, 3172 Garner Street, Chemainus; Forbes Community Richmond Cedar Street, Campbell River Hall, 292 Mission Road, Thetis Island (9am-8 pm only). 0 is available at these SERIOUS COFFEE locations — look for the ‘Island Tides’ yellow boxes or racks inside! Sidney—Beacon Avenue Nanaimo—Across from the Hospital Parksville—Heritage Centre Mall South Duncan—Sun Valley Mall Nanaimo—Hammond Bay Road Courtenay—Southgate Centre, Cliffe Avenue Duncan—Cowichan Commons Mall Nanaimo—South Parkway Plaza Port Alberni—Shoppers Drugmart Plaza, 10th Avenue Mill Bay—Island Highway @ Frayne Rd Nanaimo—Hammond Bay Rd CO-OP Campbell River—Willow Point Village Page 2, ISLAND TIDES, November 17, 2011 Photo: Susan Banjavich AT PoInT ATKInSon november–DeCember Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. Day Time Ht./ft. Ht./m. 0211 3.6 1.1 0515 15.1 4.6 16 0953 15.1 4.6 24 1018 10.8 3.3 WE 1608 10.8 3.3 TH 1521 15.1 4.6 1945 11.5 3.5 2243 0.7 0.2 0256 4.3 1.3 0606 15.7 4.8 17 1035 15.1 4.6 25 1113 11.2 3.4 TH 1717 9.8 3.0 FR 1606 15.1 4.6 2104 10.8 3.3 2328 0.7 0.2 0348 5.2 1.6 0654 16.1 4.9 18 1117 15.1 4.6 26 1208 11.2 3.4 FR 1815 8.9 2.7 SA 1652 14.8 4.5 2244 10.5 3.2 0447 6.6 2.0 0012 0.7 0.2 19 1158 15.1 4.6 27 0741 16.1 4.9 SA 1905 7.5 2.3 SU 1306 11.2 3.4 1741 14.1 4.3 0032 10.8 3.3 0057 1.3 0.4 Government tests for salmon virus come up negative 20 0555 7.5 2.3 28 0827 16.1 4.9 SU 1238 15.1 4.6 MO 1408 10.8 3.3 t a media conference on November 8, Dr Con Kiley, Sciences in Campbell River is upgrading its laboratory 1949 5.9 1.8 1832 13.1 4.0 Director of National Aquatic Animal Health at the facilities. Equipment has been purchased and the lab has 0205 11.8 3.6 0141 2.3 0.7 21 0707 8.9 2.7 29 0912 16.1 4.9 A Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) been upgraded to increase its diagnostic capacity for RT- MO 1317 15.1 4.6 TU 1517 10.2 3.1 announced that ‘there is no evidence that ISA occurs in fish 2032 4.3 1.3 1928 12.1 3.7 PCR testing, the type of test used to look for the ISA virus, off the waters of British Columbia.’ 0319 13.1 4.0 0225 3.6 1.1 in BC. The testing was ongoing since mid-October, when a 22 0816 9.5 2.9 30 0956 15.7 4.8 Meanwhile, Dr Alexandra Morton and her team are TU 1357 15.1 4.6 WE 1629 9.5 2.9 laboratory at the Atlantic Veterinary College reported that 2115 2.6 0.8 2036 11.2 3.4 sampling hundreds of wild salmon around BC. CFIA said it had detected the virus. 0420 14.1 4.3 0310 4.9 1.5 that it has additional testing to do and the results will be 23 0920 10.5 3.2 1 1037 15.4 4.7 DFO says it tested all 48 samples, received as part of the WE 1438 15.1 4.6 TH 1736 8.5 2.6 provided when ready. 2159 1.6 0.5 2206 10.5 3.2 original reports, for the virus and found all results negative. DFO states that its results are consistent with the In Canada, infectious salmon anaemia is a ‘federally findings of an independent lab in Norway, which also tested reportable disease’. This means that all suspected or samples associated with the investigation and provided a confirmed cases must be immediately reported to the CFIA. report to the CFIA. Under questioning by a journalist from Under the CFIA’s National Aquatic Animal Health the Seattle Times however, Dr Kiley then said that the Program, suspected federally reportable diseases must be Norwegian tests are ‘inconclusive.’ confirmed at the DFO national reference laboratory. The tissue quality of the 48 samples originally submitted The Cohen Commission plans to convene a two-day for testing was ‘sufficient’ to allow CFIA’s retesting, but hearing in mid-December to put new information about the when asked about the Canadian government’s plan to share ! possible presence of the ISA virus in BC on the the samples with US research labs, Dr Kiley said that " ! - sharing the samples would be ‘pointless’ because the sample commission’s record. $$ quality was ‘partially or totally degraded’. Infectious salmon anaemia poses no risk to people, but # The CFIA and DFO are also looking at how the samples can be devastating for aquaculture operations. It is not yet +, were collected, handled, transported and stored.