7 December 2000 Lac Saint-Pierre: new member of the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere ReservesOn November 9, the International Co-ordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) programme announced the inclusion of Lac Saint-Pierre (Canada) into its network of biosphere reserves, along with 20 other sites around the world. The Network now consists of 391 biosphere reserves in 94 countries. The reserves promote a balanced relationship between humans and the biosphere. Lac Saint-Pierre is a widened portion of the St. Lawrence River. It forms the upstream limit of the fluvial section of the River. As a member of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves it will become a model site for the study and demonstration of various approaches to conservation and sustainable development at a regional level. Among other things, this portion of the St. Lawrence is used for commercial and recreational navigation, and commercial and sport fishing. Three ports and a Department of National Defence ballistic test zone are included in its territory. The lake harbours about 100 islands, several large bays, a large expanse of open water and a 7000 hectare flood plain. It is made up of a mosaic of ecosystems which constitute important habitat for numerous species of birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and aquatic plants. Lac Saint-Pierre is also on the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. The goal of the Ramsar Convention is to favour conservation and wise use of wetlands throughout the world. [Le Nouvelliste on the Biosphère de Montréal site, UNESCO’s MAB programme and the Ramsar Convention] I want to know moreThe Man and the Biosphere Programme Lac Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve fact sheet 26 October 2000 Public hearings: new regulations for whale watching in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine ParkNew regulations presented by the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park were approved for public hearings by the Governor in Council of the Canadian Government last October 19. The new regulations will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part 1, on October 28, 2000. The general public may send comments to those in charge within 30 days of the publication date. These regulations will become important tools for the management of whale-watching activities at sea within the confines of the Marine Park and for the adequate protection of the whales. The regulations include the issuing of permits for whale watching, rules on how to behave in the presence of marine mammals and speed limits within the Park. Furthermore, in order to reduce the number of boats in three zones that are particularly important for the whales, time spent whale watching will be limited in these areas. The regulations should come into force before the beginning of the 2001 whale-watching season. [Canada Gazette] I want to know moreTo download the regulations and to find out how to forward your comments to the persons in charge, go to the Canada Gazette site and download the pdf document of Saturday, October 28, 2000. 12 October 2000 Miramichi: lobster conflict ends with the migration of the crustaceansThe conflict between Micmac fishermen and Fisheries and Oceans Canada over lobster fishing in Miramichi Bay ended, at least temporarily, as the lobsters began their annual migration to deeper waters in late September. Between 100 and 300 native owned lobster traps were still in the Bay at the time. Officers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada seized 3000 traps over the course of the six week conflict with Micmac Indians. The Micmacs maintain that the Supreme Court Marshall ruling gives them the right to commercially exploit traditional resources as they see fit. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, on the other hand, considers off-season lobster fishing to be an illegal activity. The impasse of the conflict also provoked the uprising of non-native fishermen who believe that the Micmac fishermen should not have the right to commercially fish for lobster in the off-season. [Le Droit, Fisheries and Oceans Canada] I want to know moreStatements by Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 28 September 2000 Canada allots $550 000 for the recovery of the North Atlantic right whaleNumbering less than 350, the North Atlantic right whale is the most endangered great whale in the world. A large portion of this highly endangered population visits the Bay of Fundy during the summer. While over-hunting decimated this species, boat collisions and accidental entanglement in fishing gear now constitute the main threat to its recovery. On September 16, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, along with Environment Canada, announced their financial support of 42 projects for the protection of right whales in Canadian waters. WWF-Canada, East Coast Ecosystems and researchers from Dalhousie University, among others, will share a pool of $550 000. [Environment News Service, Associated Press] I want to know moreOn Environment News Service : New funding, new hope for North Atlantic right whale. 15 September 2000 Canada will not lay charges against the Cousteau TeamYesterday, Fisheries and Oceans Canada published a press release announcing their decision in the Cousteau Case, an incident that took place on September 8, 1999. At the time, manœuvres by the Cousteau Team off Tadoussac had led to complaints about the team disturbing some whales. The evidence did not indicate that there was a reasonable likelihood of conviction under section 7 of the Marine Mammal Regulations, which prohibits anyone from disturbing marine mammals. The licence issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to the Cousteau team to film marine mammal behaviour in the St. Lawrence was one of the factors that weighed heavily in the decision not to lay charges. While the licence did not in any way authorize the disturbance of marine mammals, the conditions attached to the licence were not specific enough and could be interpreted as too vague to result in conviction. This permit was revoked following complaints filed by numerous witnesses. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is currently working on amending the Marine Mammal Regulations to put in place more specific regulations for whale-watching activities. Public consultations are expected in early 2001. Parks Canada is also in the process of developing regulations to ensure better control of whale-watching activities in the Saguenay—St. Lawrence Marine Park. [Fisheries and Oceans Canada] I want to know moreFisheries and Oceans Canada press release. September 7, 2000 Exotic species help each other out invading the Great LakesNew studies show that the number of exotic species invading the Great Lakes is on the rise, partly because these different species have a tendency to work together. Certain scientists, like Anthony Ricciardi of Dalhousie University in Halifax, are concerned about the effects of this phenomena. The introduction of non-native species is the second leading cause of the extinction of native species after loss of habitat. These exotic species arrive in the Great Lakes by way of ballast water of merchant vessels that sail up the St. Lawrence Seaway. Ballast water could originate from anywhere in the world and is emptied, untreated, into the Great Lakes. A wide variety of species has been introduced in this way. They include one-celled protozoans, fish, worms, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic plants and trees. These species are the cause of serious environmental and economic problems. Michigan Senator Ken Sikkema is fighting for the adoption of a law which would require treatment of ballast water by ocean-going vessels in order to limit the introduction of exotic species into the Great Lakes. Senator Sikkema hopes to convince neighbouring states, his federal government, as well as the Canadian government, to develop a concerted strategy. [The Canadian Press, Associated Press] I want to know moreThe Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN), exotic species section. August 24 2000 The level of the St. Lawrence is once again risingAccording to data published by Environment Canada and the International Joint Commission (IJC), in less than one summer the level of the St. Lawrence has returned to normal. Four months ago the IJC sounded the alarm after having recorded water levels well below average for six months in a row. In fact, the low level of the St. Lawrence had been concerning specialists since the beginning of 1999. Water level has a notable impact on the flora and fauna of the St. Lawrence as well as on commercial and non-commercial navigation. Cool weather during the months of June and July which limited evaporation, combined with heavy rainfall on Lake Ontario in July, may explain the reversal of this situation. Lake Ontario also registered a water level not only superior to that of 1999, but also superior to its historical average. On the other hand, the situation has not improved for the four other Great Lakes. Levels in these lakes are all lower than average, and inferior to 1999 levels. The situation in Lake Huron is particularly troubling. It will likely attain its lowest level in the last 35 years. [La Presse] I want to know moreInternational Joint Commission site 11 August 2000 A virtual tour of the RiverLast August 8, the partners of the St. Lawrence Vision 2000 Action Plan launched the Biodiversity Portrait of the St. Lawrence, an electronic tool that provides an overview of what has been learned about the plant and animal life in the St. Lawrence River over the past 30 years. This compendium of knowledge was produced by a multidisciplinary team of 40 scientists over a five-year period. This Portrait is intended for specialists as well as amateurs. In reference to habitat protection, it is as much a learning tool as it is a decisional aid. [Environment Canada] I want to know moreEnvironment Canada press release Web site Biodiversity Portrait of the St. Lawrence 28 July 2000 New funding for the Great Lakes Water Quality AgreementOn July 26, the International Joint Commission (IJC) published its biennial report evaluating the performance of the American and Canadian governments concerning water quality in the Great Lakes. The IJC is a bilateral organization established in 1909 by the Boundary Waters Treaty to prevent and resolve disputes that could arise between governments over the use of boundary waters along the U.S./Canadian border. The report criticizes the lack of funding and of important decisions by the two parties. There are recommendations in the report concerning contaminated fish, contaminated sediment, airborne toxic substances, urbanization, alien invasive species introduced by ship ballast as well as the management and monitoring of information acquired through existing programs. On July 19, the United States announced an investment of US$2 million to study the water levels and flows in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. On July 20, Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson announced the creation of the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund. The C$30 million five-year program will fund community projects essential to restoring the environment. [CMI, Environment News Service, Environment Canada] I want to know moreInternational Joint Commission press release: "IJC advises U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments that greater efforts are needed or Great Lakes Agreement may fail" Environment Canada press release: "Minister Anderson Announces New $30 Million Sustainability Fund to Restore The Great Lakes" 13 July 2000 Reduction of pollutants released into the environment in Canada: modest progressEnvironment Minister David Anderson released two reports on June 30 which provide Canadians with information on how Governments and all sectors of society are making progress to reduce pollutant releases into the environment. The 1998 National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) National Overview shows that pollutant releases were down compared to 1997 and that more substances are being recycled than are being released into our air, water and on land. The Progress in Pollution Prevention Report 1998-1999 also shows steady improvements being made by all levels of Government, the private sector, individual Canadians and the international community. The 1998 NPRI National Overview contains data on 176 substances released from more than 2000 facilities across the country. In 1998 releases totalled 160,166 tonnes, a decrease of more than 1,427 tonnes from 1997. Transfers off-site for disposal were 88,489 tonnes, a decrease of 9,610 tonnes, thus reversing the upward trend in transfers of the last few years. The report shows that 258,876 tonnes of NPRI substances were sent for recycling or energy recovery. The number of substances tracked by the NPRI is steadily increasing, from 176 in 1997 to 268 pollutants in 2000. [Environment Canada] I want to know moreThe NPRI On-Line Query Site provides Canadians with data on what is happening in their neighbourhoods simply by typing in the first three characters of their postal code, or name of city or town. 23 June 2000 Canada will soon have its own Advisory Council on OceansThe Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Herb Dhaliwal, announced on Oceans Day last June 8, his intention to form a Minister’s Advisory Council on Oceans. The Council will consist of nine members which will provide expert advice on broad strategic issues relating to oceans. The Minister has appointed Dr. Arthur J. Hanson and Mr. Geoff L. Holland, oceans experts, to participate in the development of the Council. They will talk to Canadians across the country to develop a list of potential members to sit on the council for a period up to three years. Minister Dhaliwal will announce the Council and the appointment of members at the Coastal Zone Canada 2000 conference in Saint John, New Brunswick, September 17. The development of the council embodies the spirit of the Oceans Act, which encourages a collaborative approach to oceans management among governments, Aboriginal groups, coastal communities, stakeholders and other Canadians. Martin Willison, a biologist at Dalhousie University, along with several environmental groups, are cautiously optimistic about the announcement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Mr. Willison hopes the minister will follow the council’s advice and that recommendations will be made public. [Fisheries and Oceans Canada, The Chronicle-Herald] 9 June 2000 Meeting on the future of the Atlantic salmonThe North Atlantic salmon conservation organization (NASCO), an international body that includes countries that fish for Atlantic salmon, met for the first time in Canada. Delegates from member countries, representatives from non-governmental organizations and invited guests gathered in Miramichi, New Brunswick from June 4 to 9, 2000. NASCO’s goal is to plan international strategy for the protection of the Atlantic salmon. The number of salmon returning to North American rivers has declined by 75% over the last 20 years. The situation is just as alarming in Europe, and scientists aren’t sure why. A coalition of non-governmental organizations, supported by a membership of eleven million members, is asking NASCO member nations to adhere to a four-step plan: - A ban on genetically modified farmed salmon; Stricter rules for salmon aquaculture; A major reduction of the environmental impact of salmon fishing from mixed stock salmon fisheries; - International co-ordination and funding for research into the factors affecting the survival of salmon at sea with special attention on the impact of pelagic trawl fisheries. Bill Taylor, president of the Atlantic salmon federation (ASF), declared that he was encouraged by comments made by Herb Dhaliwal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. In a speech given for NASCO, Mr. Dhaliwal stated that he would make the protection of Atlantic salmon a priority for Canada. I want to know more Atlantic salmon federation (ASF) web site. 26 May 2000 Seasonal fluctuations in Great Lakes water levels are likely affected by climate changeBy analyzing 139 years of data, a University of Wisconsin-Madison scientist has discovered that the seasonal fluctuations of the Great Lakes water levels start about a month earlier than they used to. Climatologist John Lenters presented these results at a meeting of the International Association for Great Lakes Research on May 24. According to Lenters, these fluctuations are hydrological representations of the seasons and the seasons themselves have shifted. Precipitation, snowmelt and evaporation influence fluctuations in water levels over the Great Lakes basin. However, they are independent of annual variations in the water level of the Lakes that are due to drought or abnormally abundant rainfall. The most probable explanation for these observed changes seems to be higher springtime temperatures in the Great Lakes region, which brings with it an earlier spring snowmelt. This situation is likely linked to global warming. [Environment News Service] I want to know more Conference on Great Lakes Research, International Association for Great Lakes Research 15 May 2000 The water management commission of Quebec: an audacious reportIn early May the commission presided by André Beauchamp, under the aegis of the Office of Public Hearings on the Environment (BAPE), went public with its two volume report: "Water, a resource to be protected, shared and enhanced". Environmentalists declared the long awaited document courageous. It begins by stating a clear diagnosis: "The current approach to water and aquatic ecosystem management is sector-based, poorly integrated and not concerned enough with protecting the resource ". The report emphasises several broad principles such as the protection and perpetuity of the resource, public access to water and a ban on the massive exportation of water and the privatisation of municipal water services. In concrete terms, the BAPE commission recommends that the Quebec government create a " a minister of state for water resources and aquatic ecosystems ". The environment ministry would be in charge and would target the integrated management of water in collaboration with other ministries, state run companies, municipalities, industry and agriculture. The other crucial recommendation of the report concerns watershed management. The purpose of this type of management is to reconcile the various uses (including the taking and the contamination of water) with the general objectives of conservation. The report emphasises the urgency of reviewing the province's entire agricultural policy. While agriculture is virtually exempt of any duties or obligations with respect to the environment, the problems related to nonpoint source pollution are major ones. The commission also recommends applying two well-known principles to all water consumers: that of polluter pays and user pays. Only private residences and family farms would be exempt. Finally, the report recommends that Quebec intervene quickly on the St. Lawrence watershed. [BAPE, Le Devoir, La Presse] I want to know more: Access to the BAPE commission report " L'eau, ressource à protéger, à partager et à mettre en valeur "; (in French) and to press releases (in English and French). 1 May 2000 The St. Lawrence beluga: now legally protected in the province of QuebecAs of April 19, Quebec has added the St. Lawrence beluga and five other animal species to its list of endangered and vulnerable species. The law that protects these species was adopted in 1989, and covered up until recently 19 plant species and only one animal species. The recovery of the St. Lawrence belugas hinges on the reduction of contaminants in the river, the reduction of disturbance, the prevention of ecological catastrophes and the monitoring of the state of the population. The beluga has been recognised as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). Four other animal species included on the list of endangered and vulnerable species in Quebec depend on the St. Lawrence: the copper redhorse, the spiny softshell turtle, horned grebe and piping plover. [Le Devoir, COSEWIC] I want to know more: 31 March 2000 The seal hunt in the Gulf is compromised by the early melting of the ice packUsually at this time of year hunters make their way out onto the ice pack north of Prince Edward Island where adult harp seals gather by the hundreds of thousands. This year the ice pack broke up early, the seals dispersed. Consequently hunters will not have a very profitable season. The precarious state of the ice also had an effect on the popular tourist activity of observing white coats on the ice pack of the Magdalene Islands. As well, the early break up had an impact on the survival rate of young seals this year as pups were separated too early from their mothers. There are approximately five million harp seals in the Gulf. As last year, the Canadian harp seal quota for the St. Lawrence and the Atlantic was set at 275 000 animals. Hunting of adult seals only is permitted. [The Edmonton Journal, CRS sur MARMAM] 25 February 2000 Detonation of a disarmed nuclear bomb over the St. Lawrence in 1950National Defence Minister Art Eggleton has just confirmed for the first time from a Canadian source that an American B-50 bomber took off from Goose Bay carrying a disarmed Mark IV nuclear bomb and that the airplane lost its cargo over the St. Lawrence off Rivière-du-Loup on January 10, 1950. Mr. Eggleton brought forth these clarifications in a letter addressed to Mr. Paul Crête, Bloc Quebecois MLA for Kamouraska. Mr Crête had been concerned about the controversy raised by an article that had appeared in the Bulletin of Atomist Scientist surrounding the explosion. Due to mechanical difficulties, the pilot was forced to drop the bomb and to destroy it using explosives that were meant to provoke the implosion of fissile material. As the radioactive elements of the bomb had already been removed there was no nuclear explosion. At the time, the American government had permission to store nuclear bombs in Canada for a period of six weeks. The nature of the explosion therefore remained a secret of the Pentagon. Mr. Crête says he is reassured by the response of the Ministry of Defence. He noted, however, that there was no guarantee that a similar event could not take place in the future. The debate over the importation of Russian and American plutonium to be transformed at the Chalk River Nuclear Plant in Ontario is steeped in the same perspective of insecurity. [Le Soleil de Québec] 11 February 2000 Petroleum exploration in the Gulf: fishermen, ordinary citizens and environmental groups demand an independent environmental assessmentNova Scotia New Democrat MP Peter Stoffer introduced a petition of 4000 signatures in the House of Commons last Thursday. The NDP fisheries critic is asking the Canadian government to stop issuing permits for petroleum exploration in the south of the Gulf of St. Lawrence until after an independent environmental assessment is done. Mr. Stoffer also requested that the exploration lease held by Corridor Resources since last spring be revoked. He pointed out that these petroleum exploration activities threaten a fishing industry that employs 20 000 people. According to Stoffer, the area off Cap Breton should be protected by a moratorium on petroleum exploration, as is Georges Bank off Newfoundland. Executive director of the Sierra Club, Elizabeth May, who has been working with Stoffer on the petition, underlines the danger that an oil spill represents for the Gulf. She said she was flabbergasted¾ that a permit was issued without an environmental assessment or public consultation. Fisheries and Oceans has a legislative mandate to protect fish and their habitat, but the final veto on oil and gas exploration rests with the natural resources department. [The Toronto Star, The Chronicle-Herald] 28 January 2000 Fisheries and Oceans Canada has come to the conclusion that seals are slowing down the recovery of cod stocksGrey seals and harp seals consume approximately one third of all cod in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. These are the results of a study conducted by Alain Fréchet, a biologist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Maurice Lamontagne Institute. Of a total population of 232 million cod, he estimates that 80 million small cod fall prey to the seals. This supports the opinions of Gulf fishermen who, along with the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council, believe that the seal population should be reduced by half in certain areas where cod fishing is taking place. Cod fish stocks, which collapsed due to over-fishing, became the object of a moratorium from 1994 to 1996 and have been slow to recover. For the moment, seal hunting is not aimed at reducing herd sizes. Environmental groups are opposed to this, arguing that scientific data demonstrates that there is a complex food web and that reducing the number of seals would not guarantee the recovery of cod stocks. In an interview with Radio-Canada, Alain Fréchet explained that seals also eat herring which in turn feed on cod eggs and larvae. A drop in the seal population could lead to a rise in herring numbers, with the potential for a negative impact on cod stocks. Due to the fact that the management plan for seal hunting in the Atlantic and the St. Lawrence has already been adopted for the year 2000, the effects of this new information on Canadian policy with respect to seal hunting will not be known for some time. [Radio-Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada] I want to know moreYear 2000 quotas for the seal hunt in the Atlantic and the St. Lawrence (29 December 1999) Keep an eye out for the question of the month of March 2000. Mike Hammill will be answering the question: "Are seals responsible for the collapse of cod stocks in the Gulf of St. Lawrence?" Report on the state of cod stocks in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, DFO, March 1999. January 13 2000 The deluge of July 1996 caused heavy contamination of the SaguenayThe deluge of 1996 produced heavy contamination by dioxins, furans, PAHs, PCBs and heavy metals in the Saguenay and in four of its tributaries. These levels of water contamination were measured in October and in November of 1997 and in a large number of cases exceeded human health norms. This pollution could be explained by the leaching of contaminated soil at the height of flooding during the deluge. It is not yet clear whether the contamination is from recent sources of pollution or from contaminated particles deposited in the soil in the past. The final report will be made public by the Environment Ministry in the fall of 2000 and will include three years of sampling which will be completed in the spring of 2000. The surprise disclosure of this study by the Montreal daily Le Devoir last January 6 provoked lively reactions from many sources in the regions most concerned. Notably, Marc Hudon, president of Stratégies Saint-Laurent, blames the Environment Ministry for not having informed those responsible for the Priority Intervention Zones (ZIPs) who are working for the restoration of various waterways in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region. On the other hand, Luc Tessier, president of the regional environment Counsel for the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region, demanded that this preliminary study be filed with the water management Commission that completed public hearings last December. This committee is to draw up a report for the Bureau des audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) about the feelings of Quebec citizens concerning water management in the province.[Le Devoir, Le Quotidien] |