In your words
Actually...
In your recent article Fish farm debate less murky? (Summer 2006), Ian Roberts – fish farm worker and president of Positive Aquaculture Awareness – pooh-poohs the study on the economic importance of Skeena’s wild salmon by saying “We are quite certain Alaska doesn’t write a cheque to Canada for the salmon they catch from the Skeena watershed.”
Actually, that’s exactly what the Americans do, under the current Pacific Salmon Treaty.
In 1999, the Governors of Alaska, Washington State and Oregon, along with other US representatives, came to an agreement with Canada’s Federal government by signing the 1999 Pacific Salmon Treaty. This treaty includes the establishment of two endowment funds, totaling $140 million, for habitat and stock enhancement, science and salmon management initiatives in both countries. These are jointly administered but funded by the US Government.
In the past three years, the Northern Fund has allocated approximately $4.17 million for fisheries work on the North Coast (and on Skeena-based stocks). The figures and projects can be reviewed at: http://www.psc.org/news_restoration.htm. The intent of this funding is to: “encourage applications…for projects in category 2) habitat improvement/restoration, and category 3) wild stock enhancement.” (http://www.psc.org/REFund/2007/NF_2007_Press_Release.pdf).
Enhancement for fish to catch, that is. Alaska also gets first crack at our returning fish North of the Alaska/Canada border, including Skeena-based stocks.
Now contrast this international reality of migrating salmon with the mistaken belief (or political interference) in the siting of open-net cages that assumes that fish only swim one km or less. That’s right—that’s what the environmental assessment is based on.
Your Comments on In your words
No one has commented yet on this article.