Wild salmon protection
13- What more do you think can be done to protect and bring awareness to the decreasing population of our wild salmon?
Tom Stere
The District of Tofino needs to ensure that salmon riparian habitats are protected from development within the district of Tofino and continue to support our local community groups who are actively involved in the education and hands-on work needed to protect these populations. I’ve been a volunteer, and part-time employee, with Tofino Salmon Enhancement Society for over 20 years and would continue to make this issue a priority.
Stephen Ashton
The needs of Wild Salmon must come first. As a long time director of the Friends of Clayoquot Sound, I am a strong proponent for environmental solutions.
Stephanie Hugues
Habitat protection is a personal priority for me. As a Councillor, I will champion projects that secure habitat for wild slamon. I will reach out and build on the excellent work of the Nuu-chah-nulth fisheries to stabilize the population of wild salmon. This issue is at the heart of how we demonstate that we are good stewards for future generations of all species. Wild Salmon, in so many ways are the life blood of the coastal temporate rainforest ecosystem.
Josie Osborne
Wild salmon populations are in trouble, and in my opinion significant intervention and change is needed – from investments in habitat restoration and enhancement and changes in forest and aquaculture practices, to investment in science, monitoring, and fishery management. Frankly, it’s overwhelming. But just as with all issues related to the environment we must persistently and diligently educate and raise children who ask hard questions and challenge us adults in our behaviours and decisions. We must listen to and support local fishermen and fisherwomen, researchers, and volunteers who work for the many local organizations dedicated to salmon. We must work to understand Nuu-chah-nulth worldviews about salmon and its incredible importance to their culture. And the municipality must demonstrate excellence in land-use planning and development practices that help, not harm, fish and fish habitat.
Jason Brown
Education would be the best way to bring more awareness to this, if that means more signage on the docks, at the beaches or more literature distributed with licences I would support any and all education on the matter.
Jarmo Venalainen
Many natural species have been rebounding quite well over the last few decades. Ones such as, bears, whales, sea otters, wolves, seals, and a lot of others. Salmon have not. We don't know the exact reason, but we do know that we are no longer messing up creeks and damming rivers, so that’s not the cause. I think society, worldwide, in general is becoming more interested in health of our environment, so that’s good. What we can do is chime in with our voice on the District website and by supporting the organizations who are doing the promoting as we speak. All Tofitians can also do a lot by engaging our visitors in conversations about the salmon and other aspects of our environment. Specific actions, such as supporting the Tofino Ambassador Program are also valid. But, district money is our collective resource, so it is necessary for any interest group to work to establish and determine what the collective will of our community is.
Eric Kingsley
Well this is a very tricky discussion. There are multiple environmental and economic variables that we simply do not have control over. One thing we CAN do is stop dumping raw sewage into the ocean. We currently have a growing shellfish dead zone around the Tofino peninsula and as you have mentioned wild salmon (as well as other fish stocks) are in decline. The health of our oceans is challenging responsibility. I know it is a big pill to swallow but the sewage treatment plant coming in and we should all support it.
Duncan McMaster
Education through the Salmon Festival and Salmon Enhancement Society is key. My opinions on salmon farming have changed since moving to Tofino as I have learnt more. Coming from a background where salmon was unaffordable I had never given it much thought.
Dorothy Baert
Residents can support the work of people and organizations such as West Coast Salmon Enhancement Society, Friends of Clayoquot Sound, Raincoast Education Society, Clayoquot Action, that are drawing attention to the problem; the District can complete the building of a Liquid Waste treatment facility.
Craig Heber
Council can recognize that Open Pen Fish Farm leases will be a vanishing species in 5-15 years. Tofino can do little to protect wild salmon as it does have legal jurisdiction to enforce anything other than invest in restocking streams in municipality and ensuring run off into salmon streams is cleaner and development that has choked out this habitat is mitigated.
Decreasing numbers of Wild Salmon is caused by many reasons, Council can more actively educate all about them in realistic manner based on science and common sense. Council needs to be bold and innovative in both lobbying efforts and education.
Chris Heisterman
Salmon are the life blood of our ecosystem. There’s fun opportunity for education for our youth to understand and learn this. I support collaboration with our local and neighbouring hatcheries, and environmental groups. I’d also support a sort of “catch and release” program for our local charter fishermen that would incentivize them to release their catches.
Britt Chalmers
I think we need to continue to support the great organizations, such as the Tofino Salmon Enhancement Society that have been working to bring awareness to the issue.
Andrea McQuade
I have had the luxury and honour of wading these rivers and catching and releasing wild salmon - a privilege that I don’t take for granted. Salmon is a cultural and historical touchstone of Tofino and our celebration and protection of it as a species and symbol are paramount. Our collective actions as Tofitians (whether we sit on council or not) will guide awareness and support, and that support means showing up as a citizen and as a councillor in whatever way I can.
Al Anderson
Continue to lobby federal for better management of wild stocks, not just salmon. Do the best we can municipally to support salmon enhancement and stream restoration.
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