ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS
A6 | SPORTS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
Gold and silver finishes for Strikers Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca Some really good results for Fort St. John’s Northern Strikers soccer clubs playing at the FC Memorial indoor tournament in Edmonton this past weekend – the first real competition for the teams this season. Four teams – the U-13 boys, U-15 boys, U-17 boys, and U-15 girls all made the long trip east. The U-15 girls earned the best result, a gold medal, going unbeaten in their three games, including a 6-4 decision over Spruce Grove to take the title. Coach Joseph te Bulte
was thrilled with the way his ladies played in the tournament. “They have grown so much in their play,” said te Bulte, who has coached much of the team since they were in U-10. “We usually don’t play in Tier 2 or 3 – it’s usually (a lower) Tier 4,” The division they were in, this past weekend, was a combined Tier 2/3 calibre. The U-15 boys, meantime, took home a silver medal, in a tournament where the placings were determined on points rather than a designated gold-silver or bronze medal game scenario. The U-17 boys were equal in their efforts, earning a silver.
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Elks making the best of challenging year Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca The Fort St. John Elks speedskating club held its first of two time trial events at the Pomeroy Sport Centre Jan. 22. While it’s not a truly normal year, head coach Richard Stickel says they’ve been able to make the best of it. “We’ve had a good plan for the year built up, same as we would for any other time,” said Stickel. “There have been a couple of setbacks, not being able to do provincials when we wanted.” That aside, he says his team was able to take part in a few competitions in the fall, travelling to Grande Prairie, Edmonton, and Calgary. In a pre-Covid year, like 2019, the club would have hosted at least one or two large-scale events – this year, that’s been challenging. “We were supposed to have a short track meet and Covid rules came in the week before and we had to cancel,” said Stickel. “We could conceivably host (provincials) but
there’s a concern from down south.” With not knowing exact numbers of skaters that might come, the idea, for now at least, has been put on the backburner. There is still optimism from the local club, if things were to improve, they could DAVE LUENEBERG PHOTO host something in March. With regards to his team, FOLLOW THE BOUNCING PUCK: Huskies forward Alex Nimmo (22) looks to score his second goal of the game late Stickel says they’ll continue in the 3rd period against the Fairview Flyers, Jan. 30, 2022. Nimmo finished the night with a goal and three assists. to work on individual goals — Saturday’s time trial and one planned for Feb. 5 meant to keep skaters and officials ‘sharp’ should the club host an upcoming provincial championship or larger meet. And with this year’s B.C. Winter Games in Vernon canCalgary Stamps, the same spent this past weekend celled, those efforts become Dave Lueneberg team that beat them in the in Alberta, up the highway even more important. sports@ahnfsj.ca 2020 consolation, but re- from Calgary in the Edmon“We had a few kids going to that. I think they’re very The NEBC Midget Trackers bounded Thursday night ton area playing three games disappointed, and the people are back home after spend- and Friday afternoon with in three days. Tristan Simpson and Cardoing all that work in Ver- ing last week and part of the decisions of 3-2 over Vernon,” Stickel said, acknow- weekend playing at a 10- non’s Edge Hockey Acad- son Batchelor scored Friday ledging the effort that his team tournament in Calgary. emy and 8-1 against the night as the Trackers got by The IHA Mid Season Chal- host International Hockey Camrose 2-1. club puts in to host its own It was the same result Satlenge isn’t new for the team. Academy. events. Unfortunately, needing a urday, but a 7-2 win in Leduc The Feb. 5 event is open to In fact, the Trackers have had some success in the win Saturday to stay in med- – Chase Wiens and Tristan the public. past, winning the tourna- al contention, the Trackers Simpson netting two goals a ment in 2019 and reaching fell short, beaten 5-3 by Ed- piece in the match. On Sunday, it was Tristan the consolation final in 2020, monton CAC to finish the Simpson, once again, and the last time the tournament tournament in fifth place. was played, due to Covid. They return to regular sea- Nolan Conroy getting on the This year, however, the son action, home to Grande score sheet for the Trackers, competition proved to be Prairie this Saturday, 12:30 but this time in a 4-2 loss to a lot tougher for the local p.m., at the Pomeroy Sports Beaumont. The team travels to Peace Centre. and now a pandemic, cer- squad. River Friday night before a The Trackers opened the tainly haven’t helped the inhome match Saturday at 5 dustry, but Crosier believes tournament last Thursday BANTAM TRACKERS The Bantam Trackers also p.m. against GPAC Higson. there could be a turnaround morning falling 9-5 to the come this fall. In predicting the current situation, Crosier feels the industry is at the bottom of the cycle. “The ups and down of the cattle industry are always there... it’s a five-year-cycle,” Crosier says. “I think the biggest issue we have (moving forward in 2022) is that people go to the store and meats are at the highest price they’ve ever been, yet the farmer raising the product is getting less money and his input costs have gone up 20 to 30 per cent.” Crosier says while farmers in Southern Alberta have adapted to drought-like conditions using irrigation systems, farmers up here weren’t as prepared for a drought that, in 2021, covered all of western Canada. “Thankfully, we had some extra hay (left) over,” says Crozier. “Farmers kept a hundred bails, a couple of hundred bails, but if we get another drought this year, it could be catastrophic.”
More rain, livestock producers needed Dave Lueneberg sports@ahnfsj.ca As the 2021 selling season for cattle comes to an end in the Peace Country, the 2022 buying season is beginning to ramp up. However, auctions and sales don’t necessarily translate into a strong industry. Yancy Crosier with VJV Livestock Marketing Group says a number of producers are selling stock they purchased just last year. “It’s good stock but it’s unfortunate the cattle we’re selling we shouldn’t be selling,” says Crosier. “[In 2021] we sold the cows for $2200$2400 that guys are now bringing back for $1500.” Although it might be good for auction companies in the short term, it comes at a cost long term. “As much as we like to do a bred cow sale, the guys that are selling are sometimes going out of business,” says Crosier. “In this sale, we have four or five dispersals so they’ll be out of the industry, and we don’t have a bunch of young people sitting here to buy those cows.” Extremely dry conditions,
Midget Trackers take two of four in Calgary Tourney
ALASKA HIGHWAY NEWS
A12 | NEWS | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2022
eDNA changing how fish biologists gather Arctic grayling data By Jen Walker Larsen
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rctic grayling is a priority fish species for the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) in the Peace Region and understanding their distribution, migration patterns, and habitat-use is key to conserving this onceabundant species. Gathering fish data usually means observing or catching the fish by angling, gill-netting, electro-shocking, or snorkel surveys. And all of that can be time consuming and expensive. But a new approach using environmental DNA—known as eDNA—is changing how we gather data. The concept is quite remarkable, and so are the results of a project approved by our FWCP Peace Region board now being delivered by fish biologist Mike Stamford of Stamford Environmental. A final report and results are pending, but so far, eDNA is proving to be a very effective tool. Here’s how eDNA works: all fish, including Arctic grayling, are constantly sloughing off cells that contain unique strands of their DNA. By taking water samples, biologists can determine if Arctic grayling are present upstream. It doesn’t require much water—just five litres—and the samples
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can be analyzed in a lab or onsite using a filter system that can provide results in less than an hour. For this project, Mike and his team were able to assess the presence of Arctic grayling in 30 streams that stretch for more than 600 kilometres around the Williston Reservoir. Sampling takes about 45 minutes to complete per site and, travelling by helicopter, they can evaluate about 22 sites per day. Using more traditional methods like angling and
observations, it could take years to get the same data. Collecting eDNA to gather data on the presence, or absence, of a species is relatively new in B.C. In the last few years, this new tool has been used by others to detect Chinook salmon, bull trout, and tailed frogs—and now Arctic grayling. Mike and his team determined that if there was an Arctic grayling within 1.5 kilometres upstream of where the water sample was collected, eDNA analysis
detected it 100% of the time. Fish present two kilometres or more upstream from the sampling site were not detected. These results were evaluated through snorkel survey observations that helped calibrate the eDNA results. Now, I don’t want to give the impression that eDNA is the right answer to all fish research questions. It isn’t. If you want to check the length, weight, sex, condition, or reproductive status, the fish has to be caught and
handled. But if you are just wanting to record the presence, or absence, of a certain species then, compared with traditional methods that are more labour-intensive and expensive, it is faster and more efficient. For our project, eDNA has already expanded our knowledge of the range of summer habitat use for Arctic grayling around Williston Reservoir. And it has contributed to the provincial understanding of eDNA and its effectiveness. Mike recently presented his findings at an online session hosted with the University of Northern B.C. If you missed his presentation, you can view a recording here. He and his team are collating the data and a final report is expected by the end of March. Links to all of our FWCP reports are filed on our searchable spreadsheets. And if you think this kind of methodology is restricted to aquatic species, think again. Scientists in Toronto and Copenhagen have been testing vacuum pumps to sample the air for eDNA. They could detect and identify species hundreds of metres away! Jen Walker Larsen is the Acting Manager for the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program in the Peace Region.
Hudson’s Hope looks to expand ESS service Tom Summer tsummer@ahnfsj.ca
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HEART WARMING: Students and staff at North Peace Secondary recently held a week-long bottle and food drive for the city’s newly-opened warming centre. Pictured here (left to right) are students Dionna Bulley and Megan Reese, and Rosena Joby and Eugene Hasiuk with the centre.
Looks to bolster fire command response Tom Summer tsummer@ahnfsj.ca The District of Hudson’s Hope is considering the purchase of a new waterequipped command truck for its local fire departments after two grassfires and deployment to the Mount Le Morary wildfire last year. Fire Chief Brad Milton submitted a report to district council on Jan. 24, making a business case for a one-ton pickup truck at a cost of a $141,007.15, and equipped with a skid unit, water tank, and pump for wildland firefighting. A 200-gallon tank would allow the unit to extinguish 1,400 feet of fire, while the skid could be used in the case of structure fires. The Hudson’s Hope Fire Department responded to two separate grass fires in May 2021 near Canyon Drive, with one almost
reaching the treeline. A water-equipped command unit would have greatly reduced risk, according to Milton’s report, as members were forced to prioritize one fire over the other. “Had the commander at the time had a vehicle with water onboard he could have actioned one fire while the crew of the other vehicle actioned the other. This would have led to faster extinguishment and less time spent on overhaul due to fire size,” Milton wrote in the report. The department was also deployed to the Mount Le Moray fire, with four members assisting the fight against a 2,000-hectare blaze, providing structural protection support. The vehicle could also be used by the Beryl Prairie Fire Department and help tackle hard-to-reach areas within
the district, such as forestry roads. “With our harsh northern wilderness, the operation of a large city engine is not always practical. These large heavy road engines are incapable of leaving a road or well-kept resource road due to their size and weight,” Milton wrote. Mayor Dave Heiberg says he appreciates Milton’s efforts to thoroughly detail the benefits of an additional command unit. “We’ve referred it to our budget to see how it could fit into our long term planning, there’s going to be some major capital expenditures with some of our engines,” Heiberg said. “They’re not cheap, and they time out not necessarily because they’re old or anything, but because of rules and regulations.” -Local Journalism Initiative
The District of Hudson’s Hope wants to expand its ability to provide emergency social services for residents, adding capacity to host 50 displaced residents in the event of a large-scale emergency such as a structure fire. The district has made a $23,016 grant application to the Union of BC Municipalities’ Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, which would provides cots and other supplies to run an emergency reception centre. Funding is provided by the province and overseen by the UBCM, with First Nations and municipalities eligible to apply. District council approved the recommendation at its Jan. 24 meeting after receiving the prepared application from Fire Chief Brad Milton.
A team of ESS volunteers would be trained to run the reception centre, with five residents having already expressed interest. Mayor Dave Heiberg says the expansion of services is worth pursuing, especially to help elderly and other vulnerable residents during a time of crisis. “It really could be anything, what if we had a heat wave – we could open up the arena and let people in there, some of our more vulnerable folks that can’t escape the heat and things like that,” said Heiberg. “Or if we get a cold weather event and people’s power goes out, we can accommodate.” Heiberg added the reception centre could be also used regionally as an emergency operation centre, helping neighbouring communities within the Peace River Regional District. -Local Journalism Initiative
Taylor councillor resigns The District of Taylor has announced the resignation of Coun. Dave Lueneberg. Lueneberg, first elected in 2014, has served as vicechair of the district’s protection committee and as a member of its emergency committee. He has also represented the district as its liaison to the Northern BC Tourism Association and as its Alaska Highway Community Representative. “It has been a pleasure working with Dave during his time on Council and his contribution towards making Taylor a great place to live, work, and play is sincerely appreciated,” Mayor Rob Fraser said in a statement. “On behalf of Council and all residents of the District of Taylor, I would like to thank Dave for his service to the community and wish him the best as he embarks
on a new chapter.” Lueneberg’s resignation will take effect Tuesday, Feb. 1, at 4:30 p.m., and the district said he plans to remain active in the community through his involvement with the Gold Panning Parade and Community Bingo. With a career background in media, including television and radio, Lueneberg also recently joined Alaska Highway News as a reporter and photographer. The District of Taylor says mayor and council have opted not to proceed with a byelection for the vacant councillor position during a local government election year, in accordance with Section 54 (3)(a) of the Local Government Act. General voting day for this year’s municipal election is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022.