The Leader - May 2011

Issue 5

The Leader

May 2011

Http://NWSSCS.blogspot.com 

SSCS: Committed to a sciencebased, ecosystem protection and management approach that integrates the human component on a landscape scale

The Leader May 2011 Http://NWSSCS.blogspot.com

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The Leader

Issue 5

May 2011

Featured Topics: 

http://NWSSCS.blogspot.com m The only conservation organization dedicated to a science-based, ecosystem protection and management approach that integrates the human component on a landscape scale

Norwegian owned Atlantic salmon feedlots in British Columbia , Chile, Scotland, Norway

Watch the informative video “Farmed Salmon Exposed” here. 

Update: Chehalis River Flood Risk Management

Global Alliance Against Industrial Aquaculture

Site off-line SSCS Corporate Sponsors

101 Multimedia

Alpine Experience

British Columbia Federation of Fly Fishers

Flyfishers’ Arte & Publishing

Lighthawk – Flying for the environment

Natural Settings Digital Imaging and Design

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May 2011

2011 SSCS Board of Direction Able--Committed--Experienced

Executive Officers Ric Abbett

Bruce Treichler

Jim Wilcox

Senior Communication and Marketing Advisor

President and CEO

Vice President

Treasurer and Secretary

Conservation Directors

Joe Durham

Don Schluter

Alan Steeves

Terry Turner

Subject Matter Advisors Richard Mayer

Senior Communication and Marketing Advisor

Alexandra Morton

Dr. Robert Vadas, Jr.

Senior Marine Fisheries Advisor

Senior Fresh Water Fisheries Advisor

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Introducing Alexandra Morton – SSCS Senior Marine Fisheries Advisor

May 2011

Salmon farms break essential natural laws by holding this nomadic fish stationary and this has loosed epidemics of disease and sea lice upon the wild salmon. Wild salmon are an essential power cord carrying the energy this coastline requires to support life.

In 1984, I followed a family of orca into a beautiful cluster of islands in British Columbia, Canada. I am a biologist and with my husband and baby son we made our home there in Echo Bay. It had a one-room school, post office and about 100 people. It had abundant salmon, whales and wilderness.

There were no roads to town, no electricity, no phones.

We dropped an underwater microphone and piped the ocean sounds into the boat we lived on. We heard the whales night or day as they passed.

Over the years I learned how whales make a living. Their rhythms became mine as I became a widow, raised my children and took a stand.

When the first salmon farm moved in I thought it was a good idea, but swiftly and inexorably I joined the ranks of reluctant field biologists negotiating for the survival of life on earth. I wrote down this story in my book Listening to Whales.

While I was studying whales I supported myself writing, taking pictures, deck-handing on a fish boat (Heart of the Raincoast) and making T shirts. This allowed me to stay in the field for the past 26 years!

Today I am toe to toe with three international corporations. I am determined to revive my community and the wild salmon that feed this part of the world. I have co-published a great deal of the Canadian science on impact of salmon farms on whales and wild salmon. I have successfully taken the industry to BC Supreme Court and changed the regulatory regime.

My home is now a research station so scientists around the world can help me shine a light into the depths of this conflict.

When an individual takes on the task of bringing reason to governments and corporations there is a tendency to want to become big. But as a biologist I see far more value in remaining

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small and adaptable.

SSCS Membership Renewals

May 2011

Late in March, Alpine Experience in Olympia came on board as a valued SSCS corporate sponsor.

In fact, the fine folks at Alpine Experience donated four, one day sea kayak rentals for last month‟s SSCS Earth Day Celebration and silent auction.

The legal challenges I have undertaken receive thousands of small donations at www.adopt-a-fry.org and the research receives charitable donations via www.raincoastresearch.org but this site allows me to put food on my table.

It„s exciting to realize the many SSCS achievements by our volunteers.

Below is brief introduction to locally-owned and operated Alpine Experience: Our Story

These were only accomplished due to dedicated conservation leaders with support from SSCS members and from our greatly appreciated sponsors.

It„s now time for existing SSCS members to renew our SSCS memberships and for those interested in supporting the SSCS to become a member or an SSCS sponsor.

Please take the time now to complete your SSCS Membership Application and return it with your check payable to the Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society, a not-forprofit corporation registered with the Washington State Secretary of State.

Welcome Alpine Experience as the newest SSCS corporate sponsor

The Alpine Experience is a locally and family owned outdoor retail shop located in Olympia, Washington. Since 1996 we've prided ourselves on our superior customer service, high quality products, and being active contributors to our community.

In October of 2008, we acquired a second storefront just a few blocks away. Olympic Outfitters has been serving the outdoor community in the South Sound area since 1970, and we are very excited to continue to build upon the success of this fabled local company in the years ahead.

A Commitment Customers

to

Our

Those who walk through our front doors are not just customers … they are our guests. Our family and friends in many ways. They are the ones on the other end of the rope, belaying and supporting us. They are the reason we are here, and the most basic element to our success. We will offer them our loyalty, our

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knowledge, our service, our friendship, our courtesy, our sense of adventure, and our values. And by inspiring them with our devotion and our values, they will pay us back tenfold with the same. Great service starts with me. More important, great service ends with ‌ no, great service is a journey, with no end in sight.

May 2011

Corporate Arrogance at its Worst Encouraged by Governments

Thanks to Alpine Experience for supporting the unprecedented volunteer efforts of the Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society.

Photos from the salmon feedlots Thanks to: http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/

Atlantic salmon smolts transferred into Norwegian owned salmon feedlots in BC marine waters

Fish waste and uneaten fish food up to 70 meters high under salmon feedlots – no marine life under pens The large egg-bearing sea lice (gravid) make holes in these young salmon as they try and retain their grip on these much too small hosts. Note that this young pink salmon has no scales and thus has no protection from the lice

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The images on the next two pages are from the video

“Farmed Salmon Exposed”

Advocates for wild salmon

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May 2011

Above photo: British Columbia – Below photo: Chile

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Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus and Farmed Salmon

Infectious salmon anemia virus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article needs additional citations for verification.

Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2007)

Infectious salmon anemia or anaemia (ISA) is a viral disease of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) that affects fish farms in Canada, Norway, Scotland and Chile, causing severe losses to infected farms.[1] The disease is listed as a non-exotic disease of the EU and is therefore watched closely by the European Community Reference Laboratory for Fish Diseases.

The aetiological agent of ISA is the infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV). ISAV, a RNA virus, is the only species in the genus "Isavirus" which is in the family Orthomyxoviridae.

The following is from: Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus Rocco C. Cipriano United States Geological Survey National Fish Health Research Laboratory 11700 Leetown Road Kearneysville, WV 25430, U.S.A.

“Infectious Salmon Anemia Virus (ISAV) is a highly infectious disease of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) that was first reported within Norwegian aquaculture facilities. The disease has since been described among pre-market Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar in Scotland (Bricknell et. al. 1998), New Brunswick, Canada (Lovely et al. 1999), the United Kingdom (Rodger et al. 1999), and the Cobscook Bay region of the United States (Bouchard et al. 2001) and from coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in Chile and the Faroe Islands (Kibenge et al. 2001).�

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Wild Atlantic salmon 'under threat' from escaped farmed fish and sea lice Scottish salmon industry criticised by leading anglers group which says government fish farm inspections are 'too lenient'

Young wild Atlantic salmon are being killed by sea lice before they breed, leading to a slump in their numbers, the Salmon and Trout Association claims. Photograph: Murdo Macleod Fish farms are being frequently hit by parasite infestations and mass escapes that threaten the survival of the UK's wild salmon stocks, a leading anglers' group has said.

Official inspections have revealed that scores of salmon farms around the Scottish coast have had infestations of the sea lice parasite that breached recommended levels or have led to fish suffering wounds or an early death Read more of this April 7, 2011 article from Guaridian.co.uk at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/07/wild-atlantic-salmon-under-threat-fish-farms

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Update: Chehalis River Basin Flood Risk Management Date: April 11, 2011 Chairwoman Terry Willis Chehalis River Basin Authority

Flood

Chairwoman Willis; The Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society is writing to respectfully remind the members of the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority that the Northwest Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society (now the Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society) submitted two resolutions regarding the work of the Flood Authority. The resolutions are focused on the goals of protecting human lives, health, safety, and property throughout the Chehalis River basin.

The Northwest Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society submitted NWSSCS Resolution 51810 to the Flood Authority.

This resolution addresses the need for:  A moratorium on development within the Chehalis River floodplain  A moratorium on steep slope clear cut logging throughout the Chehalis River basin  A focus on the restoration

May 2011

of natural processes within the  Assimilate elements of the Chehalis River basin Basinwide General Investigation, forestlands, wetlands and Twin Cities Project, proposed floodplains. hydropower dam and the ongoing Fish Study We recommend the following actions:  Assimilate site-specific elements regarding the Chehalis Petition Peter Goldmark, Centralia Airport, Town Center, Public Lands Commissioner to: as well as the recent Lewis County FEMA floodplain map  Enforce existing timber delineations. harvest regulations and best timber harvest management The Northwest Steelhead and practices to resolve numerous Salmon Conservation Society failing slopes in order to protect also submitted NWSSCS human lives, safety health and Resolution 11011 to the Flood property as well as to protect Authority.

This resolution Washington‟s public owned addresses the need for: natural resources.  Establish an immediate  Comprehensive, science and permanent moratorium on based studies to evaluate all steep slope clear cut timber reasonable flood damage harvests throughout the Chehalis prevention strategies River basin.  Studies to undergo unbiased peer reviews via the  Establish an immediate University of Washington and /or and permanent moratorium on Washington State University floodplain development throughout the Chehalis River Unfortunately, the Chehalis River basin Basin Flood Authority has spent the vast majority of its time and  Convene talks with the money (taxpayer funds) to debate Governor Gregoire, a few of the potential benefits and Representatives Herrera Buetler costs associated with a dam(s) in and Dicks and Senators Murray the upper Chehalis River. Dam and Cantwell to include the proponents continue to advocate extremely expensive elements below in order to for receive benefits from past investments of future public infrastructure investment of public moneys while acknowledging the proposed dam will not be able to money and time. protect I-5 in the event of a

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recurrence of the 2007 flood.

Additionally the dam will not prevent debris and mass wasting in the vast majority of the upper basin from washing downstream again with tragic consequences.

To continue down this path of putting people and property in harm‟s way is to ignore the impending peril.

The Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society has seen no evidence of any effort by the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority to consider deliberations during public hearings for consideration of either of the above resolutions.

Ignoring these viable alternatives to prevent flood related damage in the Chehalis River basin by the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority, the local press and other dam proponents, has led us to express our concerns regarding the validity of the reconnaissance level studies that have been done to date. Even the outside consultants who performed a legislatively mandated and funded peer review of earlier scoping documents and studies recommended that the Washington State Office of Financial Management not release funds ($900,000) to the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority to conduct the “Fish Study” because of their

May 2011

professional concerns about these studies.

This  Continued, if not increased, steep recommendation was ignored. slope clear cut logging throughout the Chehalis River The Chehalis River Basin Flood basin Authority is in line to receive  The Chehalis tribe has resigned another $1.32 million dollars from from the Chehalis River Basin the Washington State Flood Authority and discussions Legislature, in part, so that the associated with formation of a „fish‟ study can be completed. Chehalis River basin flood control We have had and continue to zone district have serious reservations  Quinault Indian Nation has regarding this study. Not only is expressed its strong opposition to this study inadequate regarding water retention facilities in the downstream impacts of the dam headwaters of the Chehalis on fish, but also it does nothing to River. address the devastating and unconscionable impacts to fish The Steelhead and Salmon above the proposed dam.

Conservation Society, again, As has been repeatedly addressed by the Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society and others, this proposed dam would be built in primary salmon and trout spawning and rearing habitat. The upstream habitat will immediately become uninhabitable for spawning even if upstream and downstream fish passage were included in the dam design.

urges that the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority revisit NWSSCS Resolution 51810 and NWSSCS Resolution 11011

It‟s not too late to demonstrate real leadership and focus on cost effective solutions that will prevent flood related damage throughout the Chehalis River basin. If we pull together the completed and ongoing planning elements and develop a landscape scale plan that covers In the past year since the lifting of the entire drainage, including all the moratorium on floodplain forest lands, we can attain our development in Lewis County goals. (including Chehalis and Centralia) and the submission of We implore you to use the the two resolutions by the remainder of your allotted time Northwest Steelhead and Salmon and money to concentrate the Conservation Society, we have focus of the Chehalis River Basin witnessed: Flood Authority on accomplishing

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this rather than sunset the Chehalis River Basin Flood Authority without presenting the public with a work product that can be built upon over time.

Thank you, Chairwoman Willis.

May 2011

The Leader June 2011 Issue Reliance of Orca Whales on abundant and sustainable populations of healthy Pacific salmon

Sincerely, Ric Abbett President and CEO Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society Bruce Treichler Vice President Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society James Wilcox Secretary and Treasurer Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society

Chinook (king) salmon Our Readers Write:

Sockeye (red) salmon  “This is beautiful:” A. Morton, Echo Bay, BC  “Great job with the newsletters & effective advocacy” R. Vadas, Olympia, WA

Pacific salmon not pictured above: Coho (silver) salmon Chum (dog) salmon Pink (humpie) salmon

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Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society Membership Application Please return your completed application and check to: SSCS Membership 3322 104th Avenue SW Olympia, WA, 98512 Your joining the Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society is truly appreciated. Your completed application for a membership will be evaluated by the SSCS Membership Chairman. You‟ll be notified via an e-mail message regarding your SSCS membership status. Thank you for your interest in protecting and restoring the unique Pacific Northwest outdoors and our way of life.

Sponsored By: __________________________________________ Date Approved by SSCS: _________________________________ Your name: (print) __________________________________________________ Your address: (street)____________________________(city)________________ (state)__________(country) ________(postal code)____________ Your e-mail address:_________________________________________________ Your phone number:_________________________________________________ Membership Fee Structure – please select one: O Life: $1,000

Annual membership level: O Chinook: $500 O Steelhead: $100 O River Steward: $50 O Undergraduate: $35 O Student (12 – 18): $20 O Senior (62+): $20 O Commercial sponsor: $250 What personal or professional skills will you contribute as a member of the Steelhead and Salmon Conservation Society?

O O O O O O O O

Process Restoration: forestland, floodplain, wetland Science: Fisheries, Wildlife, Soils, Hydrology, Geology. Economy Legal Membership development Communication Marketing Http://NWSSCS.blogspot.com Project Management Other _____________________

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