I Wish The White Sturgeon The Best
Friday, April 12, 2013 @ 3:45 AM
The White Sturgeon survived over 1 million years in the Nechako system, only to be all but wiped out in just over 50 years . That speaks volumes about the ability of governments , at all levels, to look beyond what’s in it for them today.
The government of the day in the 50’s jumped through their shorts in order to give Alcan an area the size of some provinces, which has not only affected the river, but has forever taken away the opportunity for the people in the Nechako basin to develop to their full potential. Alcan got what they wanted and the government of the day set into play water rental rates that are so low they are the laughing stock around the world.
When the Socreds back in the 80’s (under their point man, Bruce Strachan) went to the Kemano completion project, they all but wrote off the sturgeon in the Nechako river. Strachan said the mitigation about to be undertaken by Alcan was sufficient to look after the sturgeon. Thank God that someone came along with a bit more sense (then Premier Mike Harcourt) and the idea of taking 83% of the flow of the Nechako to be diverted into the Kemano system was killed. I don’t want you to think that was the end of it, along came Glen Clark who in a roundabout twist gave Alcan, now Rio Tinto, most of what they wanted.
Each and every time the White Sturgeon which had been able to survive everything thrown at them, but with the reduced flows, high water at the wrong time of the year, their fate became all but sealed.
We were just about to have a repeat performance in the flow of the Nechako , when, to his credit, Pat Bell (who travels the river enough to understand it) was able to hold Rio Tinto to its present water flow. But soon he will be gone and what will a new cabinet minister decide? I suspect it sure as hell won’t be in favour of the Sturgeon.
This is what killed the White Sturgeon plain and simple. We diverted more than 70% of the flow of the Nechako into the Kemano and into the Pacific Ocean. The sturgeon could not simply pick up shop and move to another river.
The reduced flows meant there was less water for these brutes, (some as large as 500 lbs) to find the kind of water they need to spawn in come early June. We also reduced the flow in the river at that time of the year saving it all for the Sockeye, trying to get to their spawning grounds and they also are in peril, but that is another story. The river weeds up and silt anchors the bottom if you don’t flush it out. That’s what happens when you mess with Mother Nature.
But through it all the Province , under the Socreds, NDP, the federal government and the department of Federal Fisheries said we have studied the problem of the Sturgeon and they will be okay. Well they are not. So who has been left to pick up the pieces? The residents in the Vanderhoof area, the Freshwater Society , the province with the largest contribution and finally Rio Tinto Alcan.
I wish the efforts the best, the White sturgeon can only hope for that as well.
Now who do you think got the benefit from the destruction of the White Sturgeon along the Nechako River? It sure as hell hasn’t been the fish.
I’m Meisner, and that’s one man’s opinion.
Comments
Not just Alcan but one has to consider development along the Fraser as well. Espeically the Fraser Delta down in Vancouver. Where does Fishing fall into this? I doubt illegal fishing and First Nations communites are keeping tally (or an accurate tally) of how many sturgeon they are catching.
Regardless of human factors that have played a part in the demise of the sturgeon its good to see that steps in the right direction are being taken. Now we just need to get the salmon hatcheries up and running again as well.
In the real history of the world, rivers come and go. The Nechako was not here forever and it will not remain here forever. In the end, we are just a blip in history.
In the great scheme of things you are correct, Gus. But we live in the here and now, which includes recent history and the future, say, about a hundred years in either direction. Mr. Meisner has hit the subject nail on the head without actually saying the truth “out loud”
The truth is that corporate greed and short sighted, eager to please politicians are to blame.
-Northman: in regards to your comments about the lower Fraser; It is worth remembering that there are two distinct species of Sturgeon in the Fraser River system; one above the Fraser Canyon, the other below. It wasn’t always that way. Within my stated hundred year window, give or take a few years, the railway companies caused the Fraser to become dammed during right of way construction due to rockslides occurring during blasting.
The Sturgeon survived this and evolved, but there was always plenty of water in the river. Now we have a situation where the volume of water in the Nechako will never be what it once was, thus lower water forever in the Fraser as well.
It’s all about the money, as usual.
metalman.
Mr. Meisner loves to sport about on what he declaims “his river”. Where are the real environmentalists whenever dams or nuclear power are touted? He reminds me of certain native elders that look up at a mountain and call it Grandpa’s. Grandad never climbed it, he never planted a single seed on its flanks and he never built a hut anywhere near the mountain. Why does he call it his? Because he can.
Maybe if you actually got out in a boat and did some fishing, you’d realize how prolific these fish are and how big a lie their “endangeredness” is. Even fishing for them is illegal (not sure how anyone would prove it.) That right there stinks to high heaven. Forbidding the average angler from uncovering the lies.
The Freshwater Fisheries Society is the biggest environmental disaster to ever occur in BC. They have killed more fish in this province than Enbridge ever would. Dumping Rotenone into lakes then restocking with sterile hatchery fish? These guys are heros? Gimme a break. Save your breath, I know your next comment will be “without stocking there would be no fish” Another lie. Without stocking there be no jobs for corrupt people. That’s it. These jokers want every fish you catch to be one of their frankenfish missing an adipose. You’re entitled to an opinion (its your site) but this one makes me want to wretch.
My understanding is that sturgeon populations do well in wild rivers. Lots of legal big sturgeon around chiliwack/Hope, but in controlled(dam) rivers sturgeon are disappearing at an alarming rate.
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