Conservation Hatchery A Must for Sturgeon Survival

Tuesday, August 31, 2010 03:57 AM

Vanderhoof, B.C.- The Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative has managed to secure funding from three sources to continue its work but still needs the Province to move forward with the building of a hatchery.

“The members of the CWG realize that time is running out to save this endangered species” said Brian Frenkel, Chairperson for the Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative’s Community Working Group. “While we are making strides in our efforts to communicate and gather support for the rehabilitation of this species, we need the immediate commitment from the Provincial Government, to construct the Conservation Hatchery in Vanderhoof, or our efforts will have been in vain”.

Nechako White Sturgeon Recovery Initiative’s (NWRSI) Community Working Group (CWG) has garnered support from the District of Vanderhoof ($20,000) Integris Credit Union has awarded a grant of $2,500 for outreach and communication materials and more recently, Environment Canada has supported the CWG with a grant of $16,750 for community education.

It is estimated that the Nechako White Sturgeon population, listed as endangered under the Federal Species at Risk Act, is still declining and that the total number of mature sturgeon is now less than 450.

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Posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2010 03:57 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: porter on August 31 2010 8:50 AM

40K for a species that is going to be extinct... we should be ashamed of our selves.

Posted by: RIP commonsense on August 31 2010 10:51 AM

Porter
Tell us what you really mean.
If the Sturgeon are sick that means the river is sick.
With the Sturgeon's health so goes the health of the Chinook, Sockeye and the trout fishery in this river.
In sections of the Nechao the weed growth has cut the percentage of oxygen to unliveable levels.
Do we fix the river with perhaps a cold water release as was planned or do we say goodbye to the Sturgeon and the Salmon?

Posted by: Dragonmaster on August 31 2010 2:32 PM

This funding problem was brought forward when the gov't wanted to bring in a sturgeon conservation/catch and release licence to fish for them in the Fraser river below Williams lake river, (located near Williams lake) to the Mission bridge on the lower Fraser river. They closed the sturgeon above Williams lake to any fishing and are raking in money from sport fisherman who are required to pay for a licence to fish for these beasts below Williams lake. People questioned the panel about where the money collected for the licences was going to be spent and we were told it was for the conservation efforts of the lower Fraser River stocks.

Posted by: NMG on August 31 2010 6:00 PM

In fairness to the Provincial Government, they have their money allocated for more ambitious and important projects like a quaretr of a billion dollars for a new roof for BC Place. I can see why there isn't allot of money around to fund something as silly as protecting a species of fish that has been around for thousands of years.

Posted by: gus on August 31 2010 7:50 PM

I would assume that the hatchery would be built as a project combined with tourism and thus should be considered to be recovering some money from that sector.