CLRSS acknowledges that our virtual newsletter is being shared on the unceded territories of the Quw’utsun, Malahat, Pauquachin, Ts’uubaa-asatx, Halalt, Penelakut, Stz’uminus, Lyackson, Ditidaht & Pacheedaht Peoples who have stewarded this land since time immemorial. In this Edition: Working hard but needing your help. February 24th, Bell Tower school, Lake Cowichan 1:00 - 2:30. Help us envision a community-wide, one-day festival on July 20th in Lake Cowichan The latest very bad news and what you can do about it! BC watersheds are testing positive for Whirling Disease More about fish…A made in BC Salmon Recovery Model Friends of the Cowichan letter writing needed again! Closing the upper river to winter anglers and why? What about lichen? · Another perspective What is Ethical Space? (youtube.com) Some good news from Joe Saysell at Exeter Creek Reminding you about the Report all Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) line Have you purchased your copy of Witnessing the Water? For your calendar - upcoming community events that are a must!
|
|
|
We invite you to attend an informal gathering of the members, Board and Executive to brainstorm ideas for the July 2024 event. Saturday, Feb 24th, at the Bell Tower School, Lake Cowichan (behind Kaatza Museum) What’s the Point of this Meeting? Last year our August 2023 Signature Event “Connecting through Water Festival” saw about 250 people come out to enjoy 14 booths and demonstrations about our watershed. Since then, we have done a thorough review and made recommendations for the coming year. You said that you’d like to be more involved! Great and thank you. This historic school is located directly behind the Kaatza Museum beside Saywell Park in Lake Cowichan. We would like our members to feel comfortable in offering suggestions and choosing activities or roles that they would enjoy. This is your opportunity to be as involved as you choose! What interests you? · Signature Event Organizing Committee · Site set up and safety · Publicity, advertising, marketing · Managing exhibitors · Entertainment (think outside of the box) music, theatre, choir · Kiddie events, face painting, crafts etc. · Oversite of food vendors/ trucks · Set up of tents and take down at the end of event · Being a roving helper
Please consider coming out on Feb 24th to share in the vision. If you are unable to attend, let us know what kind of volunteer activities do you like to do? See: mquested@shaw.ca |
|
|
Is BC whirling out of control, or is that just another fish tale? David DePape, Director at Large, 2024 CLRSS Board of Directors is a retired, professional fisheries biologist and a subject matter expert on whirling disease. David was involved in developing Alberta’s response to whirling disease as a member of both the CFIA’s national and Alberta’s provincial whirling disease task forces. He led the development and implementation of the province’s decontamination protocols for whirling disease following the detection of the disease in 2016 and is the primary author of Alberta’s Decontamination Protocol for Watercraft and Equipment.. |
|
|
If you guessed that we’re actually talking about whirling disease, then you were right! In August of 2023, Parks Canada staff suspected an outbreak of whirling disease in Emerald Lake, B.C. located in Yoho National Park about 275 km northwest of Calgary. The outbreak was subsequently confirmed in September when Parks Canada announced the closure of the lake, along with all waterbodies in Yoho and Kootenay national parks until the end of March, 2024. Since that time, additional cases of the disease have been confirmed in the Columbia River watershed, including in the Kicking Horse River, Wapta Lake, Finn Creek and Monarch Creek. Although whirling disease has been present on the North American continent since the 1950’s, when it arrived by ship to the United States from Europe in infected rainbow trout destined for table consumption, British Columbia has the ignominy of becoming only the second province in Canadian history to be whirling disease positive. The first case of whirling disease in Canada was confirmed in Johnson Lake, in Banff National Park, Alberta in 2016. Why should we care? Aquatic invasive species can have devastating socio-economic and ecological impacts. Once established, aquatic invasive species seldom go away. They cause a loss of biodiversity, a reduction in habitat quality, competition with native species and are hosts for some diseases. Economic impacts include increased operating costs for aquatic industries, damage to public and private infrastructure, reduced recreational opportunities and costly monitoring and eradication programs. The estimated annual cumulative lost revenue caused by just 16 invasive species in Canada in 2021 was between $13 and $35 billion. 1 In the case of whirling disease, freshwater ecosystems and native trout and salmon populations are at significant risk. In infected waters, whirling disease may cause high mortality in fish populations depending on the age and size of the salmonid host. Juvenile fish are most susceptible to infection. The severity of an infection is difficult to predict due to various interacting factors between habitat, and environmental conditions e.g. water temperature, available habitat for intermediate hosts i.e. tubifex worms, etc. However, in some circumstances, population collapses of more than 90% have been observed in some streams in the Western United States. In British Columbia, wild fish species susceptible to whirling disease include: Oncorhynchus clarkia (cutthroat trout) Oncorhynchus kisutch (coho salmon) Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) Oncorhynchus nerka (sockeye salmon) Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (chinook salmon) Prosopium williamsoni (mountain whitefish) Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) Salmo trutta (brown trout) Salvelinus confluentus (bull trout) Salvelinus fontinalis (brook trout)2
Currently, there are no known control methods for whirling disease in wild populations! Research is ongoing; the use of genetically modified fish to introduce inherited resistance from European strains of fish that have adapted to the disease over time has shown promise in some US states. Once present, whirling disease can only be managed to limit its distribution, but not eradicated. What is it? Whirling disease is caused by a microscopic aquatic parasite, specifically the protozoan Myxobolus cerebralis, in the Class Myxosporea. It has a very complex lifecycle (see lifecycle illustration) that involves both juvenile fish and a bottom dwelling freshwater worm, tubifex tubifex, as hosts. The parasite invades the head and spinal cartilage, and nervous tissue of susceptible fish. Damage to the brain stem and spinal cord results in the characteristic erratic whirling swimming pattern of infected fishes. When infected fish die, spores are released into the water and substrate to seek out aquatic worm hosts to repeat the cycle. The movement of fish, mud, and water can spread whirling disease. It can be transmitted through the spores that attach to equipment (used for swimming, paddling, boating, water |
|
|
pumping, fishing etc.), pets e.g. wet or muddy paws, or through infected fish (alive or dead) and fish parts. Myxospores (one of the life stages of the parasite), can remain alive for more than 20 years in the sediments and wet mud of lakes and rivers. Whirling disease is not a risk to humans, and infected fish are safe to eat. What’s being done about it? |
|
|
What can we do about it? Become informed so that you know and can recognize the clinical signs and behavior of infected fish. The disease is named after the characteristic whirling, or tail-chasing behavior that occurs in infected juvenile salmonids. Infected fish are also often characterized by black tails and spinal deformities caused by the Triactinomyxon (TAM) phase of the parasite burrowing into nervous tissue and cartilage;
Become familiar with and follow Best Management Practices for preventing the spread of whirling disease when recreating on watercourses in British Columbia and Alberta…and any of 25 US States which are also whirling disease positive. Those practices include:
a. Follow the Clean + Drain + Dry principles when using equipment and watercraft; |
|
|
Inspect and clean watercraft, trailers and all equipment that has been in contact with water or fish. Remove all mud, sand and plants from your gear, watercraft, and trailer. Wash your boat, paddling or angling equipment away from storm drains, boat ramps, lakeshores etc. Drain bilge water on land before leaving the waterbody; drain all water, and open compartments so they can dry.
|
|
|
Allow for a minimum of 24 hours of drying time before entering new waters. Never move fish or fish parts between waterbodies. Use fish cleaning stations or put fish parts in the garbage (local solid waste system), not into the lake, or through a kitchen garburator.
|
|
|
b. Pull the Plug on your boat when it is in transit. Removing the bilge plug on your boat when in transit is good practice and is now legally required in some provinces e.g. Alberta. 3. Don’t take unnecessary gear with you on your angling or boating trip. Remember, you will need to disinfect anything that has been wetted, immersed, or in contact with fish! |
|
|
4. Think about whether the equipment you use can be effectively disinfected. When considering buying equipment, think about angling waders and wader boots which can be effectively disinfected when you replace or upgrade your gear. Note: some jurisdictions are outlawing the use of felt soled waders as the felt soles trap mud, stay wet, and cannot be effectively disinfected. |
|
|
5. Disinfect your angling, paddling, canoeing, kayaking, or other gear that has been immersed in water when recreating on any lake in BC in accordance with government protocols. Note: At present, BC has not released a provincial guide for the decontamination of watercraft; however, there is a comprehensive guide available from the Government of Alberta at |
|
|
Whirling disease is a federally reportable disease. This means that anyone who owns or works with aquatic animals has the legal obligation to notify the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) when they suspect or detect an aquatic animal disease that is of concern to Canada. If you feel that you’ve seen a whirling disease infected fish in British Columbia, report it to WhirlingDisease@gov.bc.ca Please report any sightings of fish exhibiting symptoms of whirling disease to: FrontCounter BC via FrontCounterBC@gov.bc.ca or 1-877-855-3222 and DFO at 1-800-465-4336. |
|
|
Some good news about fish…A made in BC Salmon Recovery Model From the Pacific Salmon Foundation website: ‘Patchwork efforts to manage and conserve salmon in B.C. lack coordination. A tried and tested model from Washington state has inspired planning for a new provincial salmon recovery model. The First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C. and PSF working with salmon biologist Tom Rutherford, have developed a draft roadmap for a made in B.C. salmon recovery model. |
|
|
This story originally appeared in the Winter 2023 edition of Salmon Steward, the Pacific Salmon Foundation’s quarterly print magazine. Salmon experts in B.C. are exploring solutions to this dilemma at a time when nearly half of salmon populations in the province are in some state of decline. Through a forum called the Pacific Salmon Action Dialogues, a partnership between PSF and the First Nations Fisheries Council of B.C. (FNFC), with collaboration from salmon leaders across the province, participants came to a consensus that B.C. needs a new collaborative structure for salmon recovery. Their discussions have drawn inspiration from the Washington State Salmon Recovery Strategy. PSF and FNFC tapped salmon biologist Tom Rutherford, who formerly worked for DFO and is currently Director of Strategic Priorities for the Cowichan Watershed Board, to help scope what a made in B.C. salmon recovery model could look like. Based on Rutherford’s research, British Columbia can learn from the Washington Way, which has two decades of real-world applications. |
|
|
‘We’re at a tipping point for salmon in B.C. for many reasons — the major one being climate change. We need to do something different than what we’re doing now, says Rutherford. Washington has clear legislation for collaborative salmon action. With their mandates, it’s not optional. British Columbia doesn’t have those legislative requirements, so we need to work around that and find the foresight to create our own system that centres First Nations leadership.’ To begin envisioning how the Evergreen State’s methods can be applied in B.C., Rutherford interviewed Washington Salmon Recovery representatives and B.C. salmon experts to develop a roadmap. |
|
|
This roadmap was unveiled on February 5th in an online presentation. See full report here: Salmon Action Dialogue Series: Draft Report (mailchi.mp) Tom told CLRSS: ‘Status quo is not good enough. We need to develop a better, more collaborative model if we are serious about ensuring sustainable salmon populations for future generations. We can do this! - but we need to do it together.’ *************************************************************************************************** Closing the upper Cowichan River (Quw’utsun Sta’lo’) to winter anglers and why? An Open Letter to the Honorable Bruce Ralston, BC Minister of Forests from Friends of the Cowichan Chairman and CLRSS member, Joe Saysell PO Box 9049 Stn Prov Govt, Victoria, BC V8W 9E2 or FOR.Minister@gov.bc.ca Dear Sir: I implore you to reconsider the recent decision to continue to allow angling in the upper Cowichan River (Quw’utsun Sta’lo’) between the Lake Cowichan weir and the 70.2 Mile Trestle from December 1st to April 1st each year. Most of the Chinook, large, early-run steelhead, and the vast majority of rainbow trout spawn in that very upper portion of the river, yet this crucial nursery is left open to abuse from anglers at the very time that these fish need sanctuary to spawn undisturbed. This precious stretch is literally one, large, fish redd and should be ‘off limits’ to anglers at that time of the year. In this critical time of the year, the bottom of this section of the river is literally laden with fish eggs that are constantly disturbed or simply destroyed by angler’s boots and drift boat anchors ripping up the redds. It is sickening to see anglers fishing over top these dark, spawning fish! Many BC rivers have angling closures in sensitive spawning areas, and some even close the entire river to enable stocks to spawn unimpeded. The recent horrific fish kill on the Cowichan River (Quw’utsun Sta’lo’) in the summer of 2023, in which 84,000 fish died as a result of severe climate conditions, is very much at the top of peoples’ minds. We are in an unprecedented time of crisis and must make thoughtful and often difficult decisions about the human use of a fish population that is already weakened to the point of dissemination. To do this for the sake of the angling industry, whose livelihood ironically depends upon plentiful fish stocks, makes even less sense. Please reverse this decision. Notes for other letter writers: The Cowichan River (Quw’utsun Sta’lo’) should be closed between the Lake Cowichan weir and 70.2 Mile Trestle from December 1st to April 1st each year because the majority of the fish in the Cowichan River (Quw’utsun Sta’lo’) spawn in this area. Anglers in drift boats harm spawning fish, their eggs and the spawning beds because they walk on or drag their anchors through the redds (spawning beds). This area of the Cowichan River (Quw’utsun Sta’lo’) was closed pre-1988 for these same reasons and yet the threat to fish stocks in 2024 is much greater. Climate changes are further threatening dwindling stocks and every measure needs to be taken to protect resident stocks. Let’s be pro-active rather than reactive!
What about lichen? With sincere appreciation, from Nature Rambles by Genevieve Singleton ‘In the storm the other night down came these two glorious pieces of Squq-p'iws (Hul'q'umi'num' word for lichen in general). The bright green one is Smuxt'ulus in Hul'q'umi'num', or Lung Lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria). Say the Latin name out loud and enjoy its rhyming sequence! |
|
|
The black one is Lobaria anthrapsis, no Hul'q'umi'num' or English name. These two lichens are often found at lower elevations on the Island, generally on hardwoods, including maple, dogwoods and ninebark. Expert, Loys Mangion, says the give away is not so much the colour of the lichen as the presence of the chocolate chip apothecia on the bluish brown thallus. All Lichens are several species of algae and fungus living together! Upon doing some research of Lung Lichen, which is circumpolar, I was startled to read that in Europe its numbers are greatly in decline due to pollution (in particular sulphur dioxide), loss of habitat and other factors. In England it is now only found in western areas. Here, I am blessed to have it on my suburban lot. So incredibly fortunate. The reason though that I wanted to post this particular photo was I was drawn to the extraordinary beauty of the foliage veining. Is this where the architects of long ago got the ideas for the grand vaulted ceilings of places of worship? The reddish areas are apothecia, the spore bearing structure. Lichens are "primitive" organisms. Seeds evolved after spores.’ Judy Brayden and Wikipedia: Lobaria pulmonaria resembles the tissue inside lungs and therefore it is thought to be a remedy for lung diseases based on the doctrine of signatures. The lichen's common English names are derived from this association. Gerard's book The Herball or General Historie of plants (1597) recommends L. pulmonaria as medicinally valuable. It is still used for asthma, urinary incontinence and lack of appetite. In India it is used as a traditional medicine to treat hemorrhages and eczema, and it is used as a remedy for coughing up blood by the Hesquiaht in British Columbia, Canada. An ethnophytotherapeutical survey of the high Molise region in central-southern Italy revealed that L. pulmonaria is used as an antiseptic, and is rubbed on wounds. Lobaria pulmonaria has also been used to produce an orange dye for wool, in the tanning of leather, in the manufacture of perfumes and as an ingredient in brewing |
|
|
Skip ahead to 1970 and the construction of Highway 18. This construction saw the winter high water infill gravel from the new road grade down the length of Exeter Creek. Over time the mouth of the creek became entirely blocked with road gravel and other natural debris that was swept up on the way. Undeterred, the water simply ran underground through the gravel wall to the Cowichan, still cooling the water considerably, however spawning fish could hardly return to their home source back up the creek so that was the end of that home to spawning salmon. In 1983 Joe Saysell, then president of the Valley Fish and Game Club, had an idea: why don’t we remove the gravel at the mouth of Exeter Creek and return this stream to salmon? As too many projects to do would have it, this never happened. Now skip ahead to 2023, and another attempt to do just this. This time it was embraced wholeheartedly by the Department of Fisheries and Ocean (DFO). One day in September four, strong, young men, supervised by the landowner and the DFO representatives, relocated by hand, many wheelbarrow loads full of gravel, effectively opening up the creek to the main river. While there is still more work to be done, Joe assures us that this winter salmon returned to spawn in the creek! |
|
|
For your calendar: • Saturday, February 24th – CLRSS Community input and planning at the Bell Tower School from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. All CLRSS members and guests are invited to attend an organizational meeting for our 2024 Signature Event Festival in July of this year. The Bell Tower School is located behind the Kaatza Museum beside Saywell Park in Lake Cowichan. The purpose of the meeting is to form a Signature Event Committee which will organize the festival, recruit volunteers for various sub-committees and begin the planning. Bring your ideas and we’ll see you there! • Monday, March 4th - Next CLRSS meeting: 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 4th, via Zoom All members and interested folk welcome. Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85263296374?pwd=Tm53NbgUGS8DFbKUQVmxfDrvCfHo hd.1 Meeting ID: 852 6329 6374 Passcode: 822015 • Monday March 18th = Cowichan Watershed Board’s Speaker Series at VIU in Duncan from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Topic: Becoming a Friend of the Watershed: the value that every single person has. Slides and Stories with Tim Kulchyski (Cowichan Tribes Biologist) and Barry Hetschko (Photographer/Naturalist/Volunteer) Hear Tim here: https://www.youtube.com/watchv=15WK8CqquyE&ab_channel=TheNatureTrustofBritishColumbia. |
|
|
|
|
