ELECTION 'O8: Where do the party leaders stand on protecting Atlantic salmon and its habitat?

During this general federal election, the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF) is seeking information on the positions of the federal party leaders on conserving wild Atlantic salmon and their environment. The federation has asked the leaders questions on the issue, requesting answers by Oct. 7.

The ASF says it is concerned over the positions of the party leaders because while 2008 is shaping up to be a banner year for wild Atlantic salmon, it is one good year following many bad.

The federation is hopeful it is the beginning of an upward trend but, without strong federal government action backed by adequate budgets for Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the challenges remain.

Since 1973, the number of wild Atlantic salmon destined to return to North American rivers fell from 1,601,000 to an all-time low in 2001 of 418,000. Without help, many populations of wild Atlantic salmon could face extinction.

The federation says Canadians give conservation of endangered wild Atlantic salmon the highest priority, ahead of such important species as the Blue, North Atlantic Right, and North Pacific Right whales, Leatherback Turtle, and Striped Bass. This is according to results from a rigorously-designed statistical web survey carried out by Dr. Murray Rudd of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, Corner Brook N.L. for DFO. It is the mandate of DFO to conserve wild Atlantic salmon and their environment and to provide the necessary funding in the department’s annual budget to do so.

The following questions are the ones that have been posed to the party leaders:

•DFO’s core annual budgets for research, protection and restoration of wild Atlantic salmon and their habitat have fallen by 50 per cent in the past 13 years. Would you consider expanding the present budget to allow DFO to sufficiently carry out its mandate of conserving wild Atlantic salmon?

•A new fisheries sct was proposed, but died on the order paper. Did it provide sufficient protection for Canadian fish and their habitat?

•Do you have areas of concern with the proposed changes to the fisheries act and, if so, what are they?

•Are you convinced that Canada is proceeding in a manner that will offer maximum protection of inner Bay of Fundy wild Atlantic salmon that are listed under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA)?

•Do you have concerns with the failure to complete the recovery plan for these endangered salmon populations seven years after listing?

•Do you recognize that the Atlantic salmon recreational fishery is worth $100 million to eastern Canada, in primarily rural areas?

•Would you promote this type of industry that depends on a healthy environment instead of a polluting industry?

•Are you aware that Atlantic salmon aquaculture can actually impact wild Atlantic salmon negatively?

•Would you expect your minister of fisheries and oceans to carry out the department’s constitutional mandate and have as a priority the protection of wild fish rather than the development of the aquaculture industry?

•Would you consider transferring the responsibility for development of the aquaculture industry to another federal department to allow Fisheries and Ocean Canada to regulate on behalf of wild fish without conflict of interest?

•Do you support DFO’s draft Wild Atlantic Salmon Conservation Policy?

•Are you satisfied that there is sufficient funding to carry out this policy?

.