Please direct all media inquiries to Allison Murray, Communications Associate, at allison [at] murraycommunications.org | 604-442-1846.

Canadian Military Interferes with Killer Whale Recovery Strategy

Federal Government could face lawsuit over further delays May 23, 2007 VANCOUVER, BC – After nearly a year of unlawful delays, the latest caused by the Canadian military, environmental groups issued a warning to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) today to release the Recovery Strategy for BC’s famous resident killer whales, or face a lawsuit. The Southern Resident Killer Whales…

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Groups Call for Government Action on Aquaculture Committee’s Key Recommendations

New Poll shows British Columbians’ support closed, contained salmon farms May 16, 2007 VANCOUVER, BC – The Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform (CAAR)  today applauded the key recommendations of the Special Legislative Committee on Sustainable Aquaculture and called on the provincial government to act immediately to implement the changes required. CAAR also released a poll showing 80.7 per cent of…

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Ecological footprint of farmed and caught salmon

Hon John van Dongen 17 July 2001 Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries Room #137 Parliament Buildings (Provincial Legislature) Victoria, BC V6V 1X4 Dear Mr van Dongen:Re: Moratorium on Net-Pen Salmon FarmsI am writing in response to the announcement that you are preparing to lift the moratorium on the construction of more net-pen salmon farms in British Columbia. My concern…

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Group says polluting salmon farms should be charged

August 29, 2001 VANCOUVER — The T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation says polluting salmon farms should face prosecutions and fines like other polluters. A newly released document from the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection shows that 47 percent of all salmon farm sites had potential or probable impacts to marine life on the seabed. Most of these sites…

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Greening up that Sheen

by Sarah Verstegen from Strait Talk, Summer 2004 In mid May I received the first call of the season for a holding tank pump-out by Pumpty Dumpty, the pump-out boat serving Saanich Inlet. Since I was on my way out of town, heading to Ladysmith for GSA’s annual general meeting, I forwarded the request. The volunteer crew from Saanich Inlet…

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Species at Risk Act – Backgrounder

The Species at Risk Act (SARA) was first introduced into the House of Commons in February of 2001. The new Act is the result of numerous cross-Canada consultations and built on the policy of previous legislative proposals over a nine-year period. The overall goal of the Species at Risk Act is to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct or lost…

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Killer Whale recovery strategy release puts lawsuit off — for now

June 26, 2007 VANCOUVER, BC – After a year’s delay and a threat of legal action, the federal government has released the long-awaited recovery strategy for BC’s endangered Southern resident killer whales and threatened Northern resident killer whales. Environmentalists, who prompted the recovery strategy’s release by threatening a lawsuit, offered cautious praise. They noted that the most essential component of…

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Victoria Sewage Backgrounder

May 13, 2005 Mid 1960 – Victoria’s beaches are covered with feces as multiple outfalls discharge sewage directly at shoreline. Decision made to combine outfalls and pump 300 meters offshore;Late 1960’s – Victoria makes the decision to install long outfall pipes (1000 meters) instead of building a treatment plant;Early 1970’s – Victoria builds long outfall pipes;Mid 1970’s – Victoria installs…

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Environmental review finds pollution dumped in Burrard Inlet at record levels

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 30, 2003 In 2002, BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (MWLAP) effluent permits allowed 769 million cubic meters of industrial pollution to be dumped into Burrard Inlet. And the amount of effluent entering the Inlet has increased dramatically from 32 million meters in 1957 when permits were first issued. These were among the findings…

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Groups join battle to get polluters to clean up their act

August 10, 2004 MEDIA RELEASE – For Immediate Release VANCOUVER, BC – A coalition of environmental groups announced today that they are seeking to intervene in a precedent setting case to be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada concerning the clean up of one of BC’s most severely contaminated sites. Although the province ordered several parties to participate in…

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