You
won't find Rafe
Mair mentioned in either the report of Canada's Commissioner
of the Environment and Sustainable Development or in
the reports from the Auditors General of Canada, British
Columbia, and New Brunswick; nevertheless, Mair has
been more than exonerated by their reports. The establishment,
or its watchdogs, have finally woken up and realized that
wild salmon are at risk of extinction.
The
report of the Environment Commissioner said:
"The
three audits also found significant gaps in the scientific
knowledge about the potential effects of salmon aquaculture.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Aquaculture Policy Framework
expresses a strong commitment to developing a sustainable
aquaculture industry in Canada. But when assessing applications
for aquaculture sites, the Department needs to apply more
credible, science-based criteria to ensure that approved
sites are properly located. It has had difficulty assessing
the cumulative effects of salmon aquaculture on wild salmon
stocks. And it has to determine how to control the deposit
of deleterious substances by salmon aquaculture operations.
Wild salmon and habitat remain susceptible to the effects
of salmon aquaculture."
Compare
that to the interview Mair did with Minister of Sustainable
Resource Management George
Abbott who, when interviewed by Mair earlier in the
week, essentially confirmed that his ministry rubber stamps
applications for new fish feed lots.
Auditor
General Wayne Strelioff said "British Columbia's
ability to ensure sustainability of wild salmon is handicapped
by the lack of a clear vision to guide priority setting.
While both levels of government appreciate their shared
responsibility, their efforts have been weakened by their
inability to overcome differing views and come up with a
common strategy for wild salmon management." His news
release went on to say "Further complicating the issue,
he noted, are changes that have been made by the provincial
government in how it manages fish habitat as a result of
resource and budgetary constraints." In other words,
tax cuts were paid for at the expense of the environment.
The
news release said "The Auditor General's key recommendation
is that the provincial government, in conjunction with the
federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, develop a clear
vision, with goals and objectives for sustaining wild salmon."
Mair has been advocating for such a "clear vision"
for years; now he has been vindicated. How long will it
take the Campbell and Martin governments to act?
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