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[chris gadsden]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/starving-eagles-falling-out-of-the-sky/article1918336/

[Dave]

I have been following this eagle story all winter and as some may remember, was flamed a bit by a few FWR members when I suggested we supplementary feed these birds, much like we do with other birds during the winter.
It’s no secret why these eagles are starving as the article describes but perhaps you didn't know this … a large percent of chum salmon in Fraser River tributaries, the Chilliwack-Vedder included, are of hatchery origin.  Further, past hatchery data shows adult returns can be doubled by feeding the fry for a short time, prior to release.  Generally, larger migrants equals larger adult returns.
The estimated cost to double this production (and potential eagle food) is $2000.00  Two lousy grand!  The Cohen Inquiry is an est. 30M and counting.
When a few of us locals were informed the hatchery could not afford this expenditure due to budget constraints, we beat the bushes to find it.  It took one phone call and the Fraser Valley Salmon Society was willing to fund this no brainer of a program.  Hatchery staff were keen to get involved as they understand the value of chum salmon to the watershed and also this was a way to involve the public – stewardship and collaboration.  All things DFO is said to embrace.

Here’s the bad news  … a narrow thinking middle manager refused to accept the money so as it stands now these fish will not be fed.
I bet if a few emails were to sent the Regional Director (Sue Farlinger, I believe) this poor decision would be overturned.

[troutbreath]

I sent her an e-mail.

Susan.farlinger@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

[brownmancheng]

As did I. Best thing we can do is make our voice heard and make things happen!

[D.Sams]

I also sent an email.  Many thanks for bringing this to my attention!

[troutbreath]

My email came back undelivered


ESusan.farlinger@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
The e-mail address you entered couldn't be found. Please check the recipient's e-mail address and try to resend the message. If the problem continues, please contact your helpdesk.

So she must change it every few weeks to avoid people I may have screwed it up though so I'll try again.

[shuswapsteve]

My email came back undelivered


ESusan.farlinger@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
The e-mail address you entered couldn't be found. Please check the recipient's e-mail address and try to resend the message. If the problem continues, please contact your helpdesk.

So she must change it every few weeks to avoid people I may have screwed it up though so I'll try again.

Did you happen to check the email address Dave provided and compare it with what you posted?

[iblly]

Well maybe if they were not scavengers and ate dead things only their chances would improve.

"Hey Bald Eagle, look at that tasty rabbit!"

"No thanks, it's still moving...I'll wait until it dies"

"You are such a lazy bird"

"Yeah, whatever"


Seriously, I've never seen a bald eagle go after something alive. Such a messed up bird. Heck, even saw a murder of crows scare it.

Is the Bald Eagle the lazy blonde of the bird species?

 

Well, working on the Fraser River for the past 25 years I have seen Bald Eagles catch and eat LIVE ducks, seagulls, salmon and even a small sturgeon about two feet long. So I know they're not all lazy !

[Dave]

A recent mailout from the Pacific Salmon Foundation ...

 
"We thought you might be interested in our perspective on articles from yesterday's Vancouver Sun and Globe and Mail respectively called, Eagles haunt the dump after chum run fails and Starving eagles 'falling out of the sky'.

Our thoughts…

Chum salmon are typically a low economic value salmon species with little government investment being committed to their management or assessment.  But, we think yesterday's articles showed that salmon provide vital contributions that are often more difficult to measure and sometimes overlooked – namely cultural and environmental.   

As the Sun and Globe and Mail articles demonstrated, Chum are a critical source of food for the eagle population in southern B.C.   The First Nations also use their oil-rich meat for smoking and curing purposes. However Chum salmon also have important ecological functions.  Decomposing salmon leach nutrients back into the river system, providing nourishment for some 130 species of plants and animals – algae, fungi, mosses, insects, birds and large mammals.

Chum salmon have very short freshwater migration routes to their spawning grounds making them more vulnerable to detrimental challenges and water contamination from human and commercial development.  Human and commercial development removes natural ground surfaces and plants that filter contaminants from flowing water, and create shade and hiding places for fish to re-energize.

This is why many community salmon groups funded by the Foundation spend many hours in streams building side channels and planting stream-side vegetation to protect salmon, and create rain gardens.  Rain gardens are planted near areas with lots of dirty run-off and use gravel, soil and plants to naturally filter out pollutants before they reach streams.

The article intrigued us because it pointed out the enormous value salmon provide to British Columbia beyond just economic contributions, and the need for much greater investment in Chum salmon survival.  Please read the Vancouver Sun story or Globe and Mail  and let us know what you think by contacting us at pacificsalmonfoundation@psf.ca "

Sincerely,

Elayne Sun
Communications Coordinator

[troutbreath]

I did get a reply from Susan Farlinger which was decent of her.



Dear Mr. Troutbreath:

Thank you for your e-mail in which you highlight your concerns for eagle populations that rely on chum salmon as a food source and provide a link to a forum that suggests Fisheries and Oceans Canada has refused a donation of $2000 from the Fraser Valley Salmon Society to feed hatchery produced chum salmon fry in order to improve future adult salmon returns.

I am not aware of the details of the proposal referenced, however, I am aware that the decision on whether or not to produce fed or unfed chum salmon fry is typically not based on funding since, as you have pointed out, the cost to feed chum salmon is relatively small.  The decision on whether or not to feed chum salmon is based on achieving production targets and ultimately adult salmon in subsequent years.  This includes consideration of a number of factors such as the Department’s Wild Salmon Policy, stock assessment and stock forecast information and integrated fisheries management plans. 

There is recognition of reduced chum salmon returns to the lower Fraser River and tributaries and , in response,   the Department is nearly doubling the number of fed chum salmon fry being released from Lower Fraser River hatchery facilities.    This past spring increased numbers of fed chum fry were released from the Chehalis River hatchery which is adjacent to the Chehalis and Harrison rivers, the location you cite as being a concern for bald eagle feeding.  Increased fed chum fry production is also already planned for 2012 at the Inch Creek, Chehalis and Chilliwack River hatchery.

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail me your concerns and I trust the information provides some clarification regarding DFO’s chum salmon production plans in the Lower Fraser River area.
 
Susan Farlinger

[Dave]

Thanks troutbreath.  Interesting that it will be a fine and good thing to increase chum production next year but wasn't appropriate this year.  One wonders what will be cut to fund this ? Anyway, thanks to letters like yours it appears chum salmon management is now on DFO's radar.

[brownmancheng]

Wow looks like ur email really got noticed, quite a bit more thorough than mine. Good work!

[D.Sams]

Yours must have been more appropriately worded than mine, as the response I recieved simply thanked me for my concern.

[speycaster]

There is an over abundance of humans on the lower mainland, a large percentage that are only good for eagle food anyway. Problem solved no more starving eagles.

[Dave]

There is an over abundance of humans on the lower mainland, a large percentage that are only good for eagle food anyway. Problem solved no more starving eagles.

So speycaster, are you gonna first in line offering up your carcass   On second thought, you might be hard to digest