The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 25, 1999 - BI

| | SECTION B
: ALEX HAMILTON
> I 638-7283

: INSIDE
"COMMUNITY

EVENTS B2

td
Save our fish

ish farming of Atlantic sal-

mon is already a big indus-

try in B.C.: the existing fish

farms along the B.C. coast
produce over 40 million pounds of sal-
mon — more than the net catch of
wild salmon. Employing over 2,000
people and generating millions of dollars,
salmon farms might look like an attractive
option to B.C. coastal communities hurt-
ing from reduction in commercial salmon
fishing. The escape in June of over
100,000 adult pen-raised Atlantic salmon
in Puget Sound, however, highlights the
Department of Fisheries reasoning behind
not lifting the four-year moratorium on in-
creasing the number of fish farms along
the B.C. Coast.

The Department of Fisheries recently con- °

firmed that escaped Adantic salmon have suc-
cessfully spawned in the Tsitika river on
northern Vancouver Island. Tissue samples
from four smolts captured in August 1998
revealed that escaped farm fish had spawned
for two consecutive years in this river. How
many of the escaped 100,000 Adantics will
Spawn successfully in other rivers?
Commercial and sports fishermen in B.C.
have bad to make major sacrifices in the last
two years in an effort to rebuild severely
depleted salmon and steelhead runs, so the last
thing we need in our rivers is an exotic species
like Allantic salmon competing with wild fish.
The Department’s report shows how serious
this competition could be: they found that the
salmon fry and parr live in the same areas of
rivers as. Steelhead, out-compete them for
food, and grow at a faster tate, and that Ailan-

tic adults spawn in the same habitat as steel- .

head in the Tsitika river. With steelhead popu-
lations depressed to 50 per cent of their levels

in this and other rivers, the Atlantics have the.

potential of establishing a foothold that would
be impossible to eradicate. The continuing es-
capement from fish farms of adult Atlantics
can only exacerbate this situation.

We ouly have to look at the experience of
other countries to see that wherever aquacul-
ture of Atlantic salmon has taken place, the
tesults have been disastrous. Norway, home of
some of the most Famous and productive sal-
mon streams, has had to spend $100 million
recently to poison the entire salmon popula-
tion of 39 rivers in an effort to eradicate a
parasitic worm that was introduced fram pen-
raised fish in Sweden.

In some rivers, the majority of Alantic sal-

mon spawning are farm escapees, diluting the
genetic diversity of wild stocks. Large num-
bers of fish in close quarters are prone to
epidemics of diseases such as furunculosis
and infectious salmon anemia (ISA). The Ca-
nadian government paid New Brunswick sal-
mon farmers $8 million last year to destroy
over half'a million salmon in an attempt to
prevent the spread of the disease to wild fish,
as has happened in Scotland, While there have
been no examples yet of diseases or pathogens
being transferred from farm fish to wild popu-
lations in B.C.’s water, the possibility cannot
be ruled out. The Scott Cove Hatchery, for ex-
ample, has experienced outbreaks of an
antibictic-resistant strain of furunculosis
which was introduced from a nearby Allantic
salmon fann.

Environmentalists are concerned about the
huge quantitics of antibiotics used to control
these diseases among farmed fish, as they
contribute to the pollulion of the surrounding
sea waters. Consumers might also consider
whether they want to cat that cheap Adlantic
salmon steak from the supermarket, knowing
it was from a ped-raised fish, fed with fish
pellets and pumped full of antibiotics. Another
worry to environmentalists is the impact of the
fish farm wasics on the seabed below the
pens, which destroy shellfish and other sea
life. The federal government has also given
fish farmers permission to shoot seals and sea
lions which they perceive to be a threat,
resulting in the slaughter cf thousands of
_marise mammals.

One could perhaps argue that increasing the
number of pen-raised fish will lessen the need
for a commercial harvest of our hard-hit wild
stocks. and give them a better chance to
reestablish their traditional abundance.

Plans to use completely self-contained fish
farms might also alleviate some of the con-
coms aboul escapees and environmental im-
pact. The trouble is, by the Department of
Fisherles own admission, we simply do not
know enough about this relatively new indus-
try to guarantee the results of any decisions
we make.

Coastal fishing communities in B.C. should
not ignore ihe extensive research on the prob-
lems with intensive salmon farming or let eco-
nomic problems pressure them into demand-
ing the lifting of the moratorium: our wild sal-
mon and steelhead stocks have enough prob-

Jems a it Is.

Comm unit y

church

finds

anew home

By MIKE COX
IT TOOK four years of fund
raising, countless volunteer
hours, a few dozen men, and
a few prayers, but the
Thornhill Community
Church found anew home,

A non-denominational
church which serves about
300 locals each Sunday ser-.
vice will have a new 9,000-
square foot church to call
hone.

“Te’s the community’s
church,” said associate
pastor Rob Brinson. ‘‘That’s
why we're here,”’

He said the church is open

* to everyone.

“Our doors are open.’?

The new building, he
added, will allow them to be
more active in the com-

* munity.

“IF there’s needs in the
community we want to help
however we can,”’

Created in 1988 to serve
the community, they’ve
been meeting at the Thorm-
hill Community Centre,

Brinson said meeting at
the comumunily centre is fine
for services, but the con-
gregation could better serve
the public if they had their

_ own building.

“We're really limiled

. where we are at right now,’’-

be said of not having their
own church.

Brinson hopes the new
building will be used for
youth nights and other ac-
tivities which were bard to

book previously because
they had to use the com-
munity centre.

The property was donated
by Rudi Hugi, and Brinson
said community support has
driven this project the entire
way.

“The community is really
behind it which is great.’’

The congregation has
grown over the years and
Brinson said if it wasn’t for
a very determined group of
people the new building
wouldn’t be a reality.

“'When people got behind
this idea it really started to
grow,”” he said.

They fundraised for four

“The building could
be full in no time —
which is a good prob-
lem to have,”’

years with barbecues, ban-
quets and auctions to get
enough money lo afford to
build the new building.

Local businesses, be
added, have belped out with
building however they can,

The new church will seat
500 people, and Brinson
hopes they will be able to
fill it every Sunday,

*‘The building could be
full in no lime — which is a
good problem to have,” he
said.

ALMOST THERE: ‘The Thornhill Community Church is almost ready to have the
roof put on, The roof was supposed to go on last week, but more brick- work had
to be done to make sure the building was strong enough. —

mg Promoting Tolerance

RACE UNITY: Baha'i and non-Baha’i kids from accross Western Canada
toured into town August 14 to spread the word of tolerance and understanding,
The kids were drumming and singing at George Little Fark band-shell, and
talking to anyone who wanted to. They are touring the northwest all month and
look forward to working with youth to promote race tolerance.

Concert society
promises variety

THE TERRACE Concert
Society is ready to kick off
another season of entertain-
ment.

Karen Birkedal, president
of the society, said this
years venue is starling early,
but promises to have some-
thing for everyone.

**We uy to do a meatloaf
— a litte bit of cvery-
thing,” she joked,

Acts are starting one week
earlier this year, she said,
because of the touring
schedule of some acts.

TF IT want these acts that’s
when I have to book them,’’
she said.

But it's
Birkedal
preformed,
community has told her, -

not just what
wants to sce

it’s what the:

Last season the concert
society handed out question-
naires on what people would
like to see at the theatre,

Birkedal said not all. the
pamphlets got back to the
society, but a lot of good
suggestions came from
audience members.

‘We're always looking
for new aud exciting things
in the communily,’’ she
Said.

The acts coming to Ter-
race this season rangé from
Broadway tunes to
Shakespearian tragedy.

The varicly, Birkedal sald,
is what keeps people com-
ing, ©

“That’s why the public
comes I think, because” of
the varlely.” :

‘Arts and culture is
what makes us who we
are’’

Terrace's sponsorship. of

ihe arls has always been °
positive, she said, and has

eamed the’ town renowi “in
B.C. and the country.

“Arts and culture is what
makes us Who we are,”’
“But just because a group
or person is considered cul-

lurally rounded, it doesn’t

mean they will get booked
in Terrace,

“We wait quality, but it
has to be entertain kg too,”

she said:

Around Town

Brain development

researcher coming

EVER WONDER why there are more Terrace children
living living in poverty today, than in 1989?

Dr. Clyde Hertzman, B.C.'s leading researcher in
brain development is coming to the Tillicum Twin
Theatre, Friday, Sept. 17 at 1:30 p.m. to answer that,
and other questions.

Herztman has studied cnviorommental changes and
children’s competency as well as neighbourhood in-
fluences on children’s school readiness.

His seminar, aimed at government decision makers,
band councils, frontline workers, parents and relalives,
seniors and childcare providers, is sponsored in part by
the provincial ministry of Sacial Development and
Economic Securly.

Call the Terrace Women’s Resource Centre at 638-
0228 for more information,

Legal Justice Survey

THE TAMITIK Status of Women’s Bread and Roses
Wornen’s Centre invites Terrace and Kitimat women to
patticipate in a Legal Justice Survey,

Share your experiences with the Legal and Court
System or, just use the centre’s law library.

Call Joanna at 632-2020 Cor more information.

Man-eating crocodiles -
THE TERRACE Art Association invites you to the

“Strange Sights and Quirky Gardens Art Exhibit at the

Terrace Art Gallery Sept. 15 - Nov. 8

A dravelling exhibit from the Surrey Art Gallery, the
show features photographs some of the craziest gardens
youve ever seen!

Check out six-foot rabbits, man-cating crocodiles,
and bikini-sporting frogs at the opening night garden
party at the Gallery Friday Sept. 17 at 7 pam.

The lower gallery features a tour of Terrace’s local
sites and gardens,

Fall registration

‘REGISTRATION for children’s programs at the Ter-

race Public Library begins Saturday, Sept. 11 at 10
am.

Lituary programs are fee, but all applicants must be
al-the library lo register,

- Colirse descriptions, including more information on
KidsConnect@TPL, a six-week computer class for
children five and older, can be picked up at the library.
For thore information call 638-8177.

KidsCounect@T PL courses start in early September.

te tek kok

SenlorsComect@TPL, a six-week computer. course
for seniors, will also start again in September, Call the
libraty at 638 8177 for more information,