Tami Fraser We're not even supposed animals to eat them. (But) I don't really think it's wrong either. Things have to be sacrificed for Mike Ma: progress — it's a big step as far as progress goes. rT Sytvesta Nelson Sarah I wouldn't want any of my people Well, if the animal was dying to have any animal heart in them. anyway — but if the animal was yrhoter to xi I believe it should be used as a last resort, but I don't think we should turn people into laboratories just to try something different. Grace Devaux I guess it’s sort of getting out of the natural order of things. If it'll save a life, yes. pretty healthy, that’s pretty bad. Heritage By J.A. CHARTERS “Zuckerberg Island Park is fascinating and to my exper- ience quite unique both in its location and the buildings on it”, according to John Adams. Adams is head of the Interpretive Section of the B.C. Heritage Branch and he spoke to the Castlegar Ro- tary Club last week while on a survey of area “stops of interest” (there is one at the Robson ferry). He expressed delight with the island park, which he had mot seen previously on his trips through the West Koot Fiddlers plan party Kootenay No. 9 Old Time Fiddlers held their monthly meeting Sunday at the Senior Citizens’ Hall with 27 members and guests. Shirley Regnier acted as recording secretary and treasurer. Edith Berg submitted her resignation as recording sec retary. Thelma Ratcliff was asked to fill the vacancy until the end of the term. Bill Marks gave a report from the Ways and Means Committee about the jam boree held in the Tadanac Hall at Trail Oct. 20 which was a huge success. It was decided to hold a Christmas party for mem. bers, their families and one guest, the place and date to be decided. The next meeting will be held Dec. 2. The meeting was followed by a potluck supper 1216 181 St., Castlegar Behind Costle Theatre CASTLEGAR 365-7395 FOR ALL YOUR SHARPENING REASONABLE PRICES enay, and was enthusiastic about its rich heritage, with which he is acquainted. He told the Rotarians that such a park — particularly one with a suspension bridge — is a focal point and source of pride for local citizens and a special attraction for visi. tors. It also offers social benefits in the form of a readily ac. cessible, quiet recreational area while reminding people that there is a past and a heritage in this area, he said. Later in the evening Adams was the guest of the Castlegar Heritage Advisory Committee meeting, where he met its latest member Dr. Roy Ward. And on the following day he was inter viewed on CKQR. head praises park At that time he pointed out the further advantages of the park and other heritage sites in the area, such as Verigin's Tomb, the Kootenay Douk- hobor Historical Museum and the Robson ferry, as valuable tourist drawing cards for the area Tourism, he emphasized, is a good investment gince it brings in 2% dollars for every dollar invested During his two-day visit he toured the Castlegar area ac- companied by Heritage Com- mittee members Alex Lutz, George Apel and John Char- ters. He attended two work. ing luncheons and taught one archeology class for Selkirk College instructor Dr. Mark Mealing. JOHN ADAMS park ‘unique ings are not what they seem. 1t is the world ‘of the transfor-_ mers . . . a world of heroic ! i * Transformers: more than meets pele on Earlier this week, the Re- tail Research Foundation of Canada announced that it had, discovered the high lead levels during its annual test of toys for the Christmas market. Tests in the depart. ment’s Ottawa labs confirm- ed the results. Wendy Biggar, a product safety inspector in Toronto, said the department is “in discussion with Irwin Toys right now. They are aware of the test results and that we are asking for a recall.” Teddy bears a help TORONTO (CP) — A teddy bear may be a. child psychiatrist's best friend dur. ing adolescent therapy, a Georgia psychiatrist says. Stuffed animals can pro vide a way to reach severely disturbed teenagers, said Dr. Steven Jaffe. And talking with a patient about the meaning, use and memories of their stuffed toys can be enormously help- ful in gaining insight into the feelings and fears of troubled teens, he told a recent meet ing on child p: y transforms from car to robot and back. $4.50 & $16.95 Autobot Commander: tran- storms from tractor to trailer to robot with headquarters and back $32. 95 Once upon a time . . . in the not so distant future, a robot was made and left alone to find his way — his name: DINGBOT! He's a fast robot who bumps into walls and obstacles. He chatters, he turns his head, he speeds off in another direction! He's a funny robot who's slowly learning the meaning of walls. “In the Heart of Downtown Castlegar” CLOSED THIS SUNDAY, CARL'S DRUG OPEN. BIG FOOT 4x4x4. 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Nov. 8,9&10 Don't miss it! wyFeeot eager Star, the TK lothes Kfoset & IDs Ave., Castlegar Store only 365-7589 Fisheries program best in province By CHERYL CALDERBANK Staff Writer The oan Region fisheries program is one of the “best and d” in the province, says a report on the West Kootenay Fisheries Program. Dr. David Narver, Chief of Fisheries Management who compiled the report, was commissioned by Minister of Environment Tony Brummet to conduct an internal audit of the program to judge the effectiveness of the Kootenay program compared with those in the other seven regions of the province. The review evolved from considerable public concern about poor sport fishing and declining tourism at a time of a generally depressed economy, Narver says in his report. Noting that the Kootenay Region fisheries program is one of the best in the province, Narver says the regional fisheries program in the West Kootenay. “It is not possible for the program to address all problems at once,” Narver stressed. “Kootenay Lake is by far the most important sport fishery in the West Kootenay and one of the top fisheries in the province,” he added. Directing first attention to kokanee and Gerrard rainbows in Kootenay Lake, as well as maintaining the small lake trout fisheries and developing a compensation program for Revelstoke Dam, were clear priorities in recent years, Narver says. “Now with completion of some of this work, priorities should start to change with attention diregted at Lower Arrow Lake, Slocan Lake and River and Kootenay River.” Meanwhile, Narver says regional funding fisheries in the Kootenays is and has been a is ally large allocation relative to the other seven regions of Kootenay Region has led the pr in the Pp of new approaches and technologies. “While there are improvements and some changes in direction required, I find that the fisheries activities in the West Kootenay have been correctly priorized and well conducted over the last decade,” Narver found. He says that most public acrimony in the Kaslo Nelson-Castlegar area towards the West Kootenay fisheries program was rooted in an overwhelming feeling that a “very high price” had been paid for dam construction, and these frustrations have shown up in criticism and blame of the West Kootenay fisheries program. Narver said he found that fishermen's frustrations of not being able to catch the number and size of fish they formerly did are transferred to blaming the hydro, forest and mining companies — and even the local fisheries biologist. He says instead that much of the problem lies with the fact that there are more anglers who have more free time and are increasingly efficient at sport fishing. Narver also says there is a broad misunderstanding that restoring or increasing sport fish is easy and that building a hatchery will provide instant fishing. “The problem is much more complex than that, and it is not true that ‘a fish is a fish is a fish.’ “I do not accept the sweeping public statements that much of the good fishing in the West Kootenay in the past was refated to fish cylture activities," Narver says. He sayd ¢éxaminations suggest that many fish hatchery practices and operations of the pre-1960s were likely to have been ineffective. Narver says modernization of the hatchery system and the application of sound scientific principles to fisheries management occurred for the first time in the early 1950s with the hiring of specially trained biologists. Given the fish supply and angler demand situation, Narver says he strongly supports the objectives, strategies and priorities established and followed by the Hatche By CasNews Staff The Fishery Committee of the Nelson Rod and Gun Club looks forward to a large fish hatchery to be built at Hanceville, west of Williams Lake. The recommendation, contained in Dr. David Narver's review of the West Kootenay fisheries program, means that all the production from the Bull River hatchery at Cranbrook will be used in the Kootenays, and would be available for stocking small lakes in the West Kootenay “This should be a big help (to poor sport fishing success) when it happens,” says Fritz Farenholtz and Jess Ridge who compiled the report, adding that “we will no doubt have to hold our breath until then.” The committee also welcomes the news in Narver's report that the West Arm and Kootenay River to Corra Linn will receive attention in two year's time. “We will watch this part of the program,” says the committee. Narver also stated in his report that the Arrow and Slocan Lakes and Slocan river are to receive immediate attention if funds are available. But Farenholtz and Ridge say that the B.C. budget for the region has to be increased and should not be compared to the budgets allocated to other regions. “This is just a political distribution,” the committee says. They point out in the report that there are other sources of funds than the power companies directly “These companies pay millions of dollars each year in water fees,” the committee notes. At the same time Farneholtz and Ridge commended Narver for his participation in the West Kootenay fishery problems “He is to be commended for the time researching, writing and attending meetings,” says the committee. “We realize that the fishery problems cannot be resolved in a hurry and we are willing to be patient.” The committee adds that the basics should never be forgotten. “There are only so many fish and so many fisher men,” says Farenholtz and Ridge. “More fish will have to be raised in order to satisfy the wants of the fishermen. Stringent restrictions will have to be thoroughly inaugurated and enforced.” The fishery committee notes that the product of the sport fishery is the creation of many industries that are directly required to “make it happen: boat rentals, tackle rentals, campers, food, and repair depots. “This must not be stopped,” Farenholtz and Ridge the pr Still, he ‘says funding is not adequate to address all the management problems in the Kootenays, so the problems must be priorized and scheduled over time. Narver also noted that fish “liberations” in the West Kootenay are appropirate for the province-wide supply and demand for hatchery fish He said 23 per cent of 2.1 million fish of the total 1983 provincial production went to the Kootenay with 46 per cent or 983,000 of that going to the West Kootenay. “Exclusive of kekanee and eggs, there is no difference in the number of fish planted in the West Kootenay when the Nelson hatchery was operated and now with the hatchery at Wardner,” Narver said. Narver recommended a program of expanding the rearing and release of Gerrard rainbow in Kootenay Lake with the sport fishery being carefully regulated to provide strong protection for wild Gerrard fish by some measure of catch and release. Hatchery fish, marked with a missing adipose fin and healed scar, may be retained, he said, adding that this scenario would permit the maintenance of the Gerrard stock and enhancement of the North Arm and central lake fisheries. Narver said that large lakes over 1,000 hectares are not usually stocked in B.C. This policy originated from studies in the 1960s and 1960s that revealed poor returns because of competition and predation by coarse fish. “}-gupport the careful consideration of am Se developing a program for Kootenay Lake wh after considerable study, Gerrard rainbows are being planted at a specific location, size and time,” he said. Narver pointed out that another problem with enhancing large lakes is the possibility of developing a mixed stock fishery and overfishing scarcer stocks, in this case the wild Gerrard fish One of the answers to the declining catch advocated by some is a large hatchery for Kootenay Lake and other West Kootenay waters. POOR FISHING . . . Public concern about poor sport fishing and declining tourism prompted a study on the West Kootenay fisheries program. But Dr But Narver does not support development of a large hatchery in the Kootenay since the area is presently transporting 1.5 to 2 million hatchery fish out of the region annually. “If a large hatchery were to be built, I would recommend it be established at Hanceville in the Cariboo where water of superb quality and quanitity is available,” Narver said. Narver added that a “small versus large hatchery” is not the right question “The six small hatcheries now operated around the province were built to solve specific problems with specific stocks.” He said the important questions should deal with fisheries management plans for the West Kootenay: How many, of which stock, of what species, at what size and age are required in which waters, to satisfy the fish supply and angler demand objectives. Narver also noted in his report that nutrient concentrations in Kootenay Lake have declined markedly ony Dem in Monjsge was built. of the close food chain relationship between nitrate and content, phy (single celled algae), zooplankton (copepods mysis shrimp) kokanee and large rainbow trout, Narver recommended that close and immediate attention be directed at lake productivity Narver reported that the Kootenay River between David Narver, who compiled the report says the program is one of the best in the province. Coston Proto “I recommend that this area be a priority to be undertaken after Lower Arrow Lake and Slocan Lake and River,” Narver said. He further recommended that, as priorities permit, experimental stocking and evaluation be continued in Slocan Pool and Brilliant Reservoir and that the Grohman Narrows area be regulated as a “no kill” fishery for a few years.and habitat assessment be initiated. In his seer Narver also said that public com in the West K ys given the regional bidget and what is being undertaken in other regions of the province. In response to a number of specific issues raised by the public, Narver reported the following findings: « The West Kootenay fisheries program has adopted many of the techniques used in the coastal federal provincial Salmonid Enhancement Program. Fisheries regulations in the Kootenay Region are becoming more “enlightened” as stock conservation and restoration of quality angling requires. © Public claims that the spawing population of Gerrard rainbows was historically comprised of “thou sands of fish” is and pr ly has never exceeded 2,000 fish. © The great majority of the 20,000 to 160,000 eggs taken annually at Gerrard in recent years are returned to Kootenay Lake as juvenile fish. © The mysis “shrimp” apparently have not had any Nelson and Castlegar has experienced a decline in sport fishing success, especially since the Kootenay Canal was completed peti impact on Koot Lake kokanee, contrary to reports from other lakes. But this should be watched as lake productivity declines. will help West Kootenay said, adding that a strong permanent fishery committee might be a very important part of sport fishery and everything connected with it. Since the Narver report, the committee has made some new unannounced discoveries. It says 80,000 of the 100,000 Gerrard eggs that were delivered to the Bull River hatchery were found to be unproductive. “Where was a specialist for this most important job to see that it was done correctly?” the committee asks. The committee has also found that the spawning channels at the hatehery near Quesnel Lake froze in the winter like the Red Fish channel in the West Kootenay “They now have a hatehery whieh is proving very excellent,” the fishery committee noted The committee has also heard the announcement that in the U.S. “fancy showplace” hatcheries are no longer being built. “They have decided to go back to the oldstyle simple hatcheries that cost one-quarter of the money to build and operate, therefore producing low-cost fish,” the committee said, noting that this is what the club is advocating for West Kootenay The committee also states that since last year's annual report on fishing in the West Kootenay, the committee still maintains that a large fish hatchery is required to enable the Fisheries Branch to adequately stock the waters of the area and to enhance the fishery in the large lakes and rivers. The committee said it has had more meetings with officials of B.C. Hydro and “it is quite clear to us that these officials understand that their industry has severely affected the decline of the fishery.” “Their industry has caused the disruption of the spawning area and has also caused a biological change in the nutrient supply of the large lakes and rivers.” The committee says B.C. Hydro and other power companies say they are ready to co-operate financially and toward and ion for whatever type of program the Fish and Wildlife Branch would ‘design in order. “We have tosay the hydro companies admit to being problem,” said Farenholtz and Ridge. A large meeting in Nelson reiterated what was discussed at Kaslo. However, final statements from Narver and McDonald said that if Hydro will build a large hatchery, they would be happy to accept it The Nelson club also had meetings with local fisheries biologist Harvey Andrusak At one meeting in April, Andrusak outlined what he believed to be a good program for the enhancement of the fishery. The club accepted his proposal as a “positive step towards letting the public know” what his department is doing. To comment on the program, the club held a meeting and decided to prepare a number of questions. At another meeting in June, Andrusak answered queries on some items he had The most important items of his program — funding, personnel, nutrients, spawning channels, a hatchery, improving the lower West Arm and Kootenay River to Corra Linn and retaining the wild fish stock were discussed. When asked if his department was receiving enough money, he replied that funding was not a problem here. He added that he has adequate staff for the region. But Narver in his report remarked that this area — like the rest of B.C. — is experiencing a shortage of funds and personnel. With respect to the nutrient problem, Andrusak said he felt sure there was a problem. When asked about Comineo contributing toward this matter by cleaning up their dumping actions from Kimberley, he replied that Cominco was never a problem. He said he thought the Libby Dam was perhaps the culprit Asked if there was something that could be done about the nutrient problem, such as trying a seeding program if certain areas in the West Arm, Andrusak said that @ seeding program could be beneficial However, he advised that he was attending « seminar in Vancouver late in June on the subject. He was to advise the committee on what tranpired at the seminar, according to the committee's report With respect to spawning channels, Andrusak said the Meadow Creek channel was undergoing repairs with new gravel and would be ready for August spawning and should be productive again. When asked about the Red Fish Creek channel, Andrusak agreed that it was still in the experimental stage. He said two severe winters had practically wiped out the kokanee fry due to the freezing. He also said that 7,000 trout eggs were planted there in the spring, and he advised that funding had been approved to build a spawhing channel at the mouth of Kokanee Creek. Andrusak said he would not sceept a hatchery of any kind because “this was not the way to go,” according to Farenholtz and Ridge. With respeet to improving the fishery in the West Arm around Nelson and the Kootenay River to Corra Linn, Andrusak emphatically advised that the area was at the bottom of his list of priorities and said that stocking would not pay off. He also said that fish do not survive behind a dam. “So nutrients and the Corra Linn Dam must be the problem. We do not think this at all,” the committee noted When asked about stocking the main Kootenay Lake, Andrusak said the lake could not be stocked at random, again due to lack of food and mainly because “they did not want to have hatehery reared stock which would degenerate the wild Gerrard stock. “We have to maintain the trophy rainbow,” Andrusak said “This could be le,” notes the adding that many attending the meeting wanted more fish not matter wht size. To this comment, Andrusak remarked that this would never happen, as long as he was around. He said his program of supplying stock from the mini-hatehery at Meadow Creek and from the rearing pen at Jones Boys’ Marina is all the lake required and could handle. Andrusak also pointed out that with the help of local ‘kers at Balfour, fresh gravel was hauled in and duniped at the top end of the large inland at Balfour, and trout spawning should happen there. He also stated that he would not be against revitalizing the islands below Grohman Creek At the close of the meeting with Andrusak, Faren- holtz submitted a proposal that would see an area fishery committee formed to monitor the fishery. The committee would include representatives from all ministries and private businesses and would report and make recommendations to the Fish and Wildlife Branch. * The meeting closed with Farenholtz suming up the biologist’s program as partly accepted, adding that the was “very much too little, and much, muth too late.”