SEYMOUR RIVER SALMON Hatchery future bright looks THE ONCE-bleak future of the Seymour River fish hatchery is becoming in- creasingly bright. By TIMOTHY RENSHAW News Reporter Spearheaded by the recently- formed Fisheries Enhancement Society on the North Shore (FESNS, formerly: the North Shore. Fisheries Enhancement Society), the project to revitalize: “the hatchery 2s a community-run operation to serve the educa- tional and recreational needs of ‘North Shore residents is now ful- ly underway. The first phase of hatehery overhaul, which includes . replacement cf the’ hatchery’s - previously unreliable water supp- Jy, construction of a new aeration ‘tower and the pouring of con- -erete foundations to hold hatch- | wil. ery. fish-rearing | troughs, begin in November. & = FESNS: cabeltman Don: route’ that; ie carry “water: from the Seymour dara to: the hatchery, has béen complete , Work. t0: install the pipe: and : “the chatchery * aeration tower % “to. the FESNS, “which. in turn has . Seymour facility is overhauled. The FESNS was formed by a group of concerned residents, wildlife enthusiasts and _ fish- ermen following a June 24 public meeting organized b:° Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The meeting followed stories that appeared during March and April in the News, chronicling the problems facing the hatchery and the possibility of its closure in the face of federal government budget cuts. It was organized by fisheries to clarify the hatchery’s future and solicit local input as to the direction North Shere resi- dents wanted for the facility. Problems with the quality and quantity of the hatchery’s ground water suppty had resulted in high salmon mortality rates and anderlined the need: for an upgrade for the facility if it was to continue being a viable opera- on. hired a project “Manager.'to” & ‘connect the: hatchery to” :Greater, ter sap a ‘Regional, ‘on egg. ‘take, ‘for, the. hatchery’ and. : cis hoping to get approval to take" hancing. the: river’ $-pink popu- ‘lation,”? - McDermid : ‘snid. ‘The “pink. numbers : are ‘way: down.” ~ FESNS chairmiin Don McDer- ‘mid...‘‘Things. are moving ahead very well.” “Fisheries. and Oceans “: $23,500 »: federal :; government grant,’ was: allotted © 0 ,000 an- nuolly ‘through: : the. 3almonid ». Enharicement ‘Program (SEP); and annually : produced 170,000 coho, 50,000 chinook and 60,000 Steelhead ‘trout. eggs, prior to the ~eurrent, overhaul.-: * Though | BCIT’s.: ‘contract ‘to : ‘operate: the hatchery: expired at ;<:the'end of August, students from the school will continue to assist ‘with the project. ; ° The FESNS has representation from a wide. range. of. North . Shore schools, residents and fish : and wildlife organizations. - -0/The > hatchery . will, operate in conjunction with .the recently “Opened 5,600 ‘hectare Seyroour an Demonstration Forest. McDermid” added. that” FESNS’s membership structure is still being developed. . Though ’ Fisheries and. Oceans has provided the. basic ‘financial and technical expertise, McDer- "than 500, 00 juvenile fish: upplement the river's: wild»: ocks ‘when: hatchery: upgrading. : orpleted. next spring ges ‘will be: incubate “at! the ‘ mid® said community / volunteer ‘support is vital. The -FESNS will have its first publi meeting’ in January’ ‘at “which:time’s board of directors : will be ‘elected. i ‘For-:FESNS . information ; ‘eal. 929 5124. the: Weather: Friday and Saturday, mainly cloudy with a few Showers. Highs near 12°C. 3 - Friday, November 6, 1987 - North Shore News INDEX Classified Ads.... Doug Collins Editorial Page Entertainment Home & Garden... Horoscopes Bob Hunter Lifestyles Mailbox... TV Listings What's Going On.. JUDICIAL PROCESS NEEDED FOR CONFLICT OF INTEREST OUTCOME WHILE WEST Vancouver Ald. David Finlay has been cleared by the municipality of his possible conflict of inter- est in the Fisherman’s Cove development, only a judicial decision can ultimately clear his name. According to a letter from the provincial government’s municipal inspector Hector Topham, only the judicial process, initiated by four or more electors filing a petition; a voluntary resignation; or a council resolution can result in a decision on conflict of interest. ‘*.. am not in a position to render any particular comment on the activities of Ald. Finlay,” Topham wroie in his letter to municipal clerk Douglas Allan. ‘“‘However, in general the ministry has always stressed that elected officials must be scrupulous in both declaring when they may have an interest and in avoiding even the perception that their votes may be influenced by an outside association. “The point being that regardless of the technical or legal defini- tions, members of council should always strive to avoid such situa- tions and be conscious of the public perception of their stan- ding,’’ Topham added. Finlay, who has been absent from council meetings due to a business trip, has done some unrelated conveyancing work for International Land Corporation, By MAUREEN CURTIS Contributing Writer the company involved in the pro- posed rezoning and construction of a marina-residential complex at Fisherman’s Cove. As head of council’s Planning Committee, Finlay moved the Proposal towards public hearing, at which time he declared a poten- tial conflict of interest and then absented himself from the pro- ceedings. “But he was acting on Fisherm- an’s Cove for 13 months before declaring himself,’’ protested cove resident Jack Howard. Finlay has said that he informed council of the potential conflict of interest months before he publicly declared himself, but no council members could recall this. “In our solicitor’s opinion, Ald. Finlay is not disqualified from sit- ting on council,’’? reported Mayor Don Lanskail at Monday’s council meeting. In the solicitor’s opinion the on- ly obvious ways in which Finlay could be in conflict would be if he received any payment from the municipality ur had a contract, or W. VAN LEGACY PROJECT andshell lacks funding CONSTRUCTION ON the new bandshell for Ambleside Park has been put off until next March due to a lack of funding. By MAUREEN CURTIS Contributing Writer About $325,000 has been raised towards the $600,000 needed to complete the 75th Anniversary Committee’s legacy project and gift to West Vancouver District. Anniversary Committee chair- man Jack MacCarthy reported at Monday’s council meeting that the $325,000 includes a $100,000 gov- ernment grant, $25,000 raised in a TV auction and the rest from large donations. The total $600,000 figure does not include the $100,000 also con- tributed in free services from ar- chitects and other consultants in- volved in the project. “Other contributions froin ma- jor donors are anticipated, but because of the recent downturn in the stock market and related economic factors, these cannot re- alistically be considered firm,”’ interest in a contract, with or for the municipality. Neither case ap- plies. ; According to Russel & Dumoulin, Barristers & Solicitors, “Council does not have the grounds to conclude that Ald. Finlay has become disqualified.”’ WEST Vancouver Ald. David Finlay...timing of declaration questioned. If a petition to have Finlay dis- qualified from office was brought forward by a group of electors and was successful, the municipality must pay the petitioner’s costs. THE PROPOSED bandshell for Ambleside park. MacCarthy said. A task force is working to com- plete the funding. If the project is able to go ahead next March, it could be substantially completed by early June 1988. Ald. Pat Boname complimented the Anniversary Committee on the events they have coordinated throughout West Vancouver’s 75th birthday year. These included the recent Fall Ball at Park Royal, as well as Marine Days and Dun- darave’s street dance. “You have given West Van- couverites a chance to get together and enjoy their community in a way they have never had the op- portunity to do before,’’ Boname said.