GVRD hie ard bai Ks af Seymour park idea Regional politicians call for another report Anna Marie D'Angelo News Reporter dangelo@nsnew.com LOWER Mainland mayors passed on the chance to make the Seymour Demonstration Forest a park on Friday. Mayors or their council delegates make up the GVRD board of directors. The GVRD board and senior GVRD statf numbering more than 32 people gathered around a huge horseshoe shaped table in Burnaby to examine the purpose of the popular North Shore rollerblade, biking and wilderness area. The region’s water committee recommends keeping the area as a demonstration forest. Although a morato- rivm is in place, the designation allows for logging. ‘The region’s park committee supports turning the area into a regional park. Rather than make a decision, the GVRD board extended discussions that have gone on for years, some- times at a covert level. “If the p :blic wants the opportunity to observe log- ging practices, they can hop on a ferry to Bowen Island and sce the patches on the mountain side,” said Nerth Vancouver District Coun. Janice Harris, who was sitting in for North Van District Mayor Don Bell. Harris echoed the sentiments of Friends of the Watersheds environmental group when she said the public wishes the demonstration forest to reflect its cur- rent recreational public use. An estimated 300,000 peo- ple visit the Seymour Demonstration Forest annually. Said Harris, “It is not the role of the GVRD to show- case logging practices.” She said the public doesn’t want a return of any level of cutting old-growth trees or mature second vrowth, She sad the aravie industey has become a major income source for the demonstration torest, paving $41,700 eight vears ago to $284,000 last year to use the area. Langley Township Mayor John Seholtens countered Harris’ statement about B.C. logging practices by saying he didn’t see any working forests in the province. He instead saw shut down mills and families experiencing hardships because of lost forestry jabs. “What are the chances of someone from Langley Township petting to the Seymour Forest what ever it is?” said Scholtens. He added it was a remote possibility thar Langley could get a “gallon of water” from the area. Scholtens said that any focus group on the issue should be “graphically removed” trom the North Snore. He referred to the issue being “all North Shore focus groups.” “(Fhe people of) Langley are stakeholders too,” said Scholtens. North Van City Mayor Jack Loucks remained silent during the more than two hours spent on the issue. West Van Mayor Pat Boname also did not engage in debate. But Richard Littlemore, who represented the Bowen Island area, stated that demonstration forest goers don’t go there “to see forestry. E think a lot of them go to see the forest... An awful lor of them ride bikes or rollerblade on the environmentally correct paved road.” In the end, the board voted to ask for a staff report on the planning process for the area’s future use. The GVRD doesn’t believe the area will be flooded for a dam reservoir in the next 50 vears, but at least one board member said the public should not form an “emotional bond” with the area in case it must be tlood- ed for drinking water. FRIENDS of the Watersheds members, Ross Muirhead, Raif Kelman and Will Koop believe the Seymour Demonstration Forest should become a park and reflect the public's wishes. Fishing in protected area draws fine Michael Becker News Editer michacl@nsnews.com A commercial fisherman was fined Friday for fishing within the boundaries of a federally protected marine sanctuary. Crown counsel Jay Straith said the case is the first of its kind in Canada, Sunshine Coast-based fisherman — Alai Berthiaume, 40, has fished commercially for six years. On July 6 last year he set prawn traps within 3 100-metre protective zone of the Whytecliff marine protected areca in West Vancouver. Acting ona tip, the Coast Guard seized the gear the next day and released the prawns caught. Protected under the federal Fisheries Act, Prawns taken from Whytecliff marine sanctuary the waters at Whytechtl Park became the coun- try’s first “no take” marine zone in 1994. Berthiaume pleaded guilty to a federal Fisheries Act charge. Straith had recommended to Judge Ellen Burdett a fine of S500. The tish- ermian was fined $400. Said Burdett during sentencing, “It always astounds me that professional Asher people don’t understand the need ior protected waters.” By fishing close to protected waters, no one gains, she reasoned. “1 would describe his actions as reckless. | wouldn't describe it as a minimal case,” she said. Burdett agreed with Straith’s contention thar that a fine was an appropriate measure to send a message to the commercial fishing industry that its standards “have to change.” Defence lawyer Lynn Chapman described the case against her chent as “bordertine.” She asked the judge for leniency because the tisher- man fost the use of his rraps for 19 fishing days and forfeited approximately $10,000 in poten- tial commercial gain. Chapman said her client had not placed the traps where they were eventually picked up by the Coast Guard. Berthiaume admitted to ser- ting them “ever so slightly within the bound- ary,” she said. She said Berthiaume had con- sulted with a Department of Fisheries and Qceans Howe Sound fisheries guardian tor advice as to where the boundary of the marine protected area actually was, Chapman said it was “standard” practice to set traps just outside of a marine protected area boundary. “Te's a fairly difficult area to ascertain where Member input into bill lacking Fram page \ 49 itself as an example of possible future unilateral actions. Chief Bill Williams dii not return News calls to press time but has said in the past that all band members will have input into the eventual formation of the Squamish land code, which bands are required to under the Bill C-49 legislation. Bur some band members, includ- ing Baker, aren’t so sure that they will be canvassed for their input. MP White, who asked Williams to have band members supporting the bill call his office, is also skepti- cal. He has yet to receive his first expression of support for Bill C-49 from a band member. Bill C-49 will again be debated in Parliament tomorrow. According to White, the Liberals are expected to limir debate on the bill and give it its third reading. White added that he hopes the bill is altered to alleviate the con- cerns because most of the bill wil! be beneficial. to set traps,” she said. Chapman argued that her elient had experi- enced mechanical trouble with the boat's steer- ing while setting the traps. After sentencing, Rerthiaume said he believed the traps dritted closer to the shore as they v cre confiscated by the Coast Guard. Straith told the judge the traps were confiscated within 11 metres to 61 metres from the shore. “The accused chose ro be close to the line and ended up over the line. You've got to give the marine protected area a particularly wide berth.” He said lingeod indigenous to the protected area feed on the prawn. The sanctuary so the subject of study by groups such as Vancouver Aquarium. Straith said harvesting within the marine protected area “fouls” any study. The prawn traps seized trom Berthiaume will be returned to him, Burdett ordered that he pay the fine by May 28. ccused denies stabbing victim Bob Mackin Contributing Writer BRIAN Jason Milligan told a judge and jury Thursday that he did not stab Roy Andrew Nahanee at a party near Squamish on June 21, 1997. Milligan is charged with the sec- ond degree murder of 20-year-old next to Hunt. Almost immediately, Milligan said, Hunt began shouting at Nahaaee. Milligan said Hunt and Nahance had a longstanding dis- pute. He told the court he didn’t know what the matter was about, though he speculated it involved extortion. “It was their own thing and | wasn’t getting in the middle of it,” he said under cross-examination by Nahance and is being tried in B.C. ANOREW Nahanee = Crown counsel Colin Sweeney. Supreme Court in Vancouver. The North Vancouver man stabbed. admitted he did nothing to help Nahanee, who was biceding from the neck. Milligan, 19, said he went to a party at Evans Lake with two other men after plans to go out with his girlfriend fell through. Milligan said he “had a buzz” after drinking some vodka and at least two 40 oz. bottles of beer. He said he was unable to find a sober per- son to drive him back to North Vancouver that night, so he remained at Evans Lake. “As people got more drunk, it got more vio- lent and scary,” Milligan testified. He sought shelter inside a cabin with his friend Travis Hunt. Nahanee entered and sat died after being Milligan said he remained seat- ed, staring at the floor, while Hunt and Nahance stood. Milligan said he looked up and realized “def- initely something was wrong.” He said he saw Nahanee standing near the door, bleeding from his neck. “Travis said, ‘c’mon, let’s go” and gave me a push out the door,” Milligan said. Milligan said he was so “panicked and freaked out” that he didn’t try to help Nahance or even call for help. Asked Sweeney: “You must have thought Travis Hunt did this?” Replied Milligan: “It’s possible, I didn’t sce him, but he could’ve. I didn’t see him do it.” Milligan said he walked toa nearby bonfire, but fled to a wooded trail when he heard his name called. He feared he was going to be lynched. “I didn’t know if people were going to hurt me and ask questions later.” Milligan said he stayed beneath a tree until dawn, He was found by police in a condition described by Sweeney as “sopping wet.” Sweeney told the court investigators found the blood of Nahance on Milligan’s underwear. He asked Milligan how it could’ve got there, but he had no explanation. “J was surprised to hear rhar was on there,” Milligan said. Defence witness Dr. Rex Ferris, a forensic pathologist, later told the court that Nahance’s wound was not life-threatening. Ferris analyzed the report of forensic pathologist Dr. Laurel Gray, who examined Nanance’s body. Ferris told the court Nahanee sustained a “single, superficial” 2.5-centimetre deep knife wound which did not injure his caretid artery, jugular vein or windpipe. He claimed Nahance died because doctors cut his oxygen supply when they inserted an air tube incorrectly. The trial resumes Wednesday when Crown and detence lawyers will offer closing statements to the jury.