VANCOUVER, B.C. ─ Living Oceans Society today commended the Government of Canada for establishing the Bowie Seamount Marine Protected Area (MPA) and expressed hope that this is the first of many more MPAs to come in the near future. The Haida Nation and the federal government have worked together to establish the Bowie Seamount or "SgaanKinghlas" in the Haida tongue.



VANCOUVER,HALIFAX -- The SeaChoice program announced today its release of an exciting new program and a document titled “Canada’s Business Guide to Sustainable Seafood.” The business guide highlights the opportunities for businesses to developtheir own sustainable seafood procurement strategies.

HALIFAX, VANCOUVER -- SeaChoice, Canada’s sustainable seafood program, and its five member organizations, joined nine U.S. environmental groups today in releasing the “Common Vision for Environmentally Sustainable Seafood”. These organizations- which all have a strong history of working with the seafood industry and policymakers- have partnered to form the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions.



The Common Vision outlines realistic steps companies can take to develop and implement a comprehensive, corporate policy on sustainable, wild-caught and farmed seafood.

Vancouver, B.C. – Canada has the legislation and policy in place, but its dismal record on implementing a comprehensive network of marine protected areas (MPAs) earns it a failing grade compared to other countries in its class. This from a progress report card released today by the Living Oceans Society, the David Suzuki Foundation and Sierra Club BC illustrating Canada’s poor performance on protecting ocean environments.

Vancouver, B.C. – The Federal Government has failed to meet the June 8th World Oceans Day deadline to initiate a planning process for BC’s threatened North Coast waters, leading environmental groups said today.

VANCOUVER – British Columbia environmentalists are applauding legislation recently introduced in Parliament that will protect the province’s North Central Coast from the threats associated with crude oil tanker traffic.



The private member’s bill – Bill C-571 - was introduced by Catherine Bell, NDP Member of Parliament (Vancouver Island North), on June 18, 2008 and it prohibits oil tankers in the Dixon Entrance, Hecate Strait and the Queen Charlotte Sound. This coastal area is some of the most pristine in B.C., and includes the waters of the Great Bear Rainforest. 



Vancouver, Sointula, B.C. -- Conservation groups responded today with cautious support for a proposal aimed at providing emergency, interim protection for some wild salmon stocks in the Broughton Archipelago. The groups noted that this action underscores the seriousness of the sea lice situation and supports the need for long term solutions like closed containment systems. 



VANCOUVER -- Living Oceans Society congratulates the Federal Crown for laying charges against the parties allegedly responsible for last summer’s barge spill in the Robson Bight ecological reserve. Campbell River’s Gowlland Towing Ltd., tug boat master Carl Theodore Strom, and logging contractor/equipment owner Ted LeRoy Trucking Ltd. face a number of pollution related charges and are expected to appear in Provincial Court on July 21.



VANCOUVER-- Living Oceans Society is renewing its call to transition from open net cage salmon farms into closed containment after the July 1 escape of up to 30,000 Atlantic salmon from a Marine Harvest Canada fish farm in Frederick Arm on the Mainland coast 50 km north of Campbell River. The near-harvest sized fish escaped when one of the anchors holding the pens in place apparently slipped into deeper water causing the corner of the net cage to sink for an undetermined time.

Sointula, B.C. – Living Oceans Society criticized the provincial government report on salmon farm compliance as missing the point by failing to address the industry’s fundamental problems. Inadequate regulations governing B.C.’s salmon farming industry means that salmon farms’ impact on the environment is not taken into account.