Cortes Currents

Max Thaysen / Cortes Currents - The DFO has recovered over 1000 oysters that were harvested illegally on Cortes.

On October 29th, based on information received from the public on Cortes Island, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (also known as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, or DFO) stopped and inspected two vehicles as they disembarked from the BC Ferry in Campbell River.

The DFO enforcement officers found more than 1000 oysters in one of the vehicles. The person in possession of the oysters had a recreational fishing licence, which limits oyster possession to 24 per person ( the daily harvest limit is 12).

The person was fined the maximum for such an infraction -- $1200.

The other driver who was investigated, admitted to having been part of the harvest, despite not having any oysters in his possession. And since he didn't have a recreational fishing licence, they were fined for fishing without a licence, which carries a fine of $100.

Fishery Officer, Greg Askey, was contacted by Cortes Currents. He said that, had this been an illegal commercial harvest, the fines would have been much more. Commercial infractions can get $100,000 fine and/or 5 years in prison.

Askey said that the two individuals were from the lower mainland, and had been staying on Cortes.

According to Askey, enforcement actions in an area can lead to increased observation of that area, and consequently, more enforcement. He reminds shellfish harvesters to get a licence, and know the limits.

Askey said that there is no mechanism for recreational fishers to harvest a larger amount for storage or preservation, or for sharing with a large family or community.

The confiscated oysters were returned to the sea, but to an area that is permanently closed to harvesting -- because the DFO doesn't know how the oysters were treated, they can't go back to places where people may harvest them again, and potentially get ill. Conveniently, all the shoreline around Campbell river is permanently closed due to contamination concerns.

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The licenses for all 18 salmon farms in the Discovery Islands are due to be renewed by December 18th, 2020.As these sites are within the traditional territories of the Holmalco, Klahoose, K’omoks Tla’amin, We Wai Kai (Cape Mudge), Wei Wai Kum (Campbell River) and Kwiakah First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) sent them letters stating they have a 60 day window to respond before a final decision is made.

Newly elected Hegus (Chief) John Hackett, of the Tla’amin First Nation, found himself confronted by, “a mountain of scientific data. Luckily we have very close relations with our sister nations, the Klahoose and Homalco. They got me up to speed very quickly. We share the same vision. We do not want the fish farm licenses renewed here because of the low sockeye returns. Basically, we’re just getting our data together and forming a united front. We’re just going to see what is going to happen this December 18th. That’s when they told us they are going to make a decision on renewing it. We are united in saying we do not want it there.”

Cermaq’s Raza Island farm, just north of Read and Cortes Islands – Courtesy Cermaq Canada

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The licenses for all 18 salmon farms in the Discovery Islands are due to be renewed by December 18th, 2020.As these sites are within the traditional territories of the Holmalco, Klahoose, K’omoks Tla’amin, We Wai Kai (Cape Mudge), Wei Wai Kum (Campbell River) and Kwiakah First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) sent them letters stating they have a 60 day window to respond before a final decision is made.

Newly elected Hegus (Chief) John Hackett, of the Tla’amin First Nation, found himself confronted by, “a mountain of scientific data. Luckily we have very close relations with our sister nations, the Klahoose and Homalco. They got me up to speed very quickly. We share the same vision. We do not want the fish farm licenses renewed here because of the low sockeye returns. Basically, we’re just getting our data together and forming a united front. We’re just going to see what is going to happen this December 18th. That’s when they told us they are going to make a decision on renewing it. We are united in saying we do not want it there.”

Cermaq’s Raza Island farm, just north of Read and Cortes Islands – Courtesy Cermaq Canada

Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - The licenses for all 18 salmon farms in the Discovery Islands are due to be renewed by December 18th, 2020.As these sites are within the traditional territories of the Holmalco, Klahoose, K’omoks Tla’amin, We Wai Kai (Cape Mudge), Wei Wai Kum (Campbell River) and Kwiakah First Nations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) sent them letters stating they have a 60 day window to respond before a final decision is made.

Newly elected Hegus (Chief) John Hackett, of the Tla’amin First Nation, found himself confronted by, “a mountain of scientific data. Luckily we have very close relations with our sister nations, the Klahoose and Homalco. They got me up to speed very quickly. We share the same vision. We do not want the fish farm licenses renewed here because of the low sockeye returns. Basically, we’re just getting our data together and forming a united front. We’re just going to see what is going to happen this December 18th. That’s when they told us they are going to make a decision on renewing it. We are united in saying we do not want it there.”

Cermaq’s Raza Island farm, just north of Read and Cortes Islands – Courtesy Cermaq Canada

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - “This is black bear country. It has always been black bear country. North Cortes Island is likely the most populated with bears. They can travel very far in one day and swim up to five miles, especially in salt water. They do travel from island to island and there are likely year round bears here. In the fall of 2019, there was a bear sighted at Blue Jay Lake. Then in April 2020, there was a black bear around Green Mountain. Since then, we’ve had these conflicts with two bears: one in Whaletown and one in Squirrel Cove,” said Autumn Barrett-Morgan, a volunteer co-ordinator with the Friends of Cortes Island’s wildlife COEXistence program.

The Whaletown bear she mentioned was killed during the summer.

On November 28th, a Conservation Officer arrived on Cortes Island to kill the Squirrel Cove Bear.

Barret-Morgan explained, “The Conservation Officer was called by someone in Squirrel Cove. This resident was feeling very fearful, so the Conservation Officer had no choice but to bring a trap here. Once the bear is trapped, it will be put down.”

The Squirrel Cove Bear has been raiding a number of the houses, backing onto Basil Creek, for a little more than a month. It was drawn by the spawning salmon, but the inviting aromas of apples, compost and variety of other attractants brought it onto human properties.

“At this time of year, a bear needs to eat 20,000 calories a day. We had a fairly good salmon return this year … and there is evidence of bears being down in Basil Creek. They have the best nose on the planet. They can smell up to a kilometre away and will eat anything they can get their paws on,” said Barret-Morgan.

Was a human/bear conflict inevitable?

“No, this definitely did not have to happen,” said Barrett-Morgan.

There is an abundance of year-round wild foods for bears on Cortes. There are roots and shoots in the Spring: like horse tails, skunk cabbage, sedges, grasses, nettles, dandelions and late spring salmon berries. Summer brings shrubs, grubs, insects and blackberries. Salmon runs are the #1 food source in the Fall. Year round, bears eat barnacles, muscles, clams and crabs etc.

“They have year round food sources here, that is why Cortes is prime bear habitat, said Barret-Morgan.

Unfortunately, bears follow their noses when searching for food – and that is what brought the Squirrel Cove Bear to all the food waiting in the habitations backing onto Basil Creek.

“Once it was rewarded with apples, fish fertilizer, compost, bird feeders and this sort of thing, there was a conflict. The bear will keep returning to a spot where it knows it can get food.”

In the podcast above, Autumn Barrett Morgan explains why she knows situation like this can be prevented and how Cortes Island can coext with bears

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - “This is black bear country. It has always been black bear country. North Cortes Island is likely the most populated with bears. They can travel very far in one day and swim up to five miles, especially in salt water. They do travel from island to island and there are likely year round bears here. In the fall of 2019, there was a bear sighted at Blue Jay Lake. Then in April 2020, there was a black bear around Green Mountain. Since then, we’ve had these conflicts with two bears: one in Whaletown and one in Squirrel Cove,” said Autumn Barrett-Morgan, a volunteer co-ordinator with the Friends of Cortes Island’s wildlife COEXistence program.

The Whaletown bear she mentioned was killed during the summer.

On November 28th, a Conservation Officer arrived on Cortes Island to kill the Squirrel Cove Bear.

Barret-Morgan explained, “The Conservation Officer was called by someone in Squirrel Cove. This resident was feeling very fearful, so the Conservation Officer had no choice but to bring a trap here. Once the bear is trapped, it will be put down.”

The Squirrel Cove Bear has been raiding a number of the houses, backing onto Basil Creek, for a little more than a month. It was drawn by the spawning salmon, but the inviting aromas of apples, compost and variety of other attractants brought it onto human properties.

“At this time of year, a bear needs to eat 20,000 calories a day. We had a fairly good salmon return this year … and there is evidence of bears being down in Basil Creek. They have the best nose on the planet. They can smell up to a kilometre away and will eat anything they can get their paws on,” said Barret-Morgan.

Was a human/bear conflict inevitable?

“No, this definitely did not have to happen,” said Barrett-Morgan.

There is an abundance of year-round wild foods for bears on Cortes. There are roots and shoots in the Spring: like horse tails, skunk cabbage, sedges, grasses, nettles, dandelions and late spring salmon berries. Summer brings shrubs, grubs, insects and blackberries. Salmon runs are the #1 food source in the Fall. Year round, bears eat barnacles, muscles, clams and crabs etc.

“They have year round food sources here, that is why Cortes is prime bear habitat, said Barret-Morgan.

Unfortunately, bears follow their noses when searching for food – and that is what brought the Squirrel Cove Bear to all the food waiting in the habitations backing onto Basil Creek.

“Once it was rewarded with apples, fish fertilizer, compost, bird feeders and this sort of thing, there was a conflict. The bear will keep returning to a spot where it knows it can get food.”

In the podcast above, Autumn Barrett Morgan explains why she knows situation like this can be prevented and how Cortes Island can coext with bears

Roy L Hales / Cortes Currents - “This is black bear country. It has always been black bear country. North Cortes Island is likely the most populated with bears. They can travel very far in one day and swim up to five miles, especially in salt water. They do travel from island to island and there are likely year round bears here. In the fall of 2019, there was a bear sighted at Blue Jay Lake. Then in April 2020, there was a black bear around Green Mountain. Since then, we’ve had these conflicts with two bears: one in Whaletown and one in Squirrel Cove,” said Autumn Barrett-Morgan, a volunteer co-ordinator with the Friends of Cortes Island’s wildlife COEXistence program.

The Whaletown bear she mentioned was killed during the summer.

On November 28th, a Conservation Officer arrived on Cortes Island to kill the Squirrel Cove Bear.

Barret-Morgan explained, “The Conservation Officer was called by someone in Squirrel Cove. This resident was feeling very fearful, so the Conservation Officer had no choice but to bring a trap here. Once the bear is trapped, it will be put down.”

The Squirrel Cove Bear has been raiding a number of the houses, backing onto Basil Creek, for a little more than a month. It was drawn by the spawning salmon, but the inviting aromas of apples, compost and variety of other attractants brought it onto human properties.

“At this time of year, a bear needs to eat 20,000 calories a day. We had a fairly good salmon return this year … and there is evidence of bears being down in Basil Creek. They have the best nose on the planet. They can smell up to a kilometre away and will eat anything they can get their paws on,” said Barret-Morgan.

Was a human/bear conflict inevitable?

“No, this definitely did not have to happen,” said Barrett-Morgan.

There is an abundance of year-round wild foods for bears on Cortes. There are roots and shoots in the Spring: like horse tails, skunk cabbage, sedges, grasses, nettles, dandelions and late spring salmon berries. Summer brings shrubs, grubs, insects and blackberries. Salmon runs are the #1 food source in the Fall. Year round, bears eat barnacles, muscles, clams and crabs etc.

“They have year round food sources here, that is why Cortes is prime bear habitat, said Barret-Morgan.

Unfortunately, bears follow their noses when searching for food – and that is what brought the Squirrel Cove Bear to all the food waiting in the habitations backing onto Basil Creek.

“Once it was rewarded with apples, fish fertilizer, compost, bird feeders and this sort of thing, there was a conflict. The bear will keep returning to a spot where it knows it can get food.”

In the podcast above, Autumn Barrett Morgan explains why she knows situation like this can be prevented and how Cortes Island can coext with bears

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - Worried about staying warm this winter? What will it take for Cortes to have sustainable fire wood for all? Corry Dow discussed all things firewood, the Cortes Community Community Firewood Program and how you can take part in staying warm @ Folk U Radio on CKTZ 89.5 FM Friday November 27th from 1 to 3 p.m.

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - Worried about staying warm this winter? What will it take for Cortes to have sustainable fire wood for all? Corry Dow discussed all things firewood, the Cortes Community Community Firewood Program and how you can take part in staying warm @ Folk U Radio on CKTZ 89.5 FM Friday November 27th from 1 to 3 p.m.

Manda Aufochs Gillespie/ Folk U - Worried about staying warm this winter? What will it take for Cortes to have sustainable fire wood for all? Corry Dow discussed all things firewood, the Cortes Community Community Firewood Program and how you can take part in staying warm @ Folk U Radio on CKTZ 89.5 FM Friday November 27th from 1 to 3 p.m.