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Friday, August 15, 2014
Sockeye market volatile: experts
Gazette am News aa.com Goldstre G N lmes@bc stitJul11G susanho 1 ) 18 ”H -5 .5 8 2 BCAApo 6 04) 2 l (2.5”W X Holmes (6 Horizonta ct Susan ta n o c s CMYK problem n-related Productio
West Shore consumers may yet see drop in price for popular fish Angela Cowan News Gazette staff
to take the fire down toward Highland Road, but firefighters contained it using a multi-pronged, “textbook” approach, Colwood Assistant Chief John Cassidy said Monday from a still-evacuated main beach. “In the fire service you don’t really play catch up very well,” he said, explaining the immediate decision to call out both fire departments.
A surge in sockeye numbers and fishing runs in the Fraser river has prices dropping for the fresh catches, but retailers and wholesalers alike say good deals on the fish are unpredictable. At Western Foods, which has locations in Langford and Sooke, the retail price is expected to drop dramatically, said director Laura Lum. “I heard about a big run this year,” she said, noting their cost on sockeye was expected to drop by almost half this week. “You’ll see some great deals coming up.” Meanwhile, John MacAulay, meat and seafood manager for the Market on Millstream, says while they’ve seen some lowering of prices, their Victoria and Vancouver wholesale suppliers haven’t cut costs substantially. “Prices have come down a bit – they may come further,” he said. “I don’t think there’s really been large numbers of sockeye hitting the market yet. Hopefully we’ll see a further decrease in prices.” Sockeye salmon is a commodity in a volatile market, said Jason Bater, seafood category manager for Thrifty Foods. Not only that, he said, its popularity has been largely driven by its visual appeal. “I believe it’s a case of we eat with our eyes. That bright red colour that sockeye has is so visually appealing, so beautiful on the plate.” Bater said sockeye sources and availability can change rapidly, leading to just as rapid price fluctuations. “Conditions in the fisheries can change overnight,” he said. “The cost today might not necessarily be the cost tomorrow.”
PlEASE SEE: Fire halted, Page A3
PlEASE SEE: Supply decisions, Page A4
Don Descoteau/News Gazette staff
Firefighters from the Colwood department enjoy a well-deserved water break on the beach at Thetis Lake on Tuesday after helping the View Royal department battle a brush fire in the park.
Thetis brush fire burns nearly a hectare Abandoned campfire causes latest blaze Don Descoteau News Gazette staff
A nearly one-hectare brush fire Tuesday in Thetis Lake Park is the latest in a series of West Shore fires to fall into the human-caused category. “We found remnants of a campfire at the source,” said View Royal Fire
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ON
Chief Paul Hurst. Firefighters from his department and Colwood, assisted by a forest service helicopter and Capital Regional District parks staff, quickly and aggressively attacked the blaze and prevented it from burning out of control. When crews arrived at the lake shortly before 1 p.m. there was a large column of smoke rising into the sky from the east side of Lower Thetis Lake. A swirling wind threatened
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