SPORTS PROFILE: New bike trails
Happy BC Day!
PAGE 15
This weekend... Monday, August 3 Publications Mail Registration #0040028607
Proudly serving Houston and District - Home of Canada’s Largest Fly Rod
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2015
www.houston-today.com
NO. 30 $1.30 Inc. GST
Sockeye predicted reduced numbers
“
By Xuyun Zeng Houston Today
PADDLE Power
Jackie Lieuwen/Houston Today
Laura maneuvers her kayak near the docks at Rough Acres Bible Camp. Rough Acres and Rock Nest Ranch run camps on Irrigation Lake throughout the summer, engaging kids in lots of fun outdoor activities.
“
“The chiefs will make a call at some point when we start to have a better understanding of how this run is shaping up,”
Anglers should brace for more fishing restrictions if the sockeye numbers keep falling. The Skeena Fisheries Commission estimates that only 855,000 sockeye will return this year. That is three times less than the three million previously predicted. They warn that if numbers in the coming days show poor predictions, they will implement more restrictions to conserve sockeye populations. “For the most part, the early indication is that there are not a lot of five-year olds,” said Skeena Fisheries Commission advisor Mark Cleveland. “Skeena sockeye make up a portion of four-year-old fish coming back and fiveyear-olds. They are roughly similar ratios, it varies from year to year, but this year
- Wet’suwet’en fisheries manager Walter Joseph
specifically, we were expecting about 60 per cent to be fives. “It seems to be a lot less five-year-olds than we predicted.” Cleveland says it is probably due to a number of things, including climate change.
See SOCKEYE on Page 2
Gate at Four Seasons to be locked overnight and winter By Jackie Lieuwen Houston Today
The District of Houston will close and lock the gate to the ball park behind Four Seasons overnight and in the winter. The closure is to prevent vandalism that has been happening. District Chief
Administrative Officer Michael Glavin says the park has “regularly been subjected to vandalism and other potentially dangerous activities including drinking, bonfires, and vehicles doing doughnuts in the gravel parking lot.” Director of Leisure Services Ryan
www.glaciertoyota.ca TODAY TOMORROW TOYOTA
Smithers, BC 1.866.844.6723
*please add $345 Documentation
fee and applicable taxes DL#8879
They will lock the gate to the ball park behind Four Seasons Park.
Coltura says staff recently cleaned up and repaired flipped over bleachers, damaged picnic tables,
2012 Yaris G8885
NOW ONLY
my! ono
and garbage cans thrown on top of the dugouts. It cost the District approximately $800
2011 Rav 4 G4554A
Ec
* $12,998
NOW ONLY
g urin
To
* $19,998
for clean up and repairs, he said. Don Hounsell, Manager of Engineering and Operations, says people are also dumping industrial garbage on the rodeo grounds. They have had tree cuttings, stumps and loads of sod dumped there, he said. Pkg
2011 Matrix
NOW ONLY
G8917
le!
sati Ver
* $12,998
Mayor and council discussed several options including closing Four Seasons access except during events, closing the gate only overnights, and closing only the second gate access to the ball field. Opening and closing the gate everyday would cost the District
2009 Tundra Sr5 G4621A1
NOW ONLY
See GATE on Page 3 r!
ne d Li
Be
* $18,998
$7,300 annually, as it requires overtime hours, Glavin said. A lot of people use the park to walk dogs, and Councillors Tim Anderson and Jonathan Van Barneveld said they want to keep the park open for the public to use.
2009 Camry
NOW ONLY
G8877
rid!
Hyb
* $15,998