Happy BC Day! Saturday Aug. 1, 2015 THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2015
Volume 41, Issue 31
www.starjournal.net
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Salmon fishery banned in Thompson River drainage
2014 CCNA
Federal agency closes Clearwater and North Thompson Rivers $10,000 reward offered in connection to Sun Peaks hit and run
By Keith McNeill
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A great place to live New NCO for Barriere RCMP Detachment ..... page 7
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78195 50017
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Submitted photos:
Fortier resigns as Simpcw chief The Times
Drought level increased in four areas of southern British Columbia
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Valley resident Cathy Shave writes, “We live just south of Little Fort on the North Thompson River and are amazed at the incredible views afforded us. On July 14 we were treated to an amazing “X” in the northeast sky, likely the result of airplane con trails. On July 15 the smattering of rain that we received resulted in a double rainbow over the eastern shore. The North Thompson is a wonderful place to live. “
Fred Fortier Kukpi7, who was sworn in as the new chief of Simpcw First Nation on June 1, has resigned. In a letter to ban members, Fortier said he had submitted his resignation as of July 21. His resignation had been requested by band council the day before. In his letter, Fortier noted that under the
Fred Fortier Kukpi7 code of ethics that the chief and council sign when they take office,
they are bound by certain obligations. “As a business owner of 4TR Ventures Ltd. I have crossed that boundary in an email to SRG (Simpcw Resources Ltd.) general manager Sam Phillips that was BCC (blind carbon copied) to an employee of a corporation that we do business with,” Fortier wrote. “I apologize to the Simpcw membership
for this lack of judgement on my part and wish the best for the Simpcw people in the future,” he said. Fortier was a band councillor for 26 years before being elected chief last spring. He took the place of Chief Rita Matthews, who did not seek reelection. There are about 650 members of Simpcw First Nation, on and off reserve.
There will be no more salmon fishing this season on the Clearwater and North Thompson rivers – or anywhere else in the Thompson River drainage for that matter. “It’s to protect the stock so there can be fishing in future years,” explained fishery officer Ron Hudema. “The water temperatures in the Fraser River are close to lethal for salmon,” he said. “The Thompson River is warm too, about 19 or 20 degrees C. The North Thompson and the Clearwater are not as warm as the Fraser and the Thompson, but we don’t know how that warm water has affected the fish. It’s a long way to come.” Hudema noted that this is a poor stock year and officials do not know how many fish to expect. As of Thursday, July 23, the federal fisheries agency specifically closed the Clearwater and North Thompson rivers to salmon fishing. This was in addition to a blanket ban on salmon fishing for the Thompson and Shuswap river systems imposed the same day. Reasons given for the bans were the extremely low water levels in the Thompson and Shuswap systems, plus temperatures that are reaching the lethal limits for migrating salmon. With average summer air temperatures and reduced precipitation predicted, elevated stream temperatures are expected to continue. Because of the ban, a catch-and-release fishery for salmon from local waters that began July 15 is now ended. The annual chinook fishery on the Clearwater and North Thompson rivers that usually takes place each August will not happen this year. Keith McNeill is editor of The Times.
S E R V I N G T H E N O RT H T H O M P S O N VA L L E Y F R O M H E F F L E Y C R E E K TO B L U E R I V E R
Terry Lake MLA Kamloops - North Thompson
618-B Tranquille Rd. Kamloops BC, V2B 3H6 Phone 250-554-5413 Fax 250-554-5417 email: terry.lake.mla@leg.bc.ca
www.terrylakemla.bc.ca