Owing to a late placement of the notification ad, the closing date for applications for standing for the Cohen Commission has been changed to 4:00pm, March 10, 2010. The date for hearings has also been changed.  For more information, see the Cohen Commission website http://www.cohencommission.ca/.

Watershed Watch Salmon Society and the Centre for Coastal Studies at Simon Fraser University are pleased to announce that the conveners' report from the Speaking for the Salmon workshop Reconciling the conservation of wild salmon and the production of enhanced salmon under Canada's Wild Pacific Salmon Policy is now available.

The following email was received from John Slater, MLA Boundary-Similkameen Parliamentary Secretary for Water Supply and Allocation:

The Water Act Modernization Discussion Paper is now available for your review and comment.

The Discussion Paper outlines opportunities for using, sustaining and managing water resources in a changing environment and has been developed to encourage discussion on ways to modernize the Water Act.  The Discussion Paper proposes principles to underpin a modernized Water Act and presents goals, supporting objectives and possible solutions.

The paper does not present any preferred option or position. It is designed to help you prepare a response or submission and includes links and references to other information sources.

The way we manage water is everyone’s business and we invite you to share your views on the ideas and possible solutions presented in the Discussion Paper.  Submissions may be completed online, emailed to livingwatersmart@gov.bc.ca or sent to:

Water Act Modernization
Water Stewardship Division
Ministry of Environment
PO Box 9362 Stn Prov Govt
Victoria, BC, V8W 9M2

The closing date for submissions is April 30, 2010.

Over the coming months we encourage you to review our website, join the discussion about possible solutions on our blog or participate in one of our regional multi-stakeholder workshops or First Nations sessions.

The Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the Decline of Sockeye Salmon in the Fraser River announced today that it will accept applications for standing until ****Update: The deadline for applications has been extended to 4:00pm on March 10, 2010.  The date for hearings has also been changed****. Standing is necessary to participate in the commission's hearings.

Persons (individuals, groups, governments, agencies, institutions or other entities) who wish to apply for standing at the commission's hearings are invited to submit a written application demonstrating that they have a substantial and direct interest in the subject matter of the inquiry. Participants who are granted standing are eligible to apply for funding for legal counsel. Detailed guidelines for applying for standing and funding are available on the commission's website at www.cohencommission.ca. The commission encourages applications by email.

For more information see the above website or contact Leo Perra, Executive Director of the Cohen Commission of Inquiry at leo.perra@cohencommission.ca.

This is a reminder that the deadline for written comments on the draft Pacific Region Cold-Water Coral and Sponge Strategy is next Wednesday, February 24 at 4:00pm PST.  Please see the January 20th post (below) for instructions if you plan to submit written comments.

If you are planning to provide your feedback in person at the March 3rd session, the deadline to RSVP has passed (it was last Friday, February 12th).  If you did not RSVP but are planning to attend, please contact Elan Park (Elan.Park@dfo-mpo.gc.ca; 604-666-5295) right away.