A Load of Bull

Don't mess with the bull, you'll get the horns.

Summertime in Alberta is the time for adventure.  Many anglers will be making their way into the back country to tangle with a pair of Alberta's native fish; the cutthroat trout and the bull trout.  These two stunning fish inhabit some of the most pristine and sensitive fisheries in Alberta today.  While populations of pure strain cutthroat trout are at risk in this province, I want to take some time to focus on the plight of the bull trout in Alberta.

A gorgeous Oldman River bull trout

In 1994 the government of Alberta announced that the bull trout would be named Alberta's provincial fish and that a no-keep limit would be introduced.  Bull trout populations across the province had declined greatly and the species was in great danger unless action was taken.  The figures here show the historic and adult density of bull trout populations in Alberta:

Historic adult bull trout density

Current adult bull trout density

Now for some harrowing information on how effective Alberta has been at restoring bull trout populations.  Historically bull trout could be found in 60 different water sheds in Alberta.  In 2014 it was revealed that only 7 watersheds have been assessed as healthy and 20 populations have been lost entirely.  The bull trout has lost nearly 70% of their historic waters.

It appears that the government action in 1994 served mostly as lip service.  The zero keep limit remains, but little else seems to have changed.  In 2012 the bull trout was officially classified as an "at risk" species.  This classification means that bull trout in Alberta could face extinction unless action is taken.  A report in March of 2012 showed that the zero limit for bull trout had not caused populations to recover and that their habitats were increasingly vulnerable to industrial and recreational activity.

The Bull Trout Conservation Management Plan says very clearly that the introduction of invasive species and habitat alteration have been key contributors to the decline in population. Some of the most sensitive bull trout spawning grounds in the province are facing significant pressure.  Like most species of trout, bull trout require a free stone gravel bottom in which to deposit eggs during the spawning season.  Off highway vehicles illegally crossing river systems, logging projects that kick sediment into the rivers and many other factors have dramatically altered these spawning grounds.  The free stone river bottom has been replaced with a hardened sediment that is not conducive to effective spawning.

Bull trout spawning grounds 

Many of the actions in the previous Bull Trout strategy that ran from 1994-2002 focused on angler education.  Many of us remember hearing the "no black, put it back" slogan to help angles properly identify Bull trout.  The Bull Trout Conservation Management Plan has the following goal: to restore and maintain viable, self-sustaining bull trout populations throughout the majority of the species' historic range in the province, and to once again provide some measure of harvest opportunity for the species.  The Plan references habitat protection and restoration as key objectives to achieve this goal.

Time will tell just how effective this Management Plan was to restore Bull trout populations in this province.  The Alberta government appears to say many of the right things, yet habitat concerns seem to routinely take a back seat to the interests of industry.  In the 20 years since the Albertan government made a concerted effort to save the species, little progress has been made.

Anglers need to be realistic about government's level of attention to these kinds of issues.  No government will be toppled due to mismanagement of a fishery, and you won't find a question about Alberta's bull trout populations in a leaders' debate anytime soon.  Politics is a game of numbers, and the government reaction is simple: appease the masses.

Fish and Wildlife faces tremendous stress on their limit resources.  Regulations do make an impact, but you need enforcement officers to proper police those who choose to ignore the rules.  This past May long weekend it was announced that additional peace officers would be committed to police Alberta's eastern slopes this summer.  These additional resources should help limit litter, ensure ATVers and mudboggers stay away from sensitive bull trout habitat and respond to reports of poachers.

This ATV driver on the Clearwater River was fined $1,500

We have a responsibility to be stewards of our environment.  Unfortunately enforcement will never be able to address every individual who chooses to ignore the rules.  Those of us who frequent this incredible backyard have a commitment to hold each other accountable.  There are countless individuals who treat Alberta's eastern slopes with care and respect, but there are always a few bad apples.  These areas are some of the most sensitive environments in the entire province, and the human footprint has made a irreparable mark in many places.

The next decade will be critical for Alberta's Bull trout.  Much of the government's current focus revolves around getting our economy back on track and further expanding our natural resource industires.  The reality is very simple: the bull trout will not postpone extinction in Alberta until we find a more convenient time to address the issue.

Our stewardship will go a long way to securing the future of our threatened species.  Nature has  issued a challenge to hold each other to a high standard.  Will you accept?

Water, Water, Everywhere

Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drops to drink.
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

March 22 is 2015 World Water Day.  The UN established World Water Day in 1993 as a day to talk about how we will manage water in the future.  The topic for this year is Water and Sustainable Development, a topic that should resonate well for folks living here in Alberta.

Canada has the third largest supply of renewable water in the world after Brazil and Russia.  With such abundance, it is easy for us to take this resource for granted.  Not only is Canada blessed with an abundance of natural resources, we seem to have the ideal mix of resources.  Energy and water security are two enormous issues that our world will face in the 21st century, and Canada will have a key role to play.

Radical and Proud
Humans make a bigger impact on our environment than any other being on this planet.  We have identified resources that are critical for our survival, and we are willing to make a considerable impact on our environment to extract and exploit raw materials from the earth.  The environment and the natural resource industry are often at odds with one another, and historically a compromise between progress and the responsible development of resources has been difficult to identify.  Those who identify as conservationists or environmentalists are often portrayed as radicals that are standing in the way of our economic potential.

Hatch Magazine contributor Todd Tanner recently wrote an open letter to American anglers.  I encourage you to read Todd's article, as I feel it is also very applicable to Albertans.  I think Todd sums it up perfectly when he states that "it is almost as if our love of the great outdoors is standing in the way of progress".  Somehow a desire to pass along a green and clean environment to our children is a radical idea that threatens our futures.  What a fascinating concept that is.

Industry is synonymous with progress.  When our economy is fraught with uncertainty, as we currently experience in Alberta, environmental considerations often take a back seat.  When the economy is more stable, then we have time to acknowledge environmental concerns.  Environmental concerns cannot be issues of convenience, they must be a priority regardless of the economic circumstances.

Wherever we walk, we leave footprints.  In some cases the prints we have left are irreversible.  While we may not be able to reverse our historical impact, we can ensure that present and future impacts are mitigated.  I fail to see how protecting the future of our environment is a radical notion.  The future of our resources and our environment has implications for each and every one of us.

Athabasca River running through the Alberta oil sands

Social Licence
Social licence is a term that the natural resource industry throws around a lot in North America.  Social licence is what exists when a project has the ongoing approval within the local community and other stakeholders.  Social licence mandates that industry play by a set of rules that are created by local stakeholders.  Should industry not abide by these rules, projects cannot move forward and will face considerable public scrutiny.

In my estimation social licence is a very romantic notion.  The stakeholder engagement process involved can be very costly and time consuming.  While many operators are talking the good talk, I am still not convinced that they view social licence as something that is good for business.  Shell Canada receives a considerable subsidy from the Albertan government for the Quest Carbon Capture and Storage project, but would they still be moving this project forward if that subsidy did not exist?  Industry needs to reach a place where they accept social licence as something they MUST obtain, rather than something they are forced to obtain.

Site of the Shell Quest Carbon Capture and Storage facility

A paradigm shift is required in regards to the natural resource industry. Saying the right things needs to result in doing the right things as it relates to sustainable resource development.  If you read the mission statements of companies like Suncor or Cenovus, they both reference operating in a manner that makes Canadians proud and demonstrates responsible stewardship of the land.  Many companies are now including environmental performance reports as a part of their annual reporting.  The industry is trending in a more positive direction as they are investing more resources into sustainability than they have in the past.  This trend must continue.

Environmental performance must be a key pillar for oil and gas operators.  As resources are developed, the industry must focus on ways to reduce the impact it has on our fresh water supplies.  There is some terrific work being done in the Alberta oil sands that I feel is not getting the attention it deserves.  In their 2014 Sustainability Report, Suncor reported that in 2013 their oil sands mining operation consumed 2.01 cubic metres of water to produce one cubic metre of oil - a 13 percent reduction in water consumption since 2007.  That six year trend is positive, but that progress must continue to move forward.

Green Means Go
Environmentalists and conservationists have an important role to play in Alberta's future.  The conversations about the responsible development of our natural resources will play a critical role in the future of our fresh water supplies.  Today is World Water Day, a day for reflection on what role we as individuals can play to protect our most precious resource.  Water is vital for all forms of life on this planet, what are you willing to do to protect it?