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From this months Special Report we comment on the Steelhead Society. After the Shouting, Let Cooler Heads Prevail The Steelhead Society of British Columbia, one of the leading fisheries conservation organizations in North America, has undergone remarkable change under the leadership of Dan Burns. Sadly, not all of it has been good. Mr. Burns, a young, energetic Vancouver lawyer discovered the joy of fly fishing for steelhead relatively recently, and like many new converts, he embraced the sport and its culture with passion. After joining the Steelhead Society his drive and imagination soon singled him out as a director worth watching. When the organization threatened to devolve into chaos because of political infighting, Mr. Burns was urged to step forward as president. He brought stability to the society and soon had launched a number of ambitious projects, the most notable of which was the formation of the Steelhead Society Habitat Restoration Corporation. The Corporation managed to snag a few million dollars, and soon was hiring fulltime biologists, technicians and other staff. Numerous watershed projects were launched. Mr. Burns also organized the biggest and most financially successful annual fund raising dinner in the Steelhead Society’s history, bringing in $100,000 in one night. Under the leadership of Mr. Burns (which came with no small price tag attached, given his $100,000 salary) it seemed that the society was on its way to developing into another Atlantic Salmon Foundation, or Ducks Unlimited. Then several staff members came forward with allegations of misuse of funds; a trio of respected directors quit, including John Fraser, Canada’s former Fisheries Minister. And all but one of the Habitat Restoration Corp. staff members resigned, leaving the offices empty until replacements were hired. There were rumours about fraud and extensive abuse of funds. A report by the Auditor General of British Columbia, reported on in detail in this issue, has dismissed those allegations of wrongdoing. But it was hardly a glowing report card. Despite Mr. Burns’s genius in initiating big projects, he has been found sadly lacking in the follow through, with poor financial control. Corrective measures have now been taken - but it comes too late to save the Steelhead Society from serious damage. Sometimes people can be great at starting things, and bad at the boring, but crucial job of running them. That seems to have been what happened with Mr. Burns holding down two demanding jobs, as both Society president, and CEO of the Restoration Corp. In the past year the Steelhead Society’s image has taken a brutal beating. That will not be restored by the Auditor General’s report, nor will it be restored by directors bravely claiming it’s all behind them now. The Society has been left badly wounded. Clearly, it’s up to the membership to decide what course should be followed now. And they’ll get that chance at the next annual general meeting, in April. For what it’s worth, those of us who have been watching from the sidelines at A River Never Sleeps, think it is time for some changes at the top. Mr. Burns might be retained to head the Habitat Restoration Corp., which he had the foresight to start, and which he still has some visionary ideas for. But he should not remain as president of the Steelhead Society. There has been too much damage done under his tenure - it’s time for a new face. The Steelhead Society should also draw a more distinct line between itself and the Restoration Corp., which might be run as a separate, profit-oriented entity that could both save watersheds and make money. A clear division between the two organizations would help give the Steelhead Society its political voice back. Since it started taking lucrative contracts from the government, it has been strangely silent on politically sensitive issues. British Columbia needs a healthy, strong and independant Steelhead Society - one that’s not too timid to raise its voice in anger when fisheries resources are threatened by government policy. In April the members will get to debate the future of the Society and its directors, who have led them on a wild and dangerous roller coaster ride. There will probably be some shouting. Well, there should be after what’s happened. But let’s hope that in the end cooler heads prevail, and the Steelhead Society will be set on the right course once again. What do you think? Visit our online discussion area and post your views. Letters can be sent via e-mail to: letters@ariverneversleeps.com
Best of the season to you guys. Another great edition. Neil Just sitting here at the picture desk taking advantage of our T-1 line to do some surfing. Love the site. Looks like a shit-load of work. Almost makes me want to grab a rod and head down to the Potomac!! Hershorn is sending me messages from his palm pilot...he sez hi. Talk about someone who needs a hobby....Anyways, all the best, the site is great! Cheers, How about an article updating whats going on in the process of removing the Elwha dams. Now that Gorton is out of the senate (but possibly our next Sec. of the Interior) will the process to remove both dams simultaneuosly proceed or will the forces of evil prevail to force the one dam at a time removal scenario (would about double the cost and could cause the process to fail, which is of course what certain politcos would like to see happen). As much light as possible needs to be focused on this issue as soon as possible. If Bush wins the presidency he should be gently encouraged to appoint someone more moderate to the Interior post than Gorton who will be another James Watts. -Ted Schmidt Analysis: The allowance of the monopolization of the salmon farming industry by world governments worldwide carries the same ramifications as the allowance of the global monopolization of the production, distribution, and marketing of other foods including grain; given the massive investment in advertising and also governmental lobbying by these firms, the public is For the highly wasteful and ecologically destructive practise of salmon farming, the issue is that these firms are now being subsidized to reduce the world supply of protein, as the salmon are fed 4 times the amount of fish flesh that they eventually yield. Personal actions: My personal strategy is to at every opportunity in my everyday life ask if the food I am buying is either "wild salmon" or "free range eggs, or "organic" meat or vegetables. Everyday. Everywhere. Where enough people ask this question, the stores/restaurants respond. ("Organic" farmed salmon sees less use of drugs on the farms (see below) but in no way stops any of the damage to the wild salmon stocks or the marine environment by the salmon farming industry). Personal dream: My dream is that the public will soon demand the all food offered for sale be either from sustainable "wild" ecological harvest, or "free range" or "organic" farms. This will enable the re-birth of the viable family farm and many viable "small boat" commercial fisheries again, worldwide. It will also mean that a larger share of our income will have to again go for food (as formerly). So be it, for the sake of our health, and the heath of the planet. David Ellis, {E-mail letters may be edited for clarity, taste and brevity. It is understood they express the opinions of the writers, not the editors.}
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