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Logging The Castle Area This Summer


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The Ram river fish or at least some of the stockings came from the Elk in BC which is polluted with yellowstone genetics via the Cranbrook hatchery. It could be that the Alberta hatcheries did too because I know of at least southern one population that strikes me as having some characteristics of yellowstones. The Federal Parks also messed around with yellowstones in the past which puts in question any purity of the Parks westslopes.

 

While hybridization with rainbows is a threat, it seems there is a natural water temperature barrier that the cutthroat are surviving behind. The cutts will spawn and live in colder water than what these mongrel wild rainbows typically like. A much greater threat to the native cutts is the vaunted brook trout. Eastern brook trout like colder water too. I personally know of at least 6 former southern cutthroats creeks that now contain nothing but swarms of 5" brookies.

 

 

BTW; all the fish tested in the L'stone tested pure. Seems to me that the only rainbow genetics found were below the mouth of R'horse but don't quote me on that.

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you're worried now; just wait till they're all clearcut... :curse:

 

and trying to get the castle system all C&R is like trying to take a baked ham away from Oprah...it just ain't gonna happen in our lifetime...i gave up after numerous BS replies from this joke of a government... :$*%&:

 

 

The AB government has the right to not do an EIA through Section 92(A), however, the Federal Government could be compelled to do so through a lawsuit under Section 91(10) and 91(12). I don't know a thing about Law, so i would assume that someone would have to bring this forward to the Federal level before any notice would be taken.

 

It's been done before regarding Forestry, (Friends of the West Country vs Canada, 1999).

 

So really you just need an NGO to step up and take it somewhere, such as TU. Does Friends of the Oldman River still exist?

 

 

 

This is all so discouraging. It seems that the government and majority of the population take our precious resources for granted.

I'm gonna continue to write letters and get my fishing buddies to write as well despite the BS replies.

Has anything like a petition been formed against this logging proposal?

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  • 4 months later...

The remaining populations of pure WCT are certainly very few in numbers and these populations themselves are often extremely small, less than a few hundred individuals which is an issue in itself.

According to the last published genetics report, there were no Yellowstone Cutthroats or various hybrids in the Castle system (Appendix 2 @ [url="http://www.srd.alberta.ca/BiodiversityStewardship/SpeciesAtRisk/DetailedStatus/AmphibiansFishReptiles.aspx)[/url]

 

Its also true that many cutthroats have been able to "escape" the rainbow invasion by heading upstream into cooler waters but this isn't a good thing.

The populations of cutts tend to be isolated from each other which can lead to serious problems. Inbreeding, and at a higher risk of extirpation due to things like landslides, or reduced spawning areas from increased fine sediments due to logging. We're talking about populations that can be small as a few dozen individuals. Check out Dave Mayhood's (a local Fisheries Biologist that specializes in WCT) website for links to relevant published papers on WCT, on logging effects and other land use effects. http://www.fwresearch.ca/Library.html

 

I really urge everyone on this forum to spread the word about this proposed logging because like Paul said, it isn't too late.

There is a list of individuals to email, please do so. Take the time to express your concern stating the fragile nature of a threatened species like WCT and maybe someone will take notice.

 

Caitlin

CPs

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  • 1 month later...
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