Shellfish application
Powell River Regional District directors have no objection to an application by Klahoose Shellfish Limited Partnership on behalf of Klahoose First Nation for a shellfish operation.
The total area of the proposed site is 17.4 hectares, located just off the southeast coast of Hernando Island. The proponents plan to raise and harvest geoduck clams, California sea cucumber, Nuttall’s cockle and red sea urchin.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada and other consultants, if best practices are followed, there should not be significant effects to marine habitats and fisheries resources. The greatest impact to the environment is plastic predator netting that could become dislodged during heavy storms. Because the operator’s equipment is to be tagged and monitored, any negative impact will be considerably reduced, according to a regional district staff report.
VIU update
Vancouver Island University (VIU) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1858 continue to negotiate a labour dispute over wage increases. CUPE has informed the university that it does not intend to take further job action that would disrupt classes for students.
Two hundred and sixty CUPE members walked off the job November 20 and 21 for a two-day strike that cancelled classes for VIU students at four campuses. If a new collective agreement isn’t reached Local 1858 president Deborah Hopper said there is a range of job actions that can be taken from a ban on overtime to departmental closures.
