Answers to your legal questions: farmed fish, wildfires & professional reliance

r1 Got questions about "bloodwater" and fish processing regulations? We’ve got answers. ... r19 DECEMBER 2017 | Donate | Leave a Legacy FacebookTwitter YouTube Instagram DONATE Dear Paov,

When environmental issues make headlines, our legal experts are there with answers about the legal implications. As 2017 winds down, West Coast lawyers explore some of the topics raising legal questions this month – from BC’s professional reliance review to “bloodwater” from farmed fish plants.
Is this how we treat wild salmon? Farmed fish ‘bloodwater’ discharged into salmon migratory route Shocking footage of bloody fish processing wastewater being pumped into the Pacific Ocean has raised serious concerns about impacts to wild salmon.

So, is this discharge legal? Staff Lawyer Stephanie Hewson and Marine Scientist Maryann Watson dive into the law to find out.

The problem with relying (too much) upon professionals Many people don't realize the extent to which decisions on the environment and health have been privatized in BC. The BC government's professional reliance review is shining a light on how to ensure the public interest is better protected.

Learn about this ongoing review from Staff Lawyer Andrew Gage, then have your say by participating in the BC government’s online engagement process.

The science behind BC’s forest fires When BC's 2017 wildfires finally ended, we all breathed a collective sigh of relief. But the extreme wildfire season continues in southern California – and climate scientists warn that these massive fires will become increasingly common in the coming decades. Here's a review of the climate science behind forest fires from Staff Lawyer Andrew Gage and Law Student Andrew Mendelson. Herbicide illegally sprayed along CN rail lines throughout BC, wild salmon at risk This past summer, a company contracted by CN Rail sprayed herbicide along its rail line, right next to the Skeena River – leaving a ribbon of dead vegetation dangerously close to the salmon-bearing waters.

Staff Lawyer Erica Stahl tells how Luanne Roth of the T. Buck Suzuki Environmental Foundation is demanding accountability over this apparently illegal contamination with support from our Environmental Dispute Resolution Fund.
Wildfires & Wild Foods – A night for climate justice Last month we hosted a fundraiser in partnership with the Yunesit'in community to raise funds for food supplies for the winter. This year's BC wildfires devastated the community and left many without important sources of wild food. We believe that to practice climate justice is to stand with the communities most impacted by climate change.

Anjali Appadurai and Andrew Gage of our climate team reflect on a beautiful night of music, learning and solidarity.

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