Ravenous seals undeterred
By Colleen Dane - Comox Valley Record - June 04, 2008 | | | |

The electrical seal deterrent at the mouth of the Courtenay River will be removed at the end of the week.

After a few months of testing, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will finish today, and pull out the electrical deterrent equipment while they consider their next step in trying to stop seals from feeding on fish coming and going from the river.

“It hasn’t been as effective as we hoped,” said Gary Taccogna, DFO’s salmon enhancement program manager for the South Coast.

Since the deterrent was installed in April, they have tried different levels of strength, different times for operations and seen the effects of varying river levels on its effectiveness.

However, they’re finding the seals are still able to push through the array, and get to their favourite feeding spots under the lights of the Fifth and 17th Street bridges, and by the Lewis Park tennis courts.

The Puntledge River restoration committee has been calling for a cull of the seals since the problem with their snacking was first discovered. The damage to fish stocks is too much to sustain, they argue.

However, DFO has been advocating for a non-lethal deterrent, at the mouth of the river, with a licence to kill seals up by the hatchery’s fish ladder.

They hope that most seals will turn away,  and that a long-term management plan will stop the problem from developing again.

As for this electrical deterrent effort, Taccogna said it’s time for them to regroup and consider their next steps. The equipment will be removed at the end of the week, and they will talk about how they could make it more effective.

reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_north/comoxvalleyrecord/news/19497609.html