Minutes of New Brunswick Coastal Joint Action Group (NBC JAG)
February 2, 2009, 10:00am
Department of Health, Room 173, Moncton
 

Meeting Guide
Climate Change Guide
Climate Change Guide Bilingual
DNR - Marine Energy Research Interim Policy Presentation
DNR - Submerged Lands Presentation
DOT - HADD Program Presentation
Conservation Council Forests and Watersheds Presentation
 

Attendees:
Laura Barrett, Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. (ECW)
Harry Collins, Miramichi River Environmental Action Committee (MREAC)
Rémi Donelle, Kent Watershed Association
Francois Emond, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
Billie Joe Fowler, Tabusintac Watershed Association
Jocelyne Gauvin, Le Groupe de développement durable du Pays de Cocagne
Kenton Kinney, NB. Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR)
Michelle Maillet, Kent Watershed Association and La Dune de Bouctouche
Megan Reicker, Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Maritimes Region (DFO-Maritimes)
Peggy Thompson, Eastern Charlotte Waterways Inc. (ECW)
Karen White, NB Dept. of Health (DoH)

Regrets:
Dominique Audet, Shediac Bay Watershed Association (SBWA)
Wayne Barchard, Environment Canada (EC)
Kathy Brewer-Dalton, NB Dept. of Agriculture and Aquaculture (DAA)
Nada Comeau, L’association des bassins versants de la grande et petite rivière Tracadie
Conrad Cormier, Southeastern Anglers Association
Ernest Ferguson, Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Gulf Region (DFO-Gulf)
Raymond Gallant, Comité Sauvons nos Rivières Neguac Inc.
Kim Hughes, NB Dept. of Environment (DENV)
Susan Linkletter, Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance (PWA)
Monique Anne Morin, NB Dept. of Fisheries (DoF)
Frédéric Paillard, Groupe de bassin versant de la région de Cap-Pelé
Yvon Richard, Les ami(e)s de la Kouchibouguacis
Annick Poirier, Partenariat pour la gestion intégrée du bassin versant de la baie de Caraquet
Kim Reeder, St. Croix Estuary Project (SCEP)
Élie Roussel, Comité de gestion environnementale de la rivière Pokemouche

Meeting Actions:
1. Action for H. Collins: Provide formula for super saline solution to be used for smelt fishing.
2. Action for J. Gauvin: Provide digital copy of “Small and Practical Green Meeting Guide” to be posted on the NBC JAG website.
3. Action for Secretariat: Gather completed ENGO surveys and put results on the NBC JAG website.
4. Action for Secretariat: Contact John Legault or Brad Firth regarding presentation on Google Earth.
5. Action for Secretariat: Contact Jochen Schroer of NATECH Environmental Services Inc. regarding presentation on proposed project dealing with alternative septic system monitoring.
6. Action for Secretariat: Contact DNR to see if they can do a presentation discussing the new forestry policy.
7. Action for Secretariat: Gather information on the status of the NB Shellfish working group.

P. Thompson (Chair) brought the meeting to order. Roundtable introductions were conducted. L. Barrett discussed the meeting actions and P. Thompson read the minutes from the March 17, 2008 NBC JAG meeting.

P. Thompson asked government representatives in attendance to provide news from their agency.

M. Reicker stated the new representative for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Maritimes Region would be Leanda Delaney.

F. Emond discussed a protocol that is being developed to deal with shellfish harvesting when there is a spill from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in the same area. EC and DFO are leading this at the request of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
· K. White mentioned that Tim LeBlanc deals with wastewater management at DENV.
· H. Collins wondered why the NB Shellfish working group was not still in existence, as it left a gap in the communication between industry and government.
· F. Emond commented there are the Eastern Coastal Aquaculture Shellfish Team (ECAST) and the Atlantic Region Interdepartmental Shellfish Committee (ARISC).
· P. Thompson mentioned the NB Department of Fisheries’ Fisheries Renewal Framework committee would be having regional meetings that could be a forum for industry (www.gnb.ca/9999/0003-e.asp). P. Thompson also mentioned that DFO was interested in reviving the NB Shellfish working group and she would look into this.

K. White stated her new manager is Scott McLean, who reports to the new Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Eilish Cleary. K. White brought with her a copy of the DENV’s Groundwater Chemistry Atlas: 1994-2007 (www.gnb.ca/0009/0371/0014/index-e.asp) that contains information from domestic wells in the province. From the Atlas people can link to the DoH website where there will be information about each of the parameters in the Atlas, such as arsenic and zinc. K. White also stated documents regarding on-site septic systems are being updated and should be prepared for the next NBC JAG meeting. As an update on an action item from the October 27, 2007 meeting K. White stated all regional offices of the DoH are partnering with DENV to provide new permit applications for septic systems near wetlands or watercourses so the Coastal Areas Protection Policy can be taken into consideration. As a final note K. White stated she was working with Don Fox from DENV regarding health advisories for future blue-green algae blooms. In 2008 Lac Baker, Irishtown Nature Park Lake and Lake Utopia experienced blue-green algae blooms. The algae in Lake Utopia was found to be releasing toxins, thus a health advisory was put in place (www.gnb.ca/0009/0369/0001/0001-e.asp). K. White noted if community groups that conduct water testing at recreational areas receive elevated levels of contaminates, such as E. coli they should contact the regional office of DoH, who could then put out an advisory.
· H. Collins wondered why the on-site septic program with DENV is no longer being funded as it was a good program to repair systems.
· J. Gauvin stated a letter had been sent to the Minister of Environment and his reply basically stated the program was not worth it.
· K. White stated that if a letter were sent to the Minister of Health requesting support for the program, it would be passed to her for comment. She stated her department was disappointed when the program was shut down and she would recommend to her Minister that DoH support the program, however this does not guarantee the Minister would accept her recommendation.

P. Thompson asked ENGO representatives in attendance to provide news from their groups.

M. Maillet stated she would be working on the Piping Plover project at La Dune de Bouctouche again this summer. She stated across the country there seems to be an increase in fox predation with regards to the Piping Plover.

R. Donelle stated projects proposed for this year would look at forestry plots for EMAN (Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network), salamander populations, as they are ecosystem health indicators, trees and biodiversity, and invasive alien plant species. He stated all of these projects are working toward a whole ecosystem plan for the watershed.
· H. Collins inquired about EMAN as he said that ACAP (Atlantic Coastal Action Program) groups are interested in this program.
· R. Donelle stated he was not sure if EMAN would even exist for very much longer.

J. Gauvin discussed two documents her organization has produced while working on climate change issues with businesses in her watershed, Climate Change Challenges: A Guide for the Kent Region’s Businesses and the Small and Practical Green Meeting Guide. She will provide digital copies of both so they many be placed on the NBC JAG website. She has been working with schools in her watershed to plan schoolyards with a more natural focus and is hoping to setup demonstration sites at some of the schools. She has also been working with Raissa Marks of the New Brunswick Environmental Network’s Youth Action Group (NBEN YAG) (http://youth.nben.ca) on a 3-year high school program.
· M. Reicker mentioned that DFO had taken part in Sussex Riverfest at Sussex Regional High School last spring. She said this was a one-day event for the students of the high school and DFO’s participation included a demo on electro-fishing.

H. Collins stated his organization has begun a 5-year project to do water classification and proposed projects include continuing research on a mussel called the brook floater, a piping plover stewardship project, and partnering with AAROM (Aboriginal Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management) and the Miramichi Salmon Association on invasive species such as small mouth bass and Didymosphenia geminata (didymo or rock snot).
· F. Emond asked if didymo has been found in the Miramichi River.
· H. Collins stated that it had not been found in the Miramichi but in the Restigouche so the project would be working to prevent introduction to the Miramichi.
· J. Gauvin asked about the status of ACAP.
· P. Thompson stated ACAP is now part of AEI (Atlantic Ecosystem Initiative) which includes other groups such as the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition on Sustainability (SGSL), the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BoFEP), and the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment. She also stated that the impression she has received for Environment Canada is that they are looking for groups to work on collaborative projects more frequently.

B. Fowler stated her organizations proposed projects include a freshwater mussel count in the watershed and removal of the invasive plant species Purple Loosestrife. She stated that over the past year she has been educating waterfront property owners and smelt fishermen about best management practices (BMPs). She stated some of the smelt fishermen use anti-freeze when fishing.
· H. Collins suggested there was a formula to make a super saline solution that functions just as well as anti-freeze but is better environmentally. He will find the formula and pass on this information.

L. Barrett stated she would be continuing the development of the Green Municipal Plans for two municipalities in her watershed. She stated proposed projects include a partnership with the local solid waste commission to collect computer waste for recycling and continuing and growing an environmental education program with local schools. P. Thompson stated her organization is assisting the local clam harvester co-op. She stated that in the last field season spat were seeded at Gowan’s Cove and this season they are going to look into relaying. Other proposed projects that were discussed was a joint project with ACAP Saint John and Quoddy Futures to survey the coast line of southwest NB, an invasive alien species project regarding Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis) and Asian Shore Crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus), and a land use survey and landowner education project for Lake Utopia.
· K. White stated she could assist with the Lake Utopia project.

Ken Kinney stated it is very critical that groups conducting similar projects need to partner and work together as provincial budgets are very tight at the moment. He also stated that it is important to provide delivery tools that will advise those that are charged with decision making, such as municipalities.
· M. Reicker agreed and stated DFO is also encouraging partnerships for similar projects.

K. Kinney conducted presentations discussing the Department of Natural Resources’ Submerged Land Policy (www.gnb.ca/0078/Policies/CLM0142004E.pdf) and Marine Energy Interim Policy (www.gnb.ca/0078/Policies/CLM0192007E.pdf). Please see the attached link for his presentation.
· Highlights from the presentations included: 1) The Submerged Land Policy addresses applications to use submerged lands, 2) the ordinary high watermark is an average and the normal high watermark is where there is a visible mark, 3) a lease, which has terms and conditions, allows exclusive access, 4) a license is temporary, can be for different lengths of time (20 or 30 years), and needs to be renewed, 5) soon unauthorized occupation of land will be an offence for which a ticket can be given, and 6) the Marine Energy Interim Policy only allows for research.

Melissa Cummings the HADD Coordinator for the Department of Transportation (DOT) for both the Gulf and Maritimes Regions of DFO gave a presentation. Please see the attached link for her presentation.
· Highlights from the presentation include, 1) DOT is dividing up the province into management zones that are loosely based on watersheds to make applying for projects easier, and 2) DOT will provide funding to restoration projects that have other funding partners.
· M. Reicker stated there is usually a 3:1 ratio for projects because new habitat can take some time before it is functioning properly. She also stated the hierarchy of preferences for HADD projects are 1) like for like (ex. spawning for spawning), 2) like for unlike (ex. spawning for nursery), and 3) either of the previous two in a different watershed.

P. Thompson introduced the next agenda item, “ETF proposal with NBC JAG / NATECH partnership”.
· H. Collins discussed an Environmental Trust Fund (ETF) proposal in which 5 or 6 ENGO groups would be trained to assist NATECH Environmental Services Inc. to review alternative onsite septic systems. He stated that currently when alternative systems are put in place there is no review or follow up to determine if they are functioning as planned.
· J. Gauvin suggested that perhaps some of the systems would be under the jurisdiction of DENV.
· K. White stated that would be true. She also stated she would be interested in assisting with this project.
· P. Thompson asked if the training of the ENGO groups would be done all at once, if so perhaps it could be done as an attachment to a NBC JAG meeting.
· H. Collins stated he believed the training would be done all at once.

P. Thompson asked the attendees if there were any further comments or business.
· Ideas for future presentations included John Legault or Brad Firth from DFO (Google Earth applications), a representative from DNR regarding the new forest policy, and a representative from NATECH Environmental Services Inc. to discuss the proposed partnership project.
· K. White stated she would not be able to attend the next meeting but Renee Bourque the Acting Regional Director for Moncton would attend.

P. Thompson stated we would request funds from other agencies to continue the NBC JAG in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
· It was agreed this should be done.

Meeting was adjourned at 2:30pm.

Next meeting is scheduled for March 26, 2009.