Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Sockeye Salmon In the Williams Lake River Valley

From the Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society:

Last week while trapping for Interior Coho Fry in the Williams Lake River Valley volunteers from the CCCS's trapping project were excited to view hundreds of Sockeye Salmon making their way up the Williams Lake river. The River was full of colour and movement and the salmons' eggs were viewable along the stream edge!

Speaking with a local fisheries technician, it was found that just by chance a dead salmon they had chosen to take DNA samples from had a piece of line sticking out of its' mouth. When pulled on, it turned out to be attached to a transmitter! It has been sent away to find out which stock these fish originate from.

Theoretically, these fish could even make there way up to Lac La Hache! A great opportunity to view these amazing salmon.

Friday, September 09, 2005

Do you live in the Pacific Northwest? Are you sure?

Do you think you live in the Pacific Northwest? Alistair B. Fraser certainly doesn't.

Geographically, we certainly don't live in the Pacific Northwest, which, if it describes anywhere, is surely somewhere near the coast of Russia, say on the shores of Kamchatka. And we don't even live in the Northwest of this continent. Look at a map; we are only about half way up.

Now, while it is the case that Washington State is in the northwest of the (contiguous) United States, that is hardly relevant to us. We live in the Southwest! (Please don't make me explain of what).

Do we embrace such a term because the centre of our universe is south of the border? Hardly (well, at least not for those of us who don't export pot). Or is it that we meekly follow any linguistic bellwether which wanders across our field? Now, that is a possibility.

Hear him out and see what you think.