Resolution concerning the proposed construction of a dam and hydroelectric plant on the Jacques-Cartier in the Shannon
Whereas the Municipality of Shannon has been selected following a call for applications under the power purchase program for small hydro and has publicly announced its intention to build on the bed of the Jacques Cartier River hydroelectric power low power (less than 5 MW);
Whereas the Department of Natural Resources and Wildlife, supported by a broad popular consensus has launched in 1979 a project to restore salmon in the River Jacques-Cartier and that public and private funds totaling $ 11 million has been invested to the realization of this project;
Whereas draft salmon restoration of the Jacques-Cartier would not have been possible, realistically, if the proposed construction of a hydro-electric pumped storage then envisaged in the valley of the Jacques Cartier ( Champigny project) had been arrested by the popular will of local residents and civic groups in the region surrounding the Jacques-Cartier in the 1970s;
Considering that 'to After initial efforts to restore the salmon population of the Jacques-Cartier has experienced explosive growth until the early 1990s and then begin a sharp decline, growth has nevertheless demonstrated in a tangible way, the ability to restore the salmon population of the river;
Whereas that studies by the Corporation Bassin Jacques-Cartier in conjunction with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife show that this is due to the combination of a set of factors, including The declining rate of natural survival of salmon at sea the negative impact from the reduction of the stocking program for young salmon, and finally, the effect of hydroelectric present along the river on the salmon population;
Whereas studies by the Corporation Bassin Jacques-Cartier in conjunction with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife show that adult salmon spawning migration in the Jacques-Cartier already experiencing at the natural state, the difficulty in negotiating the area known under the name of the Gorge Dery;
Whereas the results of studies conducted by the Council of River Basin Jacques-Cartier in conjunction with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife show that the performance of fishways on dams located McDougall and Bird are variable and do not reach the expected efficiency of such equipment;
Whereas and the Department of Natural Resources and Wildlife has already recognized that the salmon population of the Jacques Cartier was in a poor state;
Considering that 'accordingly the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife closed sport fishing for salmon on the Jacques Cartier River for the period from 2004 to 2013;
Considering that in view of all elements of the problem raised earlier, it was considered preferable not without reasons and for an indefinite time, to transport all the salmon with the hydroelectric Donnacona to return to the water in the Parc de la Jacques-Cartier, where they benefit from optimal conditions for their reproduction;
Whereas this intervention strategy has the disadvantage of removing the project from its initial objective is to restore the natural routes of salmon migration and population of this species throughout its original habitat, and that should do nothing that might make this goal unattainable restoration;
Whereas the Jacques-Cartier River salmon is the most southern Quebec and it is probably already affected by global warming, thus exacerbating factor from the natural conditions of migration of salmon in that river
Whereas Corporation River Basin Jacques-Cartier has already addressed to the Minister of Environment, Sustainable Development and Parks request to establish a protected area out of public lands bordering the Jacques Cartier River to protect them against possible privatization and various forms of development;
Considering that 'the example of the Municipality of Shannon, it is not excluded that other municipalities located along the River Jacques Cartier may also request permission build such kind of work on sites for which would be located within their respective municipalities and the acceptance of the proposed Shannon would make it difficult if not impossible, a refusal in respect of another municipality;
Considering that 'under Decree 337-2009 of 25 March 2009 on "Concerns economic, social and environmental shown in Régie in respect of a purchasing program for electricity small hydro, one conditions for accepting the establishment of a small hydroelectric project is that should have been the subject of consultation with the population targeted by the project and have the support of the local or regional
Whereas the salmon restoration project of the Jacques Cartier River immediately above the geographical context of a municipality and it has, obviously, by its symbolic value, a regional and provincial levels;
Whereas the salmon restoration project of the Jacques Cartier became the flagship of the company's ability to repair some of Quebec environmental damage of the past and he must be returned to the forefront;
Accordingly , FQSA having been by his background, one of the parties behind this project salmon restoration of the Jacques-Cartier and representing interests of a broad coalition of supporters to the cause of salmon, in general meeting, adopted in 2009 and reaffirmed in 2010 a firm stand against the possibilities of developing hydropower on salmon rivers:
that Judge current knowledge about the individual and cumulative effect of the three existing dams on the River Jacques-Cartier and the effect of the natural barrier of the Gorge Dery on salmon migration are incomplete and do not establish with certainty, on the contrary, the addition of a fourth dam would be no serious risk on the migrating salmon and the opportunities to continue to successfully carrying out the restoration project of the Jacques-Cartier ;
Maintains opposition, clear and firm, adopted by the Annual General Meeting of its members in the construction of any dam whose establishment is proposed in areas already colonized by salmon, dam which consequently intervenes on the Flyway salmon river. This provision includes the proposed hydroelectric dam at Shannon in the context of the restoration project Salmon River Jacques-Cartier;
request the Government of Québec in accordance the resolution of the Annual General Meeting of its members that any proposed hydroelectric development on a salmon river, including that of the municipality of Shannon, is necessarily subject to public hearing process in the environment, whatever the installation characteristics provided;
intends to seek the Minister for Natural Resources and Wildlife to increase the continued operation of salmon restoration of the Jacques-Cartier include course Lower and Middle River Jacques-Cartier and to provide the necessary funding;
Hears ask the Minister of the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Parks accelerate the process Creation of a protected area that would consist of public lands located along the Jacques-Cartier, in order to preserve the ecological integrity of the riparian corridor of the Jacques-Cartier Park to the Jacques-Cartier and restore the river's natural setting.
Resolution adopted unanimously at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Quebec Federation for Atlantic salmon held by conference call March 2, 2011.
JOCELIN AND loudness