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e-2182 (Protection of flora and fauna)
- Keywords
- Avon River
- Fish
- Wildlife conservation
E-petition
Initiated by Sonja Wood from Hantsport, Nova Scotia
Original language of petition: English
Petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Whereas:
- The Avon River Causeway, Nova Scotia, was constructed in 1968 without proper fish passage and to this day it impedes migrations of fishes, including the Endangered Inner Bay of Fundy Wild Atlantic Salmon and American Eel;
- The Province is twinning Highway 101 and construction plans for the causeway now call for a second aboiteau to be built on the remaining channel of the river;
- As part of the requirements for the twinning approval, fish passage must be provided in accordance with federal DFO regulations, ie: the restoration solution on the Petitcodiac River, New Brunswick in 2010 - 'remove a portion' of the causeway, returning free tidal flow; and
- The proposed Avon River aboiteau design calls for modifications which have the ability to restrict fish passage, allowing the gates to be closed at will, prioritizing water levels in the headpond. Several options for improved fish passage were rejected, and no longer appear in the proposal. The latest aboiteau design option is not the only solution; we favor a natural method of fish passage.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to require that prior to any twinning construction at the Avon River, the proponents put forth all options to restore 'proper' fish-passage for all species on a 24-hour, 365 day-basis at the Avon River Causeway, including an option to remove a portion of the barrier to allow uninhibited return of free-tidal-flow; in accordance with both Species at Risk legislation and the Precautionary Approach as recommended by DFO Science.
- Open for signature
- May 14, 2019, at 5:21 p.m. (EDT)
- Closed for signature
- June 13, 2019, at 5:21 p.m. (EDT)
