ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, February 20, 2007 -- Colin Lester, a St. John's farmer, pleaded guilty in Provincial Court yesterday to charges of violating subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act. The charges resulted from a May 2005 release of liquid cattle manure from the farm's storage lagoon into the South Brook in St. John's, NL.

The deposit of nutrient-rich runoff is a major problem facing urban streams in Canada. South Brook is part of the urban river system of St. John's and is a common habitat for brown trout. Nutrient-rich runoff, including liquid manure, causes excessive plant growth, which leads to oxygen depletion in streams and potentially the death of fish.

The Fisheries Act prohibits the deposit of deleterious substances in fish-bearing waters, or in a place or under any condition where a deleterious substance may enter fish bearing waters. Liquid manure is known to be deleterious to fish.

A provincial court judge has ordered Mr. Lester to pay a fine of $300 and to contribute $3,700 to the federal government's Environmental Damages Fund.

This conviction was based on information uncovered in an investigation by Environment Canada's Environmental Enforcement Division, Atlantic Region, and was initiated as a result of a complaint by a local citizen. Charges were laid against Mr. Lester on March 11, 2006.

The Environmental Damages Fund was created in 1995 to provide courts and companies with an option to direct that monetary penalties and settlements be invested for the repair of the actual harm done to the environment. It helps ensure the polluter pays principle is applied and that polluters take responsibility for their actions. The money in the Fund is allocated to local organizations, who often find various partners to contribute additional money and other resources to magnify the benefits of projects undertaken with the funds.

Environment Canada's enforcement staff investigates alleged offences under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the Fisheries Act, in order to ensure that companies, government employees and the general public comply with legislation and regulations that protect Canada's environment.
Neil Codner/Environmental Enforcement Division, Atlantic

Atlas of Bank Restoration Sites of the St. Lawrence River

The Atlas of Bank Restoration Sites of the St. Lawrence River was produced within the framework of the St. Lawrence Plan. It presents a survey of habitats disrupted by the anthropogenic activities carried out in decades past, particularly in-filling, draining, diking and deforestation. This interactive tool, which is available in electronic format only, is highly useful for promoters, government officials, municipalities, conservation agencies and consultants alike. Waterfront property owners seeking to get involved in restoring disturbed wildlife habitats will also find valuable information.

The atlas took three years to complete and is the product of more than 30 contributing scientific experts. Its dedicated Web site includes over 3000 pages of text, 1500 photos and 200 sketches. It includes indexed entries of close to 500 sites totaling some 700 ha along the fluvial section, estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence and some tributary rivers as well as areas bordering the Gaspé Peninsula. The atlas presents a wealth of information in the form of descriptive fact sheets, including location maps and restoration sketches. It is a tool par excellence for doing research on target sites for restoration along the St. Lawrence.