Yukoners' concerns renewed over tourist ship's effect on salmon
Last Updated: Friday, May 23, 2008 | 4:48 PM CT
CBC News
Some fishermen in Dawson City, Yukon, have renewed concerns about the Yukon Queen II tourist ship and its impact on salmon stocks in the Yukon River.
Holland America Cruise Line's catamaran resumed its summer service this week, taking tourists on 164-kilometre sightseeing trips between Dawson City and Eagle, Alaska.
The wake from the high-powered ship has tossed salmon fry onto the riverbank, where the juvenile fish quickly perish.
While officials with Holland America say they are trying to reduce the vessel's negative impact, Dawson-based salmon fishermen like Sebastian Jones have raised other concerns.
"The wake has been shown to strand significant numbers of juvenile fish on the banks of the river. What hasn't been counted up is the number of fish that get killed by going through the jet process," Jones told CBC News on Thursday.
Others in the community have said the boat's wake erodes the banks of the river.
Linda Houston, Holland America's director of Southeast Alaska and Yukon operations, said steps have been taken to reduce the boat's impact on fish stocks.
"The captain and the crew are taking extreme caution in making sure that they're slowing down when they need to, not speeding up as fast around sensitive creek mouths," Houston said.
The Yukon Queen II's impact on the river is currently under review by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans through the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board. That review began earlier this year and is in the early stages.
Under the federal Fisheries Act, it is illegal to kill fish for any purpose other than fishing without prior permission from the federal minister.
But Frank Quinn, the department's Yukon area director, said he can only take action on the matter if the minister specifically refuses permission.
"If the minister decides that he won't grant the authorization, then because there are fish being killed … it won't be able to operate," Quinn said.
"It will be an action that can be enforced at that time."
There is no word from the federal department or the Yukon assessment board on when the review will be complete. The Yukon Queen II continues to operate in the meantime.
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