Quebec bans any fracking pending studies

A committee named by Quebec Environment Minister Pierre Arcand to determine whether shale gas can be extracted while respecting the environment released plans Tuesday for further study and recommended the minister not authorize hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, even for research purposes during an ongoing halt in development.

Photograph by: Allen McInnis , Gazette file photo

Quebec bans any fracking pending studies

By Rebecca Penty,

Calgary Herald

April 5, 2012

CALGARY - The province of Quebec has moved from a de facto ban on shale gas development to a "complete and total moratorium," lamented Calgary oilpatch executive Michael Binnion on Tuesday, following news that a review on hydraulic fracturing won't include any demonstrations in the province.

A committee named by Quebec Environment Minister Pierre Arcand to determine whether shale gas can be extracted while respecting the environment released plans Tuesday for further study and recommended the minister not authorize hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, even for research purposes during an ongoing halt in development.

Read more here

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved

Tying the Boogie Man Streamer

Another pattern tied by Kyle Snarr, 2012 Team Member, Canadian Youth Fly Fishing Team.

You can learn more, and support the team, here and here.

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved

Boat Launch Report - April 02 2012

Just prior to this past weekend, I began getting calls from my shuttle clients wondering about Bow River boat launch conditions, especially those below Policeman's Flats.

So we set aside a good part of Monday, April 02, to visit them all, from the top of the river to the bottom. The odometer clocked in at 194.5 kms.

The new, and very solid, red and white gate is still up at the Riverside Quays condo development at the 17 Ave/Cushing Bridge boat launch.

However, we've learned from two different sources, including Fly Fish Calgary Forum, that this gate was installed by the condo developer, and not by the City.

The condo developer had also installed a locked chain across the other entrance to the boat launch road. That chain has now been unlocked at the request of the City.

Stay tuned.  Things could get interesting at this location when the Harvie Passage officially opens later this spring. 

The 22X/Fish Creek Park boat launch was opened the weekend before last, as was noted on my Blog at the time.

We did our first shuttle to McKinnon Flats yesterday (Tuesday). These hardy fly fishers were willing to drag their drift boat over the ice, as they have done in past years.

If you'd like to compare the current boat launch conditions to what they were a month ago, you can see my March 02 boat launch report here.

Here is what conditions looked like in our early April 2011 report "It's S'no'w Joke". Quite a difference between last year, "The Winter That Wouldn't End", and this year, "The Winter That Wasn't"!

All photos: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved

17th Ave/Cushing Bridge

Glenmore Trail/Graves Landing

22X/Fish Creek Park

Policeman's Flats

McKinnon Flats

Legacy Island

Carseland/Johnson's Island

Today along the Bow River - April 2012

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

National Wildlife Week @ Bow Habitat Station - April 14

Click on poster for large image

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - April 2012

All photos: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

The TUC Big One – A Look Back

All photos: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Trout Unlimited Canada's 2012 National Conservation Dinner and Auction has come and gone for another year. TUC is reporting that the funds raised should once again top $1,000,000.

This very successful fundraiser requires many months of planning and the help of many volunteers.

One of those volunteer jobs is doing the setup of the all the donated prizes on the morning of the event. I’ve enjoyed helping out with this for a number of years.

It’s a combination of Christmas morning and putting into practice the art of ‘window display’. We get to open up all of the boxes containing the prize items, and then we do our best to make sure they are displayed in the most attractive manner possible. The better they look, the more money they will bring in from bidders. Or at least, that’s the hope. :-)

For a complete report on this event, go to The Big One Delivers Again

You can also see some great photos from the dinner itself at this link

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - April 2012

View of the Rocky Mountains from the top of the Bow Valley at McKinnon Flats.     

All photos: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

We made our annual early-April tour of the Bow River boat launches today.  Our report should be out tomorrow.  In the meantime, here is a bit of what we saw. 

Great Blue Heron Rookery at Policeman’s Flats. We were fortunate that more

 than 20 heron flew in together just after our arrival. What a wonderful sight!

Casting for trout on the Bow River

This is Fly – April/May 2012

“Pike Hysteria Abroad” might be a place to start. This story follows some Canadian fly fishers as they travel to Finland for a pike competition.

This is Fly – April/May 2012 No 34

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - April 2012

Ready to launch.  All photos: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2012

Looked like they were sight fishing. The Bow River is low and clear.

IGFA's Cash for Poons Program

DANIA BEACH, FL—The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) announced today it is awarding a $10,000 cash purse to the angler who successfully docks the Sunshine State’s last world-record tarpon.

“With depleting tarpon stocks the world over, the IGFA has made it a mission to document world-record catches in order to keep a photographic record of some very big dead tarpon,” says IGFA President Bob Cramer. “Thanks to these preservation efforts the memories of once-living tarpon remain forever etched in the annuls of our high-gloss catalogs.”

Scientists estimate there are a half-dozen world-record tarpon—worthy of gaffing and stringing up by the gills—still swimming the fertile waters of the Florida Keys.

Conservationists admit they are confused by the IGFA’s move, but remain optimistic. Chaz McDougal of the Ethical Eradication of Tarpon Association (EETA) says, “Although we are alarmed by the ‘cash-for-kill’ prerogative being set here, our research tells us that tarpon feel pain. At least by systematically wiping them off the planet, we can finally get some sleep at night.”

Via: The Drake Magazine

Flymage Magazine – Vol 12, April 2012

The feature article “Dragonflies, Grasshoppers and Trout” is loaded with great photos, along with enough text to give you a real sense of the place – in this case, the Chilean Patagonia.

Flymage Magazine – Heading South Edition

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Day's End.  Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2012