July 9, 2002

Environment Committee Report

The environmental committee was formed in the early spring of 2001, chaired by Marnie Laing. Since then the committee has not had a chance to meet. However, this has not stopped CAFA members from participating in environmentally related activity.

CAFA members participated in two environmental projects in the 2001/2002 year:

Lake Sasamat Underwater cleanup

This event was organized by the UCBC and involved 5 scuba divers and four freedivers:

  • Tom Lightfoot
  • Peter Scott
  • Stephanie Ortlepp
  • Mike Krukowski

Over 500 lbs of garbage, mostly cans and bottles were removed from the lake that day.

Roy Mulder told me that freedivers play a key role in these underwater cleanups. We find much of the garbage as well as lift much of the garbage that the scuba divers find, allowing them to keep a flatter profile.

Lingcod Egg Mass Survey

This event was organized by the Vancouver Aquarium. Four freedivers helped to participate in the survey:

  • Tom Lightfoot
  • Helen Lightfoot
  • Peter Pazdera
  • Doug Morgan
  • Diane Price participated as a scuba diver

Six survey dives were done in a freediving mode:

  • Tom/Helen at Batchelor Cove
  • Tom/Peter at Whytecliff Express
  • Tom/Peter at Ansell
  • Doug did three surveys in the Lantzville area

The environmental committee should re-convene to establish objectives and ensure a greater participation in environmental issues in the next year.

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