pecies. They also talked about the over-fishing problem that exists. Again, I enjoyed this day very much. _

MARINE ISSUES UPDATE: from Nature Alert 5:1 Canadian Nature Federation

On October 15, 1994, the federal government released a seven-page "Vision for Oceans Management" document which is intended to pave the way for new and sustainable oceans management. In it, the government proposes a new ocean management strategy and promises to enact a Canada oceans act to enable implementation of the strategy.

The discussion paper has its origins in a federal promise made in 1990 to release a discussion paper on a Canada Oceans Act - a document that the Canadian Nature Federation/ Canadian Arctic Resources Committee marine program has been working hard to have released. With it now out, marine issues have been placed squarely on the government’s agenda.

The vision paper proposes an ocean management strategy which will:

0 conserve and protect ocean environment, ecosystems, and resources;

0 establish a framework and guidelines for sustainably managing marine resources;

0 enhance scientific information;

o assert Canadian sovereignty over its oceans;

o establish a Canada oceans act; and

0 clearly identify the federal agency with primary responsibility for

oceans.

The oceans act is expected to be drafted in the spring and be passed before parliament recesses for the summer.

While we are pleased to hear of this, we have a number of suggestions which we feel will improve the government’s vision. We would like to see the following pieces added to the government’s agenda:

1. a clear time-line against which to chart the government's progress, which . included a way for Canadians to provide input on the oceans act; 2. a way of building on existing marine environmental provisions to account

for differences between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. simply incorporating existing marine provisions as planned into a single act will leave gaps in the government's ability to protect marine systems. Specifically, the government should lay out a plan in the proposed oceans act for establishing marine conservation areas as promised in the Green Plan and should share its views on methods to develop a coastal zone management system;

3. a mechanism for giving coastal communities that depend on the marine environment for their livelihood a key role in day-to-day oceans management; 4. an indication of where the money will come from to effectively deliver this

program, given the government’s commitment to fiscal restraint.

We hope to meet with Fisheries Minister Brian Tobin early in the New Year to share our concerns.......

If you have any questions about the CNF/CARC marine program, contact Leslie Beckmann, marine conservation advisor, at 613-241-7379.

RAIN BIRDATHON:

This year's Bain Birdathon was slated for May 27th and, despite the loss of counters to job responsibilities, four teams of one or more people took to the fields, marshes, shores, and woodlands. The species counts were 18, 24, 74, and 102. The counters were Wendell and Helen Hughes, Meike Keunecke, Gerald MacDonald, Dan McAskill, Arlene and Paul McGuigan, Jean Watts. The following weekend, Ray Cooke and D.G. Stewart, two of last year's record setting team with the assistance of Gerald MacDonald, took to the birding areas and recorded a healthy 110 species on June 3.

Thanks to the efforts of the teams and the generous support of our sponsors, so far, the Bain Birdathon raised $ 257 towards the natural areas conservation work of the Island

.Nature Trust and the natural history record keeping efforts of the Natural History Society

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