Small craft harbours Pacific Regional Harbour Authority Advisory Committee (PRHAAC)

Record of discussion

November 12, 2020
Videoconference

1. Welcome and review of agenda

Karen Calla welcomed new PRHAAC member Robert Haukness.

2. Review of RoD and Action Items from May 6, 2020 PRHAAC Meeting

The RoDs have been reviewed and approved by PRHAAC. All action items have been completed.

• Action: Lam Hughson to share Pacific Region’s representatives for National Harbour Authority Advisory Committee (NHAAC) working groups with PRHAAC.

3.SCH Update

• Staffing update
  • Jonathan Thar has joined SCH as a Client Services Manager and will be working alongside Stephanie Paterson.
  • Mark Johal has joined SCH in July as a new Program Officer alongside Mina Jung and Keegan Flannery. SCH is close to staffing the 4th Program Officer and HAs are asked to continue to use the triage system and send all inquiries to the front desk.
  • Robin Richardson will be retiring as of the middle of January and this will be his last PRHAAC meeting.
  • We are planning that Brenda O’Hara, our current IPPA manager, will be taking on the role of the HD manager after the end of this FY.
• Ghost Gear Initiative
  • DFO- FM’s Sustainability Fisheries Solution and Retrieval Support Program is providing successful applicants with funding to undertake various initiatives to reduce ghost gear. This includes piloting of innovative gear technologies to prevent gear loss, supporting responsible disposal, and the retrieval of lost gear.
  • Any ghost gear retrieved which is identifiable through fish tags must be kept in secure storage for up to 30 days to give the rightful owner an opportunity to reclaim it.
  • Some Small Craft Harbours are geographically in good locations to support this activity and may be able to apply for funding so they can offer secure storage and redistribution services.
  • Interested HAs can contact the SCH Front Desk for more information.
  • Pacific Region’s ghost gear work has been focussed on making the Steveston Net Recycling program accessible to the whole coast and cost neutral for Steveston. Jaime Gusto has hired Joel Baziuk to undertake the study needed to determine how best to achieve this.
• Budget 2020
  • There is no extra stimulus funding in SCH this year. SCH only has regular program funding for the first time in almost a decade so our projects are limited this year.
  • There may be stimulus funding for SCH next year. SCH submitted a list of projects but nothing is certain until formally announced.
• Ladders
  • Six years ago, SCH started the safety ladder program where the goal was to install new safety ladders at every harbour which met required specifications. SCH is pleased to announce that the project is now complete. Karen Calla acknowledged the contributions by our Regional Engineer Vahid Kahnamelli in both initiating and completing this program.
• Flags
  • SCH Purchased flags last year with the intention of sending them to the HAs. Unfortunately, COVID-19 stalled the process. False Creek HA has agreed to mail the flags on the behalf of SCH. HAs will be sent 1 flag for each Small Craft Harbour that they manage.
• SCH AWVRP
  • 6 HAs were approved to remove 12 vessels for approx. $ 250K this year and there is a chance that Pacific Region will be approved to remove additional vessels this year.
  • For next year, the budget for the program is $ 500K and the application deadline will be March 15th, 2021. HAs are encouraged to take advantage of the program as 2021 will be the final year.

Action: Lam Hughson to share the definition of sea worthiness to PRHAAC.

• MS Teams
  • MS Teams is a platform for collaboration and sharing of documents and information. DFO allows programs to include both DFO and non-DFO participants within MS Teams channel.
  • This platform will help prevent clogging PRHAAC member’s inboxes and provides a filing system that will help with locating documents.
  • Currently, Lam Hughson is testing MS Teams with Darlene Denholm from HAABC to learn it’s capabilities. If the testing is positive, a team channel will be created for PRHAAC. More information to come. We can continue to send documents via email for PRHAAC members who are unable to use MS Teams.

4. COVID-19

• SCH Update
  • SCH staff travel has been very limited since the onset of Covid. We are complying with Provincial Health orders. When staff travel, they are to adhere to health regulations and recommendations such as holding meetings outside where people can safely distance and most travel to sites is by car, not plane. Our goal is to ensure that everyone remains safe and healthy.
  • As reiterated in previous communications, Harbour authorities are responsible for the safe management and operation of harbours and have the right to restrict access to the harbours to ensure the health and safety of all users.
  • Harbour authorities must comply with applicable federal, provincial, territorial and municipal legislation, regulations and guidelines including directives from their local health authorities
• PRHAAC Members Update
  • PRHAAC members shared their operational practices during COVID. A common challenge that they faced was ensuring safe distancing on sales floats by the public. More harvesters are selling directly to the public because many wholesalers that serve the Food Service industry are not purchasing products at this time with the result being increased traffic on sales floats.
  • Steveston hired security guards to manage access and limit numbers on their sales float. They were inspected on a daily basis by officials to ensure that safe distancing regulations were adhered to. SHA was able to keep the sales float open for fishermen to sell their product. Fishermen expressed gratitude of SHA’s efforts in supporting their livelihood.
  • The HAs may benefit from others sharing their lessons learned as they navigate the next fishery opening.

Action: Lutz Budde to work with HAABC to gather plans from the HAs and develop a package to share on their website.

5. NHAAC Updates

• NHAAC Head Lease (HL) Working Group
  • The HL working group met and was presented with the highlights of the new draft HL. Pacific NHAAC members gathered input from other HAs and provided feedback on topics such as access rules, non-compliance, emergency response, insurance, operations and repairs, and environmental. National SCH is currently compiling the feedback and getting legal review.
  • The new draft HL is anticipated to be will be rolled out next FY. SC

Action: Lam Hughson to share Pacific Region’s feedback to NHAAC.

• HA Ops Manual Working Group
  • The Ops Manual working group met and reviewed the proposed updated manual. Pacific Region representative provided input gathered from other HAs and National SCH is reviewing the all comments and inputs. The new Ops Manual is expected to be rolled out by end of this FY.
• Indigenous Working Group
  • National SCH is planning to hold the first Indigenous working group meeting in early January.
• Harbour Authority Insurance
  • The HAC and SCH NHQ are planning to present at the HAABC Seminar and provide an update.
  • It was agreed by the HAC and SCH NHQ that they would:
    • Draft materials to the HAs
    • Incorporate a single point of contact for coordination
    • Provide training manuals for SCH staff
    • The expected projected deadline is January 2021

6. Crane Update

• SCH Pacific will continue to engage with HAs on the crane program to reduce liabilities for both the HAs and SCH.
• In collaboration with the HAABC, SCH will canvas HAs for a better understanding of how cranes are used and what protocols are in place.
• Topics of discussions included the liabilities; infrastructure requirements; best practices and management policies; and changing crane needs.

Action: PRHAAC to provide input/feedback on the materials presented to Lam Hughson by Friday, Nov 27th.

7. Roundtable, wrap-up and next meeting

• Round table
  • Lutz Budde informed PRHAAC that HAABC is in the final stages of setting their agenda for the virtual seminar and for PRHAAC members to submit any seminar topics to HAABC as soon as possible.
• Next meeting:
  HAABC, PRHAAC and SCH, Feb 10, 2021
  PRHAAC, spring 2021

Action Items

• Complete - Lam Hughson to share the definition of sea worthiness to PRHAAC.
• In progress - Lutz Budde to work with HAABC to gather plans from the HAs and develop a package to share on their website
• Complete - Lam Hughson to share Pacific Region’s feedback to NHAAC.
• Complete -PRHAAC to provide input/feedback on the materials presented to Lam Hughson by Friday, Nov 27th.