District Environment Officer Report to PMD (April 1st 2020)

Apr 23, 2020

Cdr John Naylor, Bridge Members, Squadron Commanders:

• Sunshine Coast Squadron was recently successful in obtaining a $2500 grant from Boating BC. This was achieved through the CPS National Environment Committee and a partnership with the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS). Jackie Hildering, committee member from the Cape Lazo Squadron, as well as Education and Communications Director of MERS, drafted the grant application. The purpose of the award, in the words of Boating BC is “to promote, improve or advance boating interests in BC, including participation in boating and environmental stewardship of BC’s waters”.

• With this grant, about thirty-four “See A Blow, Go Slow” signs will be purchased. They will be made available at no cost to Squadrons of PMD, Vancouver Island, and the north coast. The sign will include the CPS logo and name of the requesting Squadron. This to advertise that CPS takes an active interest in the marine environment, and the local Squadron responsible. It is anticipated that the Squadrons will have the signs placed at boat launches, marinas, chandleries, and anywhere else that pleasure boaters are likely to see them. Over the past year, we have had to charge Squadrons somewhere in the order of seventy-five dollars for these same signs, so we hope they will take full advantage of this new opportunity. Squadrons taking signs will be required to provide a photo of them in position, along with GPS co- ordinates of their location.

• Through Jackie Hildering’s efforts, we now have CPS-ECP environmental content housed at the domain www.Boatblue.ca. A first Guide – Boaters and Marine Mammals is posted there and available for download. A Plastics Pollution Guide, by Jen Pate will be added soon. The plan is to have this site fully integrated with the CPS-ECP website. More Guides, and further content related to aquatic stewardship will be added as there is a broader adoption of an environmental identity into the CPS-ECP culture.

• Next steps include organising on-line seminars for Squadron Environmental Officers and to provide expanded content in course materials related to the environment.

– Jack Adams/District Environment Officer