The law will be upheld.
Members of the Salmon Arm Nature Bay Enhancement Society (SABNES) will no longer be removing old osprey nests in the fall.
Michael Richardson with the BC Conservation Officer Service responded to a complaint from a Sunnybrae couple, who read that SABNES members had removed osprey nests from two platforms on the Salmon Arm waterfront.
Richardson says when he informed Mike Saul and Ed Dahl, the men readily acknowledged they had removed nests last fall.
“I told them they had no authorization to do it,” he says, noting the men were given a warning and told not to do it again. “They hadn’t tried to get a permit and were obviously unaware that it’s illegal under Section 34B of the B.C. Wildlife Act.”
Richardson says that while some exceptions can be secured by going to the Wildlife Branch, wildlife biologists made clear to him they had decided they were not going to issue permits for osprey nest removal at the Salmon Arm waterfront.
“I did talk to a wildlife biologist in Kamloops, I filled them in and they got together and decided they were not going to issue permits for this,” he says. “They said because it was against the law, there was a big public perception, and they are a protected species – that was the main reason.”
Richardson said biologists are aware of SABNES’ reasons for removing the nests because there are big numbers of Canada geese and their populations are growing.”
Richardson says it is obvious SABNES acted in good faith to protect the osprey and that’s why he gave them a warning rather than a ticket.
“I obviously get the opinion they want the osprey around more than the geese,” he said, pointing out nest appropriation happens everywhere in nature. “Ospreys have other places to nest as well; they adapt and build new nests elsewhere.”
Richardson said the wildlife biologists offered some other tacks SABNES might take to prevent the geese from taking over the osprey nests, including putting a wire cage on top of the manmade platforms until the ospreys’ arrival is imminent.
Meanwhile, Saul did not wish to say too much about the issue or possible solutions until the matter has been discussed at a SABNES board meeting.
He did, however, suggest that members have a good deal of experience with wildlife and will likely be in touch with the wildlife biologists to discuss the options.
