The following is a translated letter wrote to the government of Quebec by the Magdalen Islands ZIP Committee, asking for help to clean up a severe situation in the Grand Entry Lagoon. In previous years the lagoon was used for raising scallop in suspended netted traps. The company, Imaqua Inc., which was owned by Mr. Joncas, ceased working the project and left, leaving the suspended gear, anchors and various other pollutants in place. Despite letters and requests to Mr Joncas, the breeding gear still remains, after many years....
Grindstone, February 14th , 2008
M. Joël Arseneau, Magdalen Islands Municipality
M. Donald Arseneau, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for Quebec
M. Paul Morin, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for Quebec
Mme Diane Chassé, Minister for the Sustainable Development of the Environment and Parks Quebec
M. Roger Simon, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
M. Pierre Lauzier, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
M. René Laperrière, Transport Canada
Object: Request of support in connection with the abandonment of the scallop suspension breeding structures in the Grand Entry lagoon of the Magdalen Islands.
Madame, Monsieur,
The Magdalen Islands territory is made up of five major interior water plans and seven Integrated Management Committees have been created for the lagoons. The Grand Entry lagoon is represented within the committees. These committees accompanied by the ZIP Committee and supported by the people, are given as a main mandate, the sustainable development of their water plans, with respect of all the users and the local environment. Some sixty representatives of the area worked voluntarily to favor attaining the aimed objectives.
Presently we, the members of the Management Committee of the Grand Entry lagoon, would like it noted that we have informed Mr. Joncas written correspondence, our discontentment on the subject of the abandonment of the polluting fixed assets within the framework activities of two companies already mentioned, within this bay.
This situation is, in our opinion inconceivable, and we strongly incite you to take, without waiting any longer, the necessary measures in order to correct the situation. This sad reality engenders unfavorable consequences for the Archipelago, at a time of social, economic and environmental levels, and you know that the situational advantage will worsen, if something isn't done.
We ask of you, Madame, Monsieur, in the name of the groups which we have representatives at the heart of our community, to take all legal means possible, in order to remedy the present situation and to avoid the repetition of such schemes in the future. Understand that you can count on our entirety support.
We wait for your availability, if you wish further information and we hope that you will take action helping us as soon as possible.
We sincerely thank you for your understanding and for your collaboration, we request from you,
approval, Madam, Sir, our best greetings.
The members and the resource people of the Integrated Management Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon of the Magdalen Islands.
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M. Claude Cyr, for the Integrated Manageent Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon
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M. Yves Martinet, director of the ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands.
p.j. * Members of the Integrated Management Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon
* Correspondance written the 8 February 2008 sent to M. Paul-Aimé Joncas.
Integrated Management Committee of the Grand Entry Lagoon
M. Adrien Bénard, Recreational Activities
Mrs Patricia B. Clark, Commercial Fishing
Ms Wynn Currie, Resident
M. Claude Cyr, Commercial Fishing
M. Jérémie Cyr, Commercial Fishing
M. Carlo Éloquin, Mariculturer
M. Mark Joncas, Industrial
M. Jonathan Lapierre, Municipality
M. Égide Leblanc, Resident
M. Yves Martinet, Resource for the ZIP Committee of the Magdalen Islands
M. Maurice Gaudet, Resource for MAPAQ
Mme Selma Pereira, Resource for DFO
