Provincial documentation highlights outrageous acts committed by cattle company: 'None of this work had ... authorizations'

A cattle company has received a series of fines after a six-year investigation found that it repeatedly engaged in serious violations that resulted in significant habitat destruction along the Chilcotin and Kleena Kleene rivers.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, a governmental agency responsible for protecting Canada's water and fishing resources, announced on June 27 that Altherr & Schellenberg Cattle Co. LTD and one of its contractors would pay 545,000 Canadian dollars (around $396,000) in fines associated with three court cases. 

According to the news release, as the cattle company cleared land for its agricultural endeavors, it destroyed vegetation, obstructed the passage of fish (which can hinder their ability to spawn), and altered the natural flow of water, all while flouting the proper regulatory procedures.  

"None of this work had Fisheries Act or provincial authorizations," Fisheries and Oceans Canada wrote, detailing the three guilty pleas in October 2022, February 2023, and May 2024.

Bayliff Enterprises Ltd, which Altherr & Schellenberg hired to clear land along the Kleena Kleene River, was handed a CA$90,000 fine ($65,000) after pleading guilty as part of the third court case. 

Now, the Environmental Damages Fund will hold CA$440,000 ($319,000) worth of fines to use toward the protection and restoration of salmon in British Columbia's Chilcotin region.

In 2022, the BC Wildlife Federation warned that unsustainable fishing practices and habitat destruction were among the threats salmon faced as some species (including the chinook and sockeye) inched toward extinction. 

Chinook salmon aren't just an essential part of river biodiversity. Tsilhqot'in Chief Joe Alphonse told CBC that they also support the livelihoods of multiple First Nations communities. 

"The rivers in our territories are our lifeline. We're very dependent on them," he said, noting the importance of responsibly co-existing with surrounding ecosystems and the planet. 

In addition to the fines, the court ordered the cattle company to make CA$1.25 million ($907,500) in bonds available for the restoration of impacted areas along the rivers within two years, per the release. Furthermore, it had to provide detailed reports over the next decade regarding its progress. 

While the environmental destruction was heartbreaking (and sadly, not out of the ordinary in other parts of the world), there are plenty of reasons to be hopeful for the future of the rivers and fish in the region.

For example, dam removal projects across the United States have had great success in helping fish populations rebound. 

Elsewhere, in Brazil, one couple planted more than 2 million trees over 20 years to restore a part of the Amazon rainforest that had been decimated for cattle ranching.

These cases highlight how taking small steps today — whether through volunteering or even swapping one meat-based meal per week for a plant-based alternative — can create a meaningful difference over time. 

One reader of the Vancouver Sun pointed to how responsible farming practices and land management can safeguard the future of our ecosystems and our supply chains. 

"Definitely deserved!!" they wrote in the comments section of Sun's writeup of the violation fines. "I grew up farming, and that is just wrong." 

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