2019 Fraser Chinook Management Actions UPDATED!!

[donnie d]

Done.

 

[Cookie's Cutter]

I bet there is a lot of businesses down at the Boat Show this weekend that wish this news came out next week.

While you are writing your emails, make sure you let it be known that DFO should first close commercial salmon fishing and the herring fishery. Wild BC Salmon should be for the people of BC and not sold commerically to other countries.

 

[littlechucky]

Lots of social media posts on this tonight asking for email support.

Everyone on here should send one.

Maybe @Admin can pin @SpringVelocity ‘s post to the top of the saltwater forum.

 

[feelin swell]

Done. feelin my blood veins swell.

 

[Stizzla]

Dear

I am writing you on behalf of the thousands of businesses that the potential closure “A” will greatly affect.

I personally love fishing. I don’t make money on it, but I do LOVE to spend it

I spend it on gear. Lots and Lots of gear. Over the last 2+ years I have spend more than $25,000 on fishing. My boat was $10,000 and another $10,000 was spending money on fixing it up, including, motors, interior, electronics. Custom vinyl wrap, trailer refurbishment, maintenance, repairs etc.

I also have over a half dozen quality fishing reels and a tackle box full of beautiful shiny things. Let’s just say, the sales staff at Trotac Marine, and Island Outfitters know me by name!

I spend it on fuel, I spend it on bait, I spend it on derbys. Derbys in which all the proceeds go to salmon ENHANCEMENT. There’s one in my local area of Sidney, May 2nd and 3rd.
I contribute to the Sooke Net Pen Project. I contribute to GUIDES.
I have booked guided trips so my my father and I can spend quality time together this summer, and I can’t tell you how many families this closure will absolutely crush. Thousands of guides will lose their jobs and will have no idea what to do. Small town gas stations, tackle shops will be forced to close their doors. What then for those families? How will they pay the mortgages on our homes with massive price tags?

I understand the numbers aren’t where they used to be, but you guys have to looks at the real problems that are behind the reasons for that. A massive seal and sea lion population, herring being overfished by the commercial sector, river gill netting, fish farms.. To name a few.

I beg you to not push option “A”forward and reassess the way you’re trying to help the Chinook salmon population. Recreational anglers are your friends not your foes. We have a common goal, but we need your help to move forward. Let’s work together and clean up spawning habitat. Let’s work on hatcheries, let’s deal with the pinniped problem in specific problem areas. And let’s help the economy and beautiful chinooks salmon flourish!

Thank you for your time,

 

[Jencourt]

Missed this request last night. Woke up to email from admin today,and got it done.

 

[scott craven]

Many area's stand to lose their Chinook fishery now and forever.
Admin has posted the e-mail addresses for DFO.
Send a letter now !
DFO must see massive push back from our sector, if not we're done.

 

[ReelSlim]

Letter sent...

 

[Koho2catch]

Letters sent

 

[walleyes]

With out a crisis people need no government. Old political tactic from way back and a favourite of the left. If all is rosey and people are busy at their independent businesses they tend to veer away from social dependence and their need for government intervention. Does this not strike anyone odd its coming smack dabb during an election year. You watch that slimy little bugger comes out west this summer and if voted for will make changes to save your businesses and lively hoods. You watch the aid packages come out in hand fulls. You don’t need aid packages and government hand outs, you need responsible and equal management of the resource.

Your being played.

 

[el.Pereh]

Letter sent. So fired up!

 

[fish4all]

I bet there is a lot of businesses down at the Boat Show this weekend that wish this news came out next week.

While you are writing your emails, make sure you let it be known that DFO should first close commercial salmon fishing and the herring fishery. Wild BC Salmon should be for the people of BC and not sold commerically to other countries.

What a sad and disgusting reply. As a commercial and local sports fishermen this attitude is a major part of the problem. Our sectors should be working together to hold DFO to the task of rebuilding stocks not tearing each other down. If I was to stoop to this level I suppose I should ask (and send a blanket email to all commercial fishermen asking to do the same) for a full southcoast closure on the recreational Chinook fishery as the rec sector is the largest user of chinooks, catch and release has significant mortality, many of the participants are foreign tourists, and the whales are hungry.

 

[profisher]

My email was sent but I chose to tell them how I really felt instead of going into the economic impact on myself.
Mr. Jeff Grout,

I know there is a big push on with a letter writing campaign as a result of the 2019 Chinook fishery plans DFO is considering this spring. I will keep my response short and precise. As a life long (52 years) recreational tidal and non tidal water angler on Vancouver Island and with 33 years in business as a saltwater fishing guide I want to say this. We were told over 20 years ago that Fraser River Chinook were showing serious signs of decline. Every year since then there has been an annual release of more bad news and further restrictions that negatively effects all fisheries. Every year our SFAB reps have told the department that the actions being taken will not do anything to rebuild these Chinook stocks and they haven't. Yet you and DFO continue to repeat the same mistake over and over again, managing stocks into the ground.

Therefore it will become my and many others personal mission if all salmon stocks continue to decline, no real recovery plan is instituted to reverse the declines and bring back healthy fish populations and that support all fisheries and our SRKW's: To do what ever it takes to get the west coast out of DFO control and replace it with a regional made in B.C. ministry. If your department won't support and fund the work required to restore these fish populations then you will be made to step aside and let others who will, get it done. Enough is enough.

 

[Ringo]

Sent the email and cc'd my Liberal MP
-----------------------

Dear Mr. Grout and the DFO team,

I have been fishing for salmon in the local waters of the Vancouver area and the Gulf islands for over 20 years. I own a small boat and between February to October each year, on an average basis I spend the following amounts at our local suppliers and shops on fishing- related stuff:

Boat maintenance and repair: $3,000
Bait, tackle and equipment $2,000
Fuel: $4000
Marina: $3000
Food and transportation $3000

My young family has been brought up to embrace fishing and living on the ocean as a way of life. Salmon is more than just a fish for us and is a sacred creature. We don't just fish for food, we fish as a way of connecting to nature and appreciating our resources.

While I share deep concerns on the sustainability of the Fraser Chinook stocks, I do not believe that a full recreational salmon fishing closure between April to August (Option A) is going to remedy the issue. This will hurt the local economy of our coastal communities and will put many BC families in financial hardship without yielding the expected conservation results.

Best Regards,

 

[Stizzla]

Already got a reply from Mr. Grout that my email regarding the 2019 fishery has been received and that all emails will be reviewed.
Classy move, Grouty!

 

[Dave]

Jeff Grout is a class act.

 

[Thegaunch]

I wrote my letter .... I hope I can do my part. But, I was thinking....I have read there are approx. 125,000 harbor seals around Vancouver Island.... If every seal eats just 1 salmon per day.... 45,600,000 salmon per year, now take bottom fish, and Orcas.... How about a seal cull?

 

[Capt_Ed]

What a sad and disgusting reply. As a commercial and local sports fishermen this attitude is a major part of the problem. Our sectors should be working together to hold DFO to the task of rebuilding stocks not tearing each other down. If I was to stoop to this level I suppose I should ask (and send a blanket email to all commercial fishermen asking to do the same) for a full southcoast closure on the recreational Chinook fishery as the rec sector is the largest user of chinooks, catch and release has significant mortality, many of the participants are foreign tourists, and the whales are hungry.

F4A , You hit the nail on the head . DFO loves the infighting between sectors as all of us commercial fisherman know. I'm a retired commercial but have always said we need to fight together but too many Alpha males that only think Me Me Me Me Me Me. There power in numbers people ,stop pointing fingers and figure it out.

 

[Cookie's Cutter]

What a sad and disgusting reply. As a commercial and local sports fishermen this attitude is a major part of the problem. Our sectors should be working together to hold DFO to the task of rebuilding stocks not tearing each other down. If I was to stoop to this level I suppose I should ask (and send a blanket email to all commercial fishermen asking to do the same) for a full southcoast closure on the recreational Chinook fishery as the rec sector is the largest user of chinooks, catch and release has significant mortality, many of the participants are foreign tourists, and the whales are hungry.

F4A , You hit the nail on the head . DFO loves the infighting between sectors as all of us commercial fisherman know. I'm a retired commercial but have always said we need to fight together but too many Alpha males that only think Me Me Me Me Me Me. There power in numbers people ,stop pointing fingers and figure it out.

You are exactly right. There is power in numbers and this is a political issue.

Why should the general population lobby the government to invest in salmon habitat and hatcheries for us to sell our fish to other countries. That’s almost a stupid as the government buying a pipeline so that corporations can sell canadian oil over seas.

I am simply voicing my opinion that these fish have more value from a cultural, tourism and recreation perspective. Sorry if you disagree.

But feel free to grab your piece of the pie as well.

 

[sharrontime2]

That's a nice idea that was tried previously (cool prizes), but frankly we have begged people for many years to turn in their heads and explained how important it is. Not convinced there would be a behaviour change.

What is coming for certain is we will be asked to make some very difficult choices in areas and times where Fraser stocks of concern are known to be present. I prefer a surgical approach as opposed to a broad brush or blanket approach. With 4 stocks listed as Threatened and 8 stocks listed as Endangered, one can expect difficult choices being required by all stakeholders.

Choices could range from things like area/timing closures, reduced limits, slot limits or selective fisheries.

Washington State for example, has a "marked select fishery" (MSF) in place to protect wild Chinook. Canada's problem is the Fisheries Ministers of the day have avoided the cost of marking hatchery produced fish. The US counter-parts clip but do not necessarily tag all their fish with coded wire tags (CWT). So a MSF for Chinook for Canada would be problematic as the number of hatchery fish that are actually "marked" is very low. There is no way to fix that problem in time for our upcoming season, and significant investments in auto-marking machines is required. Typically successive Fisheries Ministers have not valued the rec fishery and the economic benefits attached to it enough to make those investments. Perhaps with a fishery worth over a $billion/year on the line, that attitude will change.

Looking back at various management options tried in BC before, the most effective at reducing exploitation numbers while also allowing a fishery to take place was the combination of measures employed in JDF. They succeeded in lowering exploitation down to 6,634 Chinook, many of which are not the larger spawning adults. So there are options available that allow a fishery to take place without imposing total closure and the ensuing economic impacts.

Hello All,

New to your forum, life long fisherman and resident of Washington State and member of CCA (Coastal Conservation Association). Also planning a return trip to Nootka Sound in August after a 20 year absence of fishing BC waters. I share with my family and friends many fond memories of fishing off the West Side of Vancover Island and have always been a supporter ($$$) of your hatchery programs wherever we have stayed.

With that being said, just a little insight of what we go through here in Washington State. Concerning the salt and rivers, we are highly regulated and monitored. We are, and have been for many years, dealing with a MSF (marked select fishery), increased license fees and limited access to a once, long time ago, year round salmon fishery. We also have to turn in our catch records every year . Twice a year for summer and winter crab retention. Barbless only single point hooks in the salt and there is usually a state employed "fish checker" at most of the popular boat ramps. Our hatchery programs are the only reason we are able to fish. We have an ongoing debate about what truly is a "native" fish anymore. Throughout the years of salmon decline we have managed to co-mingle or contaminate most, if not all, of our once healthy native run fish with hatchery fry from various hatcheries. And, like your hatcheries, not all of the fish released get "marked." I constantly have to visit the WDFW website for "emergency" closure updates in the marine areas that I want to fish. Our regulations read like a law manual and can be extremely confusing. Instead of having a nice "marina" boat, I now own a trailer boat that is mobile so I can travel from the Columbia River to the San Juan Islands in pursuit of salmon in "open" marine areas. Talk about a lifestyle change. No longer the days when I could go out with my father and brother in a 12ft boat and whack a 30-40# Skagit River Spring trolling a cut plug herring behind a 8 ounce banana weight. Unfortunately, those days are long gone and we are forced to adapt, in frustration, to a declining resource that once was so abundant.

My point being, after looking over your pending "proposed management actions," being able to fish is a lot better, even if it is a marked select fishery then the alternative. We all have a lot invested to the future of this resource and I for one will continue to support a hatchery program, especially if it means keeping my lines in the water. So, I apologize for chiming in here, God only knows we have enough of our own problems here in the States. I do, however, like to stay informed about pending regulations that may have an effect our recreational fishery and salmon resources.

Best of luck and tight lines,
"Fireball"
SharronTime II