Alberni Sockey

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Has there been any action in the inlet for Sockey yet? I was looking to head up there soon if if was worth the trip?
 
I was wondering the same thing. My choice of going to fish for sockeyes in the inlet or going to Barkley Sound for chinooks and bottomfish soon. Sockeyes don't school up in the inlet when the water is cool. While the water is cool, sockeyes swim right away to their spawning grounds or sockeyes move a lot.
 
Saw them in the river being netted. Didnt see any jumpers running the inlet but saw a school out infront of bamfield jumping.
 
I did some prawning and groundfishing around Macktush this weekend. There were a few sockeye jumping, but not a lot. The real indication was the sounder. There were fish on the screen all the time. In the 6-7 years I have fished this area, I have never seen that many fish on the sounder, even when we were catching them. I can hardly wait for the 18th, since I have to work the early part of the week.

Another sign of how many fish there are is the number of native boats and nets in the river. Totally blows my mind that DFO will allow that kind of pressure when the sockeye fishery is in jeapordy. This was supposed to be a marginal run and the natives are slaughering them right on the doorstep of the spawning grounds. I heard today, the natives had an allocation of approximately 2000 fish and are already up to over 7000. And the DFO are aware. WTF???

I need sockeye for my subsistance as well. Why can't I have a few. I certainly don't take more than my family or a few friends can eat. Never take so many I have to sell them or throw them away.

Sorry, but when I saw that netting activity I lost it, I snapped.....
 
quote:Originally posted by Stress Medicine

I did some prawning and groundfishing around Macktush this weekend. There were a few sockeye jumping, but not a lot. The real indication was the sounder. There were fish on the screen all the time. In the 6-7 years I have fished this area, I have never seen that many fish on the sounder, even when we were catching them. I can hardly wait for the 18th, since I have to work the early part of the week.

Another sign of how many fish there are is the number of native boats and nets in the river. Totally blows my mind that DFO will allow that kind of pressure when the sockeye fishery is in jeapordy. This was supposed to be a marginal run and the natives are slaughering them right on the doorstep of the spawning grounds. I heard today, the natives had an allocation of approximately 2000 fish and are already up to over 7000. And the DFO are aware. WTF???

I need sockeye for my subsistance as well. Why can't I have a few. I certainly don't take more than my family or a few friends can eat. Never take so many I have to sell them or throw them away.

Sorry, but when I saw that netting activity I lost it, I snapped.....
Blows your mind? D.F.O. are a bunch of retards. And yes the white man who was born here and works and pays his taxes does not have a right to a lousy sockeye. You could buy one off the natives but you might get arrested.
 
Those fish have been thiers for 10,000 + years. You showing up on the scene here doesn't change their rights to access them.

Take only what you need.
 
Spear them, gaff them, but when did netting thousands of fish become a native tradition. Netting in a river is a great way to wipe out the sockeye run. If they dont want to share the resource because it was thiers to begin with... well then give back all the fu ing satellite dishes and vehicles, bikes, nets, microwaves, houses, furnaces, blah blah blah. Its childish to be that greedy with a resource, we allready proved it ourselves and learnt from it.
 
quote:Originally posted by The Fish Assassin

Those fish have been thiers for 10,000 + years. You showing up on the scene here doesn't change their rights to access them.

Take only what you need.

I still dont understand this owning view? Other countries dont allow resources to be controlled by the founding race. The race thing makes no sense it should be about the fish, not your color.
 
quote:Originally posted by The Fish Assassin

Those fish have been thiers for 10,000 + years. You showing up on the scene here doesn't change their rights to access them.

Take only what you need.
I don't want to change their rights to access them. I respect their rights to fish. I want D.F.O. and the other powers to get their heads out of their asses and solve some serious problems. We as Canadians should all have equal rights to the recources period.
 
you want to fish your traditional ways for tradional salmon, then give me back my yamaha engine and aluminum boat. Have at er with your spears and traditional methods then!

also, i see the fish assassin has a little "take only what you need" line at the bottom of his replies...

shouldnt this apply to those that net the **** out of a river??
 
quote:Originally posted by banger17

you want to fish your traditional ways for tradional salmon, then give me back my yamaha engine and aluminum boat. Have at er with your spears and traditional methods then!

also, i see the fish assassin has a little "take only what you need" line at the bottom of his replies...

shouldnt this apply to those that net the **** out of a river??
I think I might agree with this thought!
And add: Ah, the good old "race" card, again! [B)]

I do not believe "these" sockeye have been "theirs" for 10,000 years! Rather, I suggest that "their" sockeye are quite "dead" and have been for some time. Whose fault... all of our ancestors! The average life span of a sockeye is 4-6 years; so, I doubt you find one 10,000 years old. If you do, it will be quite petrified! In addition, I doubt you find any aboriginals 10,000 years old, either! They would also, be quite petrified! As far as,"You showing up on the scene here doesn't change their rights to access them." comment. The Barkley Sound sockeye have been the subject of more than a century of different types of enhancement activities. Everyone should have the same "equal" rights to that resource? I believe the current sockeye stocks "by far" belong to all Canadians! In addition, all</u> should be involved in protecting it, not just one race, while others seem to show no regard?

Yea, I know... I am a Yank! But, just for information, the following originated from a DFO study dated in 1999.

There are more than 20 distinctive stocks of sockeye, which originate from the west coast of WCVI. However, more than 80 % of all WCVI sockeye, taken as catch prior to the end of July, originates from stocks returning through Barkley Sound to Great Central, Sproat and Henderson lakes. Barkley Sound sockeye have been the subject of more than a century of management, research, and different enhancement activities. From 1890 to 1972, average returns were less than 100,000 fish. From 1972 to present, lake fertilization and management designed to increase spawner abundance have been used to increase production of Barkley Sound sockeye. Annual harvests now average more than 400,000 fish. Although other WCVI sockeye, such as the Hobiton, Kennedy, Megin, and Muchalot stocks, are too unproductive to support commercial harvests, they remain important to First Nations for food, ceremonial and cultural purposes.

Note inserted:
So, if you want to play the "race" card I guess they should concentrate "their" efforts on the Hobiton, Kennedy, Megin, and Muchalot stocks! </u>

From the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, terminal net fisheries harvested small quantities of sockeye from several WCVI stocks to supply canneries at Nitinat Inlet, Barkley and Clayoquot Sounds. The two largest fisheries occurred in Clayoquot and Barkley Sounds, where average annual harvests only ranged from 27,000 to 89,000 fish. Smaller quantities were harvested principally for subsistence purposes at other WCVI sites. Although Clayoquot Sound once supported the largest WCVI sockeye fishery, persistent stock declines since early in the century led to the collapse of the fishery in the mid to late 1970s.

Stock declines appear to have been related to not only over-exploitation from both the aboriginals and whites there were also unfavorable environmental conditions in both freshwater and marine environments. In spite of the 25 years of continuous closure to commercial fishing, these stocks still failed to recover.

The history of Barkley Sound sockeye stocks and fisheries contrasts sharply with that of Clayoquot Sound. The fishery has passed through several phases including a largely terminal subsistence fishery that probably harvested no more than 50,000 sockeye per year (pre-1900); a terminal beach seine and gillnet fishery that provided catches as high as 125,000 sockeye (1900-40); a more diffuse gillnet fishery that exploited mixtures of sockeye in Alberni Inlet and the outer waters of Barkley Sound yielding catches of 5,000 to 76,000 sockeye (1940-70); and finally, a mixed-gear, mixed-stock fishery in which gillnet, purse-seine, recreational and aboriginal fisheries harvest an average of more than 400,000 sockeye per year (1971-1998).

Barkley Sound sockeye are currently managed to: meet a target of no less than 200,000 adult spawners to ensure long-term sustainability of the stocks, provide not only for the food, ceremonial and cultural needs of aboriginal peoples, but also create opportunities for sockeye to be taken by recreational and commercial fisheries.

Habitat protection measures have on at least three occasions prevented the almost certain destruction of one or more of the Barkley Sound sockeye stocks. Gear and area restrictions within the commercial fishery have been used with varying effectiveness throughout the past century to focus exploitation or stock rebuilding efforts alternately on Henderson, Great Central or Sproat Lake sockeye. Stock development and enhancement activities have included removal of obstructions to fish passage (1901, 1903, 1912-16, 1936); construction and maintenance of fish ways at Stamp Falls (1927, 1954), Sproat Falls (1951), and the outlet of Great Central Lake (1929, 1957); operation of a sockeye hatchery on Henderson Lake (1909-35, 1993-98); and fertilization of Great Central (1970-73, 1977-98), Henderson (1976-98) and Sproat Lakes. Lake fertilization in combination with management to increase spawner abundance has been used to increase the production of Barkley Sound sockeye to historically unprecedented levels and has made them the focus of major aboriginal, recreational and commercial fisheries since the early 1970s. However, it is doubtful that this would have been achieved in the absence of the other stock protection and enhancement activities that have contributed over the past century to the maintenance or development of the Barkley Sound stocks.

Recently, production and catches of Barkley Sound sockeye have declined dramatically. Research by Fisheries and Oceans Canada has shown that marine growth and survival of WCVI sockeye, including those from Barkley Sound, are sensitive to periodic variations in ocean climate that occur at intervals of 3 to 20 years. Recurring shifts in ocean climate result in changes in community structure and productivity of both coastal and offshore ecosystems where WCVI sockeye spend 1 to 3 years of their life. Consequently, returns of several WCVI sockeye stocks (Barkley Sound and Hobiton, for example,) fluctuate together.

Marine conditions are especially unfavorable for juvenile sockeye survival when coastal ocean temperatures are high and salinities are low because migratory predators, including Pacific hake and mackerel, arrive earlier and in greater abundance in such years. Pacific mackerel reached such high abundance during recent warm El Niño summers that ocean survival of sockeye that migrated seaward during these years are the lowest on record for WCVI stocks. Indeed, strong El Niño events accompanied by above-average temperatures in the nearshore marine environment have been followed 2 and 3 years later by declines in sockeye returns throughout the 100-year period of records for Barkley Sound sockeye. Research conducted over the past 15 years suggests that juvenile sockeye migrating seaward from WCVI nursery lakes experience survival rates 2 to 5 times higher during years when the coastal ocean exhibits cool, high-salinity waters compared with years when coastal waters are warm and less saline.

Rapid changes from one ocean climate state to another can lead to steep increases or dramatic “crashes” in WCVI sockeye returns. Prior to the 1992-94 El Niño event, for example, Barkley Sound sockeye returns peaked at almost 2 million fish in 1991 followed by a 10-fold decline to only 200,000 returning fish in 1995. Although Barkley Sound sockeye returns have remained high enough in most recent years to satisfy spawning requirements as well as to support aboriginal, sport and commercial harvest, stock declines associated with the recurrence of strong El Niño events have been severe enough to entirely eliminate commercial harvest there in 1989, 1990, 1995 and 1996. These same events have likely contributed to simultaneous declines from thousands of adults to record lows of fewer than 100 adults returning to each of several small WCVI stocks (e.g. the Muriel Lake and Clayoquot Arm stocks in the Kennedy Watershed) even in the absence of any exploitation.

Now can we get back to the fishing reports?</u> :)
 
Everyone is forgeting one thing here, I sit here reading how everyone keeps saying they've been thier fish for years. Nobody including the natives own the fish that swim these waters, it doesn't matter who was here first. If they want to continue fishing them in rivers they should have to use THIER traditional ways (not nets):(:(
 
quote:Spear them, gaff them, but when did netting thousands of fish become a native tradition.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Natives are allowed to use any modern equipment.

I must admit I'm a bit jealous that I can't go throw a net out. I have to catch mine the old fashioned way of trolling multiple deep lines. Sport fishing opening signals to me there are no conservation concerns.

Take only what you need.
 
quote:Originally posted by The Fish Assassin

Those fish have been thiers for 10,000 + years. You showing up on the scene here doesn't change their rights to access them.

Take only what you need.
I dont agree with this at all, however, I do like the fact that I can buy as many fresh sockeye as I want for 10$ each.

nootkalasttrip015.jpg
 
From politics to fishing.

So then the inlet is open on the 15th for sox? What might the limits be?
 
Fricken Bang on, Perfectly put , My take , these people that "Buy" and " Support " these Illegal Road Side Peddlers , they should be taken behind the barn, I believe if these " Bargain Shoppers " Stopped Buying , we could really help this problem , if , and when we see this acticivity taking place, roll down the window atleast , let them have it !! ( Verbal only of course ,[:o)],),, take away the $$$ , take away the incentive perhaps... )My Bits...One last thing , The Courts granted you with theses methods , The Courts also said that OJ was innocent, Understand Bro.. !![:o)]!! [}:)]....FD..;)
quote:Originally posted by banger17

you want to fish your traditional ways for tradional salmon, then give me back my yamaha engine and aluminum boat. Have at er with your spears and traditional methods then!

also, i see the fish assassin has a little "take only what you need" line at the bottom of his replies...

shouldnt this apply to those that net the **** out of a river??

IMG_1356-1-1-1.jpg
 
quote:Everyone is forgeting one thing here, I sit here reading how everyone keeps saying they've been thier fish for years. Nobody including the natives own the fish that swim these waters, it doesn't matter who was here first. If they want to continue fishing them in rivers they should have to use THIER traditional ways (not nets)

Noone is forgeting anything. The actual fish might change, but their priority access does not.

Take only what you need.
 
quote:also, i see the fish assassin has a little "take only what you need" line at the bottom of his replies...

shouldnt this apply to those that net the **** out of a river??

Yes, it should, this is the way I was taught. Apparently they need more than I do. Probly for Mcdonalds and such as I know not all of them fishing even eat fish!

Take only what you need.
 
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