Conservation, Thompson Steelhead Style - By Bob Hooton

[OldBlackDog]

Conservation, Thompson Steelhead Style

We’re deep enough into the annual returns of Interior Fraser Steelhead (IFS) to be able to go out on a limb and say a few things about the commitment of three levels of government (federal, p…

steelheadvoices.com

 

[mikep]

Well fu@#......seen that one coming from a mile away. What a disaster .

 

[Bryan Allen]

Conservation, Thompson Steelhead Style

We’re deep enough into the annual returns of Interior Fraser Steelhead (IFS) to be able to go out on a limb and say a few things about the commitment of three levels of government (federal, p…

steelheadvoices.com

Just plain disgusting . I know some here don't like Hooton's approach to trying to generate change... But I do. Thanks Bob for your efforts.

 

[Sharphooks]

I’ve heard him called a racist. I’ve heard him called arrogant and loose with the facts. I call him the only believable and AVAILABLE guy in the neighborhood who actually seems to give a shiat about these iconic fish. It is stunning to me how few people read his blog posts either on this site or on his own site. Like you could count on one hand?????

He spends a huge amount of his time fighting on behalf of IFS fish. There is NOT ANOTHER SOUL fighting that fight ....meanwhile...the guy is in his 70’s....it’s tragic that there is NOBODY coming in behind him to continue fighting the good fight

When I read about some of the RT discussions that take place with your so-called sport-fish rec sector representatives who are purported to rarely if ever bring up the word ”steelhead” at those RT meetings, that says it all for me. Nobody seems to give a shiat about these fish, nobody seems to even dare to offend the guys on the other end of the table. From my vantage point, when you have professional salt chuck guides at those RT meetings, its no wonder the word steelhead isn’t even mentioned....might cut into their spring quotas?

I stopped off in the T-canyon a week ago on the way south from Skeena country. The river is the lowest Ive ever seen it....I could see Boulder-patches going way out into the river....prime holding water.....In the good old days, absolutely I would have seen a fish roll in that spot tail end of October.

I stayed there for 2 hours, sitting on a rock with the dog...waiting—-but no....it was a biological desert....no movement...no nothing....it breaks my heart that BC let that resource slither through its reconciliatory fingers in exchange for beat up pieces of chum, the resource of which is not that far behind suffering the same demise as the ISF

The way DFO administrates that in-river GN fishery with their “rolling closures” with zero FN accountability for IFS bycatch makes me sick to my stomach

 

[onefish]

99% of the members on here wouldn't know what a Thompson steelhead looked like if it was dead in their fish box.

 

[mikep]

Caught my first one in 1998....13 years old...it was a dream come true. Last time I fished it was 2014 or 15....what a river and the steelhead, omg they were something else. Just devastating, where do we go from here? Govt DOENST CARE.....private hatchery for a a few cycles?

 

[Derby]

I’ve heard him called a racist. I’ve heard him called arrogant and loose with the facts. I call him the only believable and AVAILABLE guy in the neighborhood who actually seems to give a shiat about these iconic fish. It is stunning to me how few people read his blog posts either on this site or on his own site. Like you could count on one hand?????

He spends a huge amount of his time fighting on behalf of IFS fish. There is NOT ANOTHER SOUL fighting that fight ....meanwhile...the guy is in his 70’s....it’s tragic that there is NOBODY coming in behind him to continue fighting the good fight

When I read about some of the RT discussions that take place with your so-called sport-fish rec sector representatives who are purported to rarely if ever bring up the word ”steelhead” at those RT meetings, that says it all for me. Nobody seems to give a shiat about these fish, nobody seems to even dare to offend the guys on the other end of the table. From my vantage point, when you have professional salt chuck guides at those RT meetings, its no wonder the word steelhead isn’t even mentioned....might cut into their spring quotas?

I stopped off in the T-canyon a week ago on the way south from Skeena country. The river is the lowest Ive ever seen it....I could see Boulder-patches going way out into the river....prime holding water.....In the good old days, absolutely I would have seen a fish roll in that spot tail end of October.

I stayed there for 2 hours, sitting on a rock with the dog...waiting—-but no....it was a biological desert....no movement...no nothing....it breaks my heart that BC let that resource slither through its reconciliatory fingers in exchange beat up pieces of chum, the resource of which is not that far behind suffering the same demise of the ISF

The way DFO administrates that in-river GN fishery with their “rolling closures” with zero FN accountability for IFS bycatch makes me sick to my stomach

It is a truly a sad state of affairs regarding IFS steelhead another season has rolled along and here we are again another year of seeming nothing has been done to help these iconic fish... I do have to say something... Just because we all don’t drink Bob's cool aid doesn’t mean there is nothing being done. There are many ways of skinning a cat & perhaps Bob's way is one way as some of you perceive. Yet Bob and many of his faithful followers seemly take runs at many of those folks that perhaps don't believe that Bob's way is the only way or even the right way...... This is a political issue it usually requires many ways to deal with it and get stuff done. I would also say Minutes in meeting only capture fractions of what is going on with the business on hand depending on who is taking those minutes. There is always 2 sides of a story and Bobs words are only 1 side and any of you that have ever put anytime into process and lobbing its a game of inches not yards. As I stated before there are many that care and have put a pile of time and effort into IFS however seemly get shat on because they don’t believe that Bob’s way is 100% the right way. However, you don’t see them firing shots over his bow or insulting him...What a great way to build a team and a united front.. just the thoughts from a Ghost of the Thompson River past

 

[Teal]

It is a truly a sad state of affairs regarding IFS steelhead another season has rolled along and here we are again another year of seeming nothing has been done to help these iconic fish... I do have to say something... Just because we all don’t drink Bob's cool aid doesn’t mean there is nothing being done. There are many ways of skinning a cat & perhaps Bob's way is one way as some of you perceive. Yet Bob and many of his faithful followers seemly take runs at many of those folks that perhaps don't believe that Bob's way is the only way or even the right way...... This is a political issue it usually requires many ways to deal with it and get stuff done. I would also say Minutes in meeting only capture fractions of what is going on with the business on hand depending on who is taking those minutes. There is always 2 sides of a story and Bobs words are only 1 side and any of you that have ever put anytime into process and lobbing its a game of inches not yards. As I stated before there are many that care and have put a pile of time and effort into IFS however seemly get shat on because they don’t believe that Bob’s way is 100% the right way. However, you don’t see them firing shots over his bow or insulting him...What a great way to build a team and a united front.. just the thoughts from a Ghost of the Thompson River past

Derby, I think when you use statements such as cool aid which is clearly a reference to a horrific event that took place in Guyana in the late 70's to describe Hooton you are way off the mark. Furthermore, that language counters your efforts to "Build a team and a united front" don't you think? If you want to build a team why not leave the ego at the door?

 

[Teal]

The only way the TRS/IFS will be saved is by all stakeholders giving up something. DFO/Province need to transition all fisheries to selective means and compensate FN's during this process to encourage them to do so. In addition, conservation has to be the guiding principle. This could be done short of a SARA listing but I suspect the internal culture of DFO would need to change in order for that to happen. The sad thing in regards to the IFS/TRS is that we have solutions today that could immediately increase the number of spawners they just need to be implemented.

 

[Derby]

Sounds so simple ... So then how does one get all levels of concerned folks at one table and work together...At this time this hasnt happen ..not sure you if can?

 

[wildmanyeah]

The only way the TRS/IFS will be saved is by all stakeholders giving up something.

haven't recreational stakeholders already done that? we have a 42 day complete closure of all fishing but sturgeon. Commercial has the same closure window. Commercial gillnets area E (fraser) are pretty much bankrupt and don't fish.

Not sure what you want out of us?

 

[wildmanyeah]

99% of the members on here wouldn't know what a Thompson steelhead looked like if it was dead in their fish box.

You can do one of those concentric circle graphs and pretty much get your answer... people that know what a thompson steelhead look like 1%, people that know what a thompson steelhead look like and have fished for them, people that know what a thompson steelhead look like and have fished for them, and want to fight for them. people that know what a thompson steelhead look like and have fished for them, and want to fight for them, willing to lobby the government and dont have grey hair ect ect ect.

and by the time your done with it your like left with 10 people

 

[Sharphooks]

.....” This is a political issue” .....”it usually requires many ways to deal with it” .....” There is always 2 sides of a story”...etc etc

You can chisel that reoccurring phrase onto the IFS headstone. I’ve read that same response at least 10 times on this forum from several different forum members, each of which I understand either sits in on the RT process or benefits commercially from the results of the RT processes. It‘s like a mantra they chant.

.....” This is a political issue” .....”it usually requires many ways to deal with it” .....” There is always 2 sides of a story”...etc etc

Meanwhile, the ongoing precipitous decline of IFS.... that’s what guys like me who sit on the outside looking in tend to see—-zero change in the process despite an ongoing crystal clear collapse of the steelhead resource for absolutely obvious reasons, reasons that anybody with a shred of honesty will admit is a direct result of DFO’s seemingly endless green-lighting of FN in-river gill netting efforts at the peak of the IFS migration


The IFS is the canary in the coal mine. The Skeena had an average historical return of approximately 35,000 fish to its various tributaries. AS in, not too many years ago there were a lot of fish, despite gang-buster sockeye netting operations in the main stem Skeena. But it didn’t seem to garner much public attention that the projected steelhead returns for 2021 were going to be approximately 5,000 - 6,000 fish. Worse, the FN in-river gill net operations for FSC purposes submitted steelhead bycatch numbers (voluntarily) of catches reflecting almost 15 % of that quantity, potentially resulting in a number well below the level of returning spawners that would start clanging the bell for an extreme conservation concern.

Knowing that, and knowing the IFS is more then likely a lost cause due to DFO‘s complete inaction to address the cause and its refusal to acknowledge publicly just how bad the IFS resource has been allowed to dwindle under their watch, which system in British Columbia do you think will be next ?

 

[ship happens]

I honestly don't understand steelhead fisherman. If you care about them so much why are you fishing for them? Leave them alone.

Do steelhead sportfishers really expect to shut down all FN and commercial fishing just so you can go trophy hunting for a steelhead?

 

[onefish]

The Thompson has been closed to all sport fishing for a number of years, ( I am thinking a decade or so ). Prior to that the regulations were very restrictive regarding open areas and methods of fishing.
Most steelhead streams on Vancouver Island are closed and the few that are open are lightly fished compared to the "old days".
When I was younger I fished for steelhead 12 months of the year. Some times were better than others but generally the fishing was good.
I went out 2 times last year, mostly for a walk and to see what the river looked like. That is about as close to leaving them alone as you can get. Almost all my "steelhead buddies" from back in the day hung up their rods years ago.

 

[OldBlackDog]

I honestly don't understand steelhead fisherman. If you care about them so much why are you fishing for them? Leave them alone.

Do steelhead sportfishers really expect to shut down all FN and commercial fishing just so you can go trophy hunting for a steelhead?

You do understand that Chinook within the Fraser System are just as endangered as the Thompson Steelhead?

Reasons are pretty much the same.

Are you ready to stop fishing for these Chinook wherever they roam to ensure they survive?

Are you willing to demand SARA be used to save these fish?

That will mean No Fishing for Chinook until they are on the spawning grounds.

No catch and release either as you could kill some. ????

 

[ship happens]

You do understand that Chinook within the Fraser System are just as endangered as the Thompson Steelhead?

Reasons are pretty much the same.

Are you ready to stop fishing for these Chinook wherever they roam to ensure they survive?

Are you willing to demand SARA be used to save these fish?

That will mean No Fishing for Chinook until they are on the spawning grounds.

No catch and release either as you could kill some. ????

Sure about that? Fraser system has how many Chinook runs? Have to be more specific

 

[OldBlackDog]

Sure about that? Fraser system has how many Chinook runs? Have to be more specific

Government of Canada takes action to address Fraser River Chinook decline - Canada.ca

Over the past 50 years, the world’s wildlife populations have declined by 60%. In Canada, 521 species have been identified as being at risk under the Species at Risk Act and the list is growing. Recent assessments by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada for Chinook salmon...

www.canada.ca

 

[wildmanyeah]

This is a political issue

Well it’s nation to nation negotiations when you start to talk about First Nation fisheries.

Tbh the commercial and rec sector are not even in the room for that despite what
Anyone on here has lead you to believe.

The 42 day rolling closure and 27 day first nation closure was signed off by the fisheries minister. My understanding is First Nations didn't even want a 27 day closure.

The current liberal government is going to listen to First Nation advice in nation to nation negotiations. That’s just the reality of the politics.

Before the closure windows were put in, and before the emergency listing process I was at a meeting where recreational reps were literally at the table screaming at DFO reps. “ these fish are going to be extinct and that blood is going to be on your hands if you do nothing” one guy got up and screamed. Some of these guys have been trying to get some kind of move to from DFO on the IFS for 20’years or more,

Going down the same parth inp ort alberni or the skeena will undoubtedly lead to recreational fishermen sitting on the sidelines watching first
Nations fish. So you can see why our sector is not screaming shut down fishing.

I think most people agree with what BOB has to say but not everyone agrees with bobs solutions.

 

[ship happens]

Government of Canada takes action to address Fraser River Chinook decline - Canada.ca

Over the past 50 years, the world’s wildlife populations have declined by 60%. In Canada, 521 species have been identified as being at risk under the Species at Risk Act and the list is growing. Recent assessments by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada for Chinook salmon...

www.canada.ca

Ohh come on man. Really.