DFO is still allowing Coho to be slaughtered

[Stosh]

Will DFO only learn when it’s too late? Catching and releasing Coho isn’t working. Change the rules now. Just keep the first 2 Coho you catch.
I‘m one of many volunteer streamkeepers trying help Coho survive that are becoming very frustrated with the lack of understanding from DFO. This year we have only counted 45 Coho and one Chum In Craigflower Creek. In an average year we would have over 250 and been able to take brood stock. 7 years ago we counted over 1700.
Because of an ongoing issue with otters (second year in a row), low water and poor returns, we have shut down our trap and opened the fence gates to allow any Coho entering the creek to have a better chance of surviving.
Otters are protected what about Coho?
Salmon have enough problems trying to return to spawn. Catching and releasing to find a clipped fish is just killing way too many fish.
Stosh

 

[wildmanyeah]

I know guys that wont even target coho because the mark rate in there area is like 1-10 or even like 1-30.

So they just stay home or target chinook. While I agree with you, you would also have to consider that a regulation like this could cause a huge increase in pressure in some areas. Where guys would just go out to target wild coho.

Basically what you saying is mark selective fishery's don't work. Your saying they kill to many fish from catch and release, That's also what the opponents to a mark selective chinook fishery say.

kinda ironic don't you think seeing how mark selective fishey is what being push for in your area. Maybe you can go to your SFAC tonight and voice your opposition to mark selective fisheries.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Marked selective fishing would work for coho's if they marked every hatchery coho and reduced the 1:10 or 1:30 ratio and the resulting C&R mortality. Marked selective fishery works best with EVERY hatchery fish being marked.

This is what they do in the WA state because they are not super slow to change and incompetent like DFO is here. WA state want's to make the public fishery work down there, DFO does not!

Time to make big changes or get rid of DFO before they mismanage the west coast public fishery into the ground like they have on the East coast!!!

 

[wildmanyeah]

Marked selective fishing would work for coho's if they marked every hatchery coho

my understanding is coho mark rate for hatchery is close to 100%

 

[OldBlackDog]

my understanding is coho mark rate for hatchery is close to 100%

No they are not. Not even close.

 

[wildmanyeah]

No they are not. Not even close.

what hatchery do they not mark their coho at? do you have a name and contact?

 

[OldBlackDog]

All the federal ones and most of the private ones.
Show me a hatchery that marks all its stock, even 1/2 of its stock.

 

[wildmanyeah]

All the federal ones and most of the private ones.
Show me a hatchery that marks all its stock, even 1/2 of its stock.

Why would hatchery managers lie to me?

 

[Stosh]

my understanding is coho mark rate for hatchery is close to 100%

25% is what I’m told.

 

[wildmanyeah]

25% is what I’m told.

At what hatchery ?

 

[Stosh]

At what hatchery ?

Goldstream

 

[wildmanyeah]

Goldstream

Some look like they are being raised for rebuilding and others being transferred out for rebuilding but the majority looks like it’s being clipped or designated for it.

 

[ship happens]

my understanding is coho mark rate for hatchery is close to 100%

Maybe like 2 percent. But I'm also thinking globally over bc not just one hatchery

 

[Stosh]

Some look like they are being raised for rebuilding and others being transferred out for rebuilding but the majority looks like it’s being clipped or designated for it.

Goldstream

Maybe like 2 percent. But I'm also thinking globally over bc not just one hatchery

Apparently Goldstream is now clipping 100% of the Coho raised at the hatchery.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Jack Brooks like most community based hatcheries are only able to mark enough Coho as they have volunteers - sometimes more, many times less. The Fed hatcheries do not mark all their fish either, not enough staff, money and time, it is not a priority for them.

 

[Dave]

my understanding is coho mark rate for hatchery is close to 100%

Only for the big SEP hatcheries ... Chilliwack, Capilano, Inch, Chehalis on the lower mainland. Not sure about Island or coastal SEP facilities.

 

[Whitebuck]

Wildmanyeah....spend some time at the LM hatcheries. Take a look at how many "wild" coho are mixed in with the hatchery fish.

Also the amount of mis-clips that are around the last few years is huge. The average Joe would think most of them as just a normal adipose or "wild".

 

[Cookie's Cutter]

Just wait until 2024 and 2025 when there is no hatchery coho returns because DFO didn’t mark any coho in 2020 and 2021 because covid social distancing could not be achieved in the marking process.

That’s right DFO didn’t mark fish for 2 years because of covid.

 

[SpringVelocity]

I get what you are saying, but you have to admit there is correlation between the highway going in and those numbers. Look at what at the years. Your fighting a lot of issues seven fold in that creek. It really sucks.

Feel for you guys, but I think your main culprit is predators and the fact that the creek is around heavy residential sprawl.

Coho catch and release mortality is pretty low in grand scheme of things, and shouldn't cause a decline like your seeing. Something else going on.

 

[Confused]

Can you not get a permit from the province to take care of the otters.......this has been done elsewhere??