OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
Disconnect?
The status of those much talked about Interior Fraser Steelhead (IFS), principally the Thompson stock, is anything but a secret to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). One would assume there would be a bit of communication through the chain of command when fisheries directly impacting those stocks were being contemplated. Here’s a bit of evidence to suggest otherwise.
The net fisheries targeting Fraser chum salmon as they migrate down the coast through Johnstone Strait (DFO’s management areas 12 and 13) are long accepted as an issue in terms of the mortality of incidentally caught IFS. Strangely, though, the announcements on fishery openings in those areas never mention IFS. Fishery announcements come from the DFO office in Campbell River, the nearest one to the fisheries of concern. At the same time (i.e. hours apart on the same day) announcements are being made by the Campbell River DFO staff we have DFO’s “Ops Centre Fishery PAC” broadcasting updates on the status of the Fraser River chum stocks. Bear with me while I provide some background that has me wondering who is who in the DFO zoo and whether or not they ever communicate with each other.
October 11, 2018 – DFO, Campbell River announces their previous bulletin (dated Oct 10) indicating the Fraser chum abundance was tracking at less than the internationally prescribed 1M threshold that would allow net fisheries had been updated according to recent test fishery catches. Commercial seine and gill net fishers were put on notice to watch for announcements of fishery openings.
October 11, 2018 – Hours later, as per the preceding item, DFO Campbell River announces a gill net fishery opening for Oct 18-20 (FN 1131). Strangely, the fishery announcement preceded the announcement there might be one one coming.
October 11, 2018 – A commercial seine opening is announced for October 15 (FN 1136). The gill net opening announcement originating in the Campbell River DFO office the same day bore a different signature than the seine opening announcement.
October 15, 2018 – DFO Campbell River announces (FN1153) a one hourextension of the October 15 seine fishery. How’s that for management precision?
October 17, 2018 – DFO Operations announces (FN 1161) an update on the Fraser River chum status. “The current run size is not sufficient to allow for commercial opportunities in the Fraser River”. The projection was there was only a 47% chance the run would exceed the escapement goal of 800,000. One might reasonably conclude any chum harvested in Johnstone Strait would only serve to increase the chance that the chum escapement goal would not be reached. The notice goes on to state “Opportunities to harvest chum salmon will be constrained by management objectives for IFS which is a stock of concern presently co-migrating in the Fraser River. Harvest opportunities in all fisheries will be planned to minimize impacts on these stocks, as outlined in the 2018 South Coast Salmon Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP). Fishers are required to take every measure possible to ensure that their fishing activities avoid impacts on steelhead. Any steelhead encountered must be released with the least possible harm.”
October 22, 2018 – DFO Campbell River announces (FN 1176) gill net openings in areas 12 and 13 for Oct 26-28. The only mention of steelhead is their inclusion on the list of non-retention species (chinook, coho, sockeye and steelhead). The usual extensive verbiage about reporting sea turtles and dead birds is included. They missed the standard orca paragraph this time though.
October 22, 2018 – Four hours after FN 1176 comes FN 1179 from the DFO Operations Centre. It states there is now only a 36% chance the chum escapement goal for Fraser River chum will be reached. Otherwise FN 1179 is a carbon copy of FN 1176. Somehow the chum abundance in Johnstone Strait is no longer linked to the DFO test fisheries on the lower Fraser.
As one interested in the status and welfare of IFS I couldn’t help noticing reference to recent Johnstone Strait test fishery catches and “the in-season chum Working Group” on one of the DFO notices. Not finding evidence of Johnstone Strait test fisheries on any DFO web sites it seemed logical to ask the notice signatories where I might find that information. Both responded within hours. One came back with a link to a web site that I’d already looked at. It produced nothing but a blank page which was the reason I sent my question in the first place. The other sent a different, previously undetectable link that had all the test fishery information for multiple sites in Johnstone Strait. I offered sincere thanks but reiterated my other question – who speaks for the recreational fishing community on that chum working group?
Days later with no response I sent a follow-up message to DFO’s Regional Director General posing the same question. While I was at it I asked for the catch data from the recent Johnstone Strait fishing openings. That should be immediately available according to the detailed catch reporting requirements laid out very clearly in the individual fishery opening announcements and the conditions of license for participants. Not surprisingly, I haven’t heard on that question either.
Meanwhile, out there on the Fraser where there can’t be any commercial fisheries due to DFO’s declaration there are not enough chum salmon to meet its escapement goal, the First Nations fisheries have now switched from beach seines targeting sockeye to drift nets and set nets targeting chum. The overlap between late returning Adams sockeye and IFS and the impact of any netting was concerning enough. Compounding that by going with the most lethal nets possible when the target species overlaps completely with IFS in both time and space is beyond comprehension. Remember, that spawning population of Thompson origin steelhead was 150 fish this past spring. If that number doesn’t ring conservation bells such as never before, what will?
Those IFS are in more trouble than I ever would have imagined, especially after the cumulative, unprecedented efforts of so many concerned individuals and organizations since this time one year ago.
The status of those much talked about Interior Fraser Steelhead (IFS), principally the Thompson stock, is anything but a secret to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). One would assume there would be a bit of communication through the chain of command when fisheries directly impacting those stocks were being contemplated. Here’s a bit of evidence to suggest otherwise.
The net fisheries targeting Fraser chum salmon as they migrate down the coast through Johnstone Strait (DFO’s management areas 12 and 13) are long accepted as an issue in terms of the mortality of incidentally caught IFS. Strangely, though, the announcements on fishery openings in those areas never mention IFS. Fishery announcements come from the DFO office in Campbell River, the nearest one to the fisheries of concern. At the same time (i.e. hours apart on the same day) announcements are being made by the Campbell River DFO staff we have DFO’s “Ops Centre Fishery PAC” broadcasting updates on the status of the Fraser River chum stocks. Bear with me while I provide some background that has me wondering who is who in the DFO zoo and whether or not they ever communicate with each other.
October 11, 2018 – DFO, Campbell River announces their previous bulletin (dated Oct 10) indicating the Fraser chum abundance was tracking at less than the internationally prescribed 1M threshold that would allow net fisheries had been updated according to recent test fishery catches. Commercial seine and gill net fishers were put on notice to watch for announcements of fishery openings.
October 11, 2018 – Hours later, as per the preceding item, DFO Campbell River announces a gill net fishery opening for Oct 18-20 (FN 1131). Strangely, the fishery announcement preceded the announcement there might be one one coming.
October 11, 2018 – A commercial seine opening is announced for October 15 (FN 1136). The gill net opening announcement originating in the Campbell River DFO office the same day bore a different signature than the seine opening announcement.
October 15, 2018 – DFO Campbell River announces (FN1153) a one hourextension of the October 15 seine fishery. How’s that for management precision?
October 17, 2018 – DFO Operations announces (FN 1161) an update on the Fraser River chum status. “The current run size is not sufficient to allow for commercial opportunities in the Fraser River”. The projection was there was only a 47% chance the run would exceed the escapement goal of 800,000. One might reasonably conclude any chum harvested in Johnstone Strait would only serve to increase the chance that the chum escapement goal would not be reached. The notice goes on to state “Opportunities to harvest chum salmon will be constrained by management objectives for IFS which is a stock of concern presently co-migrating in the Fraser River. Harvest opportunities in all fisheries will be planned to minimize impacts on these stocks, as outlined in the 2018 South Coast Salmon Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP). Fishers are required to take every measure possible to ensure that their fishing activities avoid impacts on steelhead. Any steelhead encountered must be released with the least possible harm.”
October 22, 2018 – DFO Campbell River announces (FN 1176) gill net openings in areas 12 and 13 for Oct 26-28. The only mention of steelhead is their inclusion on the list of non-retention species (chinook, coho, sockeye and steelhead). The usual extensive verbiage about reporting sea turtles and dead birds is included. They missed the standard orca paragraph this time though.
October 22, 2018 – Four hours after FN 1176 comes FN 1179 from the DFO Operations Centre. It states there is now only a 36% chance the chum escapement goal for Fraser River chum will be reached. Otherwise FN 1179 is a carbon copy of FN 1176. Somehow the chum abundance in Johnstone Strait is no longer linked to the DFO test fisheries on the lower Fraser.
As one interested in the status and welfare of IFS I couldn’t help noticing reference to recent Johnstone Strait test fishery catches and “the in-season chum Working Group” on one of the DFO notices. Not finding evidence of Johnstone Strait test fisheries on any DFO web sites it seemed logical to ask the notice signatories where I might find that information. Both responded within hours. One came back with a link to a web site that I’d already looked at. It produced nothing but a blank page which was the reason I sent my question in the first place. The other sent a different, previously undetectable link that had all the test fishery information for multiple sites in Johnstone Strait. I offered sincere thanks but reiterated my other question – who speaks for the recreational fishing community on that chum working group?
Days later with no response I sent a follow-up message to DFO’s Regional Director General posing the same question. While I was at it I asked for the catch data from the recent Johnstone Strait fishing openings. That should be immediately available according to the detailed catch reporting requirements laid out very clearly in the individual fishery opening announcements and the conditions of license for participants. Not surprisingly, I haven’t heard on that question either.
Meanwhile, out there on the Fraser where there can’t be any commercial fisheries due to DFO’s declaration there are not enough chum salmon to meet its escapement goal, the First Nations fisheries have now switched from beach seines targeting sockeye to drift nets and set nets targeting chum. The overlap between late returning Adams sockeye and IFS and the impact of any netting was concerning enough. Compounding that by going with the most lethal nets possible when the target species overlaps completely with IFS in both time and space is beyond comprehension. Remember, that spawning population of Thompson origin steelhead was 150 fish this past spring. If that number doesn’t ring conservation bells such as never before, what will?
Those IFS are in more trouble than I ever would have imagined, especially after the cumulative, unprecedented efforts of so many concerned individuals and organizations since this time one year ago.