Discussing DFO with Pierre Poilievre

[RalphH]

The meetings seem to be set up to show they gave opportunity for public input and for us to fill out surveys with loaded questions. Choose death by fire, drowing or... but no option for no death.
The Province needs to be in control of Fisheries, not Federal. Until then choose your form of death.

What makes you think the Province will invoke polices that are much different? How could they be different?

FWIW I have been fishing in BC for 2 generations. Going back into the late 60s and early 70s most anglers involved in fishing advocacy generally agreed that if the Province had been in control of the Salmon resource there would have been little or nothing left by then. Salmon were seen by Provincial politicians of the time as an irritant that got in the way of making money, big money. Personally I'd rather see good returns than cry about limitations on my " right to harvest".

 

[cohochinook]

Had the opportunity to speak to PP tonight at his rally in Coquitlam. I told him that DFO is killing the recreational fishers on our coast with their incompetence and mismanagement. That they are politically motivated and ignore the data and science presented to them. I told him we need a MSF and that we need to clip ALL of our hatchery fish. He asked me what I meant by that and I explained an adipose fin and how that is used to identify a hatchery fish. I told him our tax dollars pay for those fish and we need access to them. As our time was up I told him to speak to Bob Zimmer for more information. He turned to someone and said make a note that I need to speak to Bob. Overall he seemed like he was listening and was interested in what I had to say. Could have just played the part and wasn’t listening at all but I like to think he was. Might make him think the next time he has Salmon for dinner. I feel good about making my point and speaking up. I guess that’s all we can do. I encourage others to do the same if you can. I don’t feel like he was aware of our issues.

Way to go Blue Hewes. We need to do more of this! Bob Zimmer is a huge advocate for our sport fishery along with Mel Arnold and Ed Fast!

I agree more of us need to do exactly what you did. It makes a difference and puts front and center as an election issue for BC!

 

[cohochinook]

Let's get real honest here... One of the main problems limiting the effectiveness of the SFAB meetings and process is the lack of public fishers that attend these meetings. Case in point, our Area 19-20 meetings have had chronic low attendance for years - yet we are one of the most overregulated areas on the whole coast! We do discuss issues and pass good motions but we lack the collective brainpower and support of more involvement from members of the rec fishery. DFO takes attendance at these meetings and do NOT think that these low attendance numbers speak volumes to DFO about how serious they should take our concerns and motions - if the public fishers don't care enough to be show up and involved, why should DFO care???

It is pretty damn sad and annoying to hear people complain about the state of the public fishery when so many do so little to help or change it. Thank God for the few hard working ones that do show up!

The bottom line is that too few public fishers put any time (meeting attendance and volunteering) and money (to support lobbying groups like SFI, Public Fishery Alliance and SVIAC, etc.) to change things for the better.

Many say that what's the use it is too hard, or hopeless. For those that feel that way then you have already created your own destiny and you better start learning to play golf!

Like many things in life, if we want positive change for the public fishery we have to fight for it, spend our time and money like those groups against us do! Yes, it will take a long time, yes it is a ongoing battle, yes it will take effort and money, but it is worth it for us and future generations!

The only thing that will absolutely guarantee the decline of the public fishery is for public fishers to do little and give up on trying to improve. My 2 bits!!

You nailed it on explaining the problem perfectly, Whole in the Water. You can't complain if you don't get involved!

 

[cohochinook]

I would love to sit down with a politician and ask why they believe fish management should be political based decisions and not scientific. I'm not talking about fisheries management just the stock survival. There should not be a mix of the two when it comes to stock survival. Also conservation should be enforced first before rights or reconciliation

Then you better call your MP! It is useless to just say on this Forum. Do exactly what Blue Hewes did attend a meeting with a politician and speak to them about the issues.

 

[cohochinook]

It would seem that most residents care more about other issues than sportfishing, hunting, firearms and resource based communities. I can't think of any other reason for the voting patterns on the island and LML.

Vancouver Island is a NDP hotbed. A vote for the NDP equals another Liberal Minority government. Call it what it is!

 

[cohochinook]

I think small coastal communities also lack the resources and strategic focus to get their message of community reliance on fisheries out to the starbucks city goers. The ENGO's are all well funded, and constantly beating the drum with their sky is falling anti-fishing message.

This why we need to support the two organizations that speak up for us. Join both and get behind them:

Join Pubic Fishery Alliance

Join the Sport Fishing Institute of BC

 

[cohochinook]

He has an excellent team who completely understand fisheries on our west coast.
Headed by Mel Arnold, there are several others that are right up to snuff.
I chat with them rather frequently, and they are well aware.
And they definitely do have Pierre's ear, he is listening.
I also chat with him from time to time. Personally that is.

Before you pooh pah what you know not, I'd suggest doing a little background research.

Reality.

Matt

Thanks Matt and I agree a 100% with what you said!

Before you shoot your mouth off RalphH why don't you reach out to Mel Arnold or some of the other Conservative MP's who are paying attention to the issues, listening and speaking up! It's fine to be keyboard Champion, but you need to speak to them first.

 

[cohochinook]

Pollyboy will say anything to get the ticket. He's a hack and cut guy. Harper was the same and he made it so we wouldnt get OAP until age 67. I will NEVER support any clown that screws me out of my pension while padding their own. When it comes to salmon managment they are all clueless and frankly dont care.

I think the only clueless one might be you Rad Gumbo, but keep up the good work!

 

[Capt_Ed]

Then you better call your MP! It is useless to just say on this Forum. Do exactly what Blue Hewes did attend a meeting with a politician and speak to them about the issues.

Dude, 25 years ago at the height of my commercial career I sat with many politicians and DFO big wigs one on one. Got no straight answers then and just wanted to see if it was the same propaganda now. I beat my head against the wall then and I don't need you telling me to do it again. Hope you got it all out of your system this morning and have a great rest of the day.

 

[chille51]

My reluctance to be involved with some of the advocacy groups is for the same reason I generally don't comment on these threads. There seems to be a perception that all sport fishers agree on how the fishery should be managed, and if anyway states a differing opinion they are generally attacked or called an idiot. For example, that attitude that has been expressed in this thread already that the only reason we should care about the health of Chinook stocks is if we can harvest them - is something I wholly disagree with. I rolled my eyes and refrained from commenting when I read it yesterday, but jumping back in today I just see more bickering and infighting. I guess I'll have to attend a few meetings for myself to see if people can actually work more collaboratively and have a respectful debate in the real world than they seem to be able to on an internet forum.

 

[wildmanyeah]

For example, that attitude that has been expressed in this thread already that the only reason we should care about the health of Chinook stocks is if we can harvest them - is something I wholly disagree with. I rolled my eyes and refrained from commenting when I read it yesterday,

Just being real, look at the amount of people who care about sockeye and chinook vs steelhead. Even the ENGOs that claim to care about all living things really only care about chinook because of the harvest Intrest and money to be made off be creating a whale is starving crisis. Sockeye everyone cares about them because everyone loves to eat them. The amount my coworkers care about how many sockeye return is if there is going to be First Nations selling them for 10 dollars a fish or not this august.

In comparison steelhead might as well not even exist expect to the small amount of people who fish for them or remember the gold old days.

The amount of people who don’t fish who care about them and say volunteer at a local stream keepers is pretty small
Amount of people.

The people that do harvest them, rec commercial and First Nations are the ones that do care how many return and are the ones who do care the most about keeping them sustainable and often the ones who put in the blood sweat and years lobbying the rest of the public to care about them.

So year if I could not fish for then, I would not care if 5 million or 30 million pinks returned to the Fraser or the politics surrounding how the fish are managed.

In general I would not want an animal or fish species to go extinct for biodiversity reasons.

Might as well become a vegan if you care that about fish, it’s unethical to eat or harm them are and if you are WTH are you doing on a fishing fourm.

Don’t worry we’re pretty good at falling on our own sword as a group and being super cautious and sustainable. No one is asking to catch the last fish. There asking to fish when the numbers and science say some harvest is reasonable.

 

[Rad Gumbo]

Sorry if the facts offend you Cohochinook. We all just wanna go fishn' And its getting harder every year for a multitude of reasons. Been fishn' since the mid 60's with Pops. We can all say some our best days , are the ones spent fishn'

 

[RalphH]

Before you shoot your mouth off RalphH why don't you reach out to Mel Arnold or some of the other Conservative MP's who are paying attention to the issues, listening and speaking up! It's fine to be keyboard Champion, but you need to speak to them first.

LOL! I seldom get involved in these sort of discussions here. I prefer to shoot my mouth off where people may pause to listen and think.

Thanks anyways "Cohochinook""

[edit] BTW I am all in favor of people expressing there their opinions as they desire. Cheers!

 

[Dale66]

Sorry if the facts offend you Cohochinook. We all just wanna go fishn' And its getting harder every year for a multitude of reasons. Been fishn' since the mid 60's with Pops. We can all say some our best days , are the ones spent fishn'

I’ve yet to see any facts that you posted. did you see the returns in 2023? Or ignoring that to benefit your lack of facts post

 

[SpringVelocity]

One thing about these threads. It is very hard to post and simply blend in on a fishing forum.

 

[wildmanyeah]

One thing about these threads. It is very hard to post and simply blend in on a fishing forum.

 

[RalphH]

Before you shoot your mouth off RalphH why don't you reach out to Mel Arnold or some of the other Conservative MP's who are paying attention to the issues, listening and speaking up! It's fine to be keyboard Champion, but you need to speak to them first.

Personally I'd like to see some actual policy statements and not have to rely upon the direct soothings of a politician who wants to sway my vote & will tell me almost anything. With hundreds of thousands and even millions of voters looking for clear policy statements on a number of issues from all parties before deciding who to support at the ballot box, direct conversations with individual voters can't reach very many. A google search on PP's policy statements on Westcoast Fisheries, turns up... this thread as #1! What I have heard PP publicly say been confused leaving me thinking he doesn't know what problem exists on what coast!

 

[Admin]

I was tempted to shut this thread down when I first saw it, as I knew it would eventually devolve into personal shots that come when people start talking about their own choice of political parties. Once again, this forum will not tolerate back and forth posts of a persoanl nature or calling people out simply because they don't agree with other's views. If there is something new to discuss regarding the original topic and presents fishery related information attributed to a political party or representative, then by all means share it. But, if you simply want to point out that "my party choice is better than your party choice" and therefore devolve into the negative cess pool that politics in general has become, don't bother, as it will be deleted. As always, if the content doesn't have a fishing related point, it will also be gone.

 

[sly_karma]

Been fortunate to have spent a fair bit of quality time discussing fisheries issues with the Conservative working the Fisheries file - they get it.

Do they have a plan for fisheries that they can share?

 

[searun]

I guess you could always attend the Fishing and Hunting Town Hall that the Conservatives are hosting in Campbell River this coming Tuesday March 26th - I've spent some quality time with Blaine Calkins and he is very well informed regarding the issues the recreational fishery faces. Come out and hear for yourselves - here's the info:

Blaine Calkins - Town Hall, Campbell River

Conservative Association

www.niprconservatives.ca