Aces
Well-Known Member
Yes i agree about the Lieberals. Mr Selfie will do what he can to keep everyone happy as long as there is noise made.
Emerging Issues for SVI Chinook Regulations
- Thread starter SVIAC
- Start date
Kildonan
Well-Known Member
Then noise I shall make. Letters heading out, TONIGHT.
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
I will be writing a letter. This will negatively affect my business as well in a big way.
A true democracy should protect equal rights of all citizens regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or social class.
My main issue with this approach is that I can't understand how this 'restriction' can "scientifically" contribute to long term sustainment or conservation of salmon species! Isn't that really DFO's mandate?
I've emailed my MP and MLA and asked them to find out how this 'restriction' aligns with DFO's mission. If there is no clear answer to this, I'm afraid that Mr's TooToo has some explanations to give to us tax payers.
From DFO's website:
Our Mission
Through sound science, forward-looking policy, and operational and service excellence, Fisheries and Oceans Canada employees work collaboratively toward the following three strategic outcomes:
Adler
Well-Known Member
Postal address is below, and e-mail addresses are at min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca or hunter.tootoo@parl.gc.ca.
The Honourable Hunter Tootoo
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
200 Kent Street, 13th Floor, Stn 13E228
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0E6
My letter has been sent.
The Honourable Hunter Tootoo
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
200 Kent Street, 13th Floor, Stn 13E228
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0E6
My letter has been sent.
Last edited:
N2013
Well-Known Member
Emails sent to Tootoo,
Randall Garrison -
Randall.garrison@parl.gc.ca
John Horgan -
john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca
Act now!
Randall Garrison -
Randall.garrison@parl.gc.ca
John Horgan -
john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca
Act now!
N2013
Well-Known Member
UkeeDreamin
Well-Known Member
While I'm also writing letters on this issue as I think it would set a horrible precedent that would have the potential to be more than just a little slippery slope, I think most people here are confusing sustainability with allocation. Unless I misunderstand the issue, this is not about DFO increasing allowable harvest above or beyond sustainable levels based on forecast abundance, this issue is about FN's requesting that if there is no sustainable harvest of Fraser sockeye this year that they be allocated more chinook harvest to make up their "needs" and that the extra would come out of the commercial and recreational allocation given there is a finite allocation.
As folks on here know, there have been landmark supreme court decisions in Canada that have established that conservation of stocks takes first precedent but that FN's food and ceremonial fisheries take next precedence. Those decisions did not touch on allocating extra harvest from other species or shutting down other fisheries that could proceed sustainably and still allow FN's access.
In any case, as I said, this is not about sustainability but is very much about potentially allocating the chinook harvest such that only the "priority" user group, FN's, gets any harvest allocation at the expense of the other groups.
While I fully agree that FN's pursuing this in a adversarial manner, rather than cooperatively, not to mention the threat it represents to this year's and future year's sport fisheries, justifies people's ire towards those groups. However, the outlandish claims of FN fishing being the cause for fishery collapses is absolutely unfounded and reveals a high degree of ignorance by those stating those claims. Anyone even remotely familiar with the science associated with the productivity of salmon stocks, and salmon stocks of the Fraser River particularly, knows that ocean productivity, and in particular early ocean survival and growth is the primary driver of stock health right now. In addition to that we also have industrial commercial fisheries in the open ocean at the terminal areas and in-river of a scale, intensity and total harvest that makes all combined FN harvest almost insignificant. I say almost because of course depending on timing and stock intercepted any scale of fishery, including rec fishing, can have negative consequences for the weaker stocks. An additional main driver is freshwater productivity, which is a combination of river conditions for migration - particularly flow and stream temperature, which in many recent years have not been favourable for salmon energetics to reach their spawning grounds in condition to successfully spawn. With changing climate impacting snow to rain ratios, timing of freshet and overall water availability, BC's archaic water management issues make in stream flows for spawning, incubating and rearing fish a key productivity challenge. Freshwater habitat destruction, fresh water nutrient cycling/availability, pathogens and disease, ocean and freshwater predation, illegal harvest/poaching by all sectors, etc, etc are all additional factors impacting productivity.
To suggest there is a single "smoking gun" other than the abundance of current science pointing to early ocean survival as the key productivity bottleneck for many stocks right now reflects a misunderstanding of this resource. In any case, I provide this opinion so hopefully folks aren't distracted from the issue at hand and focus on the fact this is a critical allocation issue that, while rooted in the low productivity cycle of Fraser sockeye limiting harvest, is not about over-harvest or one sector putting stocks at threat. Hopefully we can all focus on this allocation issue so that the decision makers - DFO and the Liberal gov't, can hear a consistent and loud voice from the rec sector and make a fair allocation decision as a result!
Cheers!
Ukee
As folks on here know, there have been landmark supreme court decisions in Canada that have established that conservation of stocks takes first precedent but that FN's food and ceremonial fisheries take next precedence. Those decisions did not touch on allocating extra harvest from other species or shutting down other fisheries that could proceed sustainably and still allow FN's access.
In any case, as I said, this is not about sustainability but is very much about potentially allocating the chinook harvest such that only the "priority" user group, FN's, gets any harvest allocation at the expense of the other groups.
While I fully agree that FN's pursuing this in a adversarial manner, rather than cooperatively, not to mention the threat it represents to this year's and future year's sport fisheries, justifies people's ire towards those groups. However, the outlandish claims of FN fishing being the cause for fishery collapses is absolutely unfounded and reveals a high degree of ignorance by those stating those claims. Anyone even remotely familiar with the science associated with the productivity of salmon stocks, and salmon stocks of the Fraser River particularly, knows that ocean productivity, and in particular early ocean survival and growth is the primary driver of stock health right now. In addition to that we also have industrial commercial fisheries in the open ocean at the terminal areas and in-river of a scale, intensity and total harvest that makes all combined FN harvest almost insignificant. I say almost because of course depending on timing and stock intercepted any scale of fishery, including rec fishing, can have negative consequences for the weaker stocks. An additional main driver is freshwater productivity, which is a combination of river conditions for migration - particularly flow and stream temperature, which in many recent years have not been favourable for salmon energetics to reach their spawning grounds in condition to successfully spawn. With changing climate impacting snow to rain ratios, timing of freshet and overall water availability, BC's archaic water management issues make in stream flows for spawning, incubating and rearing fish a key productivity challenge. Freshwater habitat destruction, fresh water nutrient cycling/availability, pathogens and disease, ocean and freshwater predation, illegal harvest/poaching by all sectors, etc, etc are all additional factors impacting productivity.
To suggest there is a single "smoking gun" other than the abundance of current science pointing to early ocean survival as the key productivity bottleneck for many stocks right now reflects a misunderstanding of this resource. In any case, I provide this opinion so hopefully folks aren't distracted from the issue at hand and focus on the fact this is a critical allocation issue that, while rooted in the low productivity cycle of Fraser sockeye limiting harvest, is not about over-harvest or one sector putting stocks at threat. Hopefully we can all focus on this allocation issue so that the decision makers - DFO and the Liberal gov't, can hear a consistent and loud voice from the rec sector and make a fair allocation decision as a result!
Cheers!
Ukee
uclueletcharters
Well-Known Member
A traditional river fishery is sphere waste deep in the water which maybe sustainable, multiple jet boats synthetic nets aren't traditional means of harvest and are not sustainable ways to harvest on streams. The worst thing done was putting a dollar bill on a river fish, I think we can see the motive behind all this. The courts ruling to allow the harvest of spawning salmon to be caught and sold commercially was the biggest mistake.
I have to disagree Ukee. Yes there are many factors that impact on fish stocks most of them having nothing to do with fishing of any type. I think if you talked to anyone who spends a lot time on the Fraser River they will tell you why Fraser River runs are all in decline. When fresh water productivity and ocean survival is poor the result is going to be fewer adults returning, no question. The problem is we have a sector not willing to take the advice of DFO's science branch and make significant reductions in their TAC like the rest of us when there is low abundance. The result is these stocks will never recover in a timely manner and we will continue to suffer through restrictions. In fact I foresee continued decline and in the future FN will look at pressuring DFO into closing more areas where these fish show up in catch records.
I should be more clear that it is not all FN. I'm talking about a few bands on the lower river who are the main problem.
I should be more clear that it is not all FN. I'm talking about a few bands on the lower river who are the main problem.
Last edited:
Here is your letter writing info and page setup.
SEND TO: Hunter.Tootoo@parl.gc.ca;min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca;
Kelly.Binning@dfo-mpo.gc.ca;
COPY TO: Randall.Garrison@parl.gc.ca; Murray.Rankin@parl.gc.ca; Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca: Scott.Simms@parl.gc.ca; Mark.Strahl@parl.gc.ca; Fin.Donnelly@parl.gc.ca;
info@anglerscoalition.com;
Attn: The Honourable Hunter Tootoo
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
200 Kent Street, 13th Floor, Stn 13E228
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0E6
Dear Minister,
Your letter here.
Cc’d –
Randall Garrison – NDP MP Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke,
Murray Rankin - NDP MP Victoria,
Elizabeth May – Green Party MP Saanich – Gulf Islands
Scott Simms – Liberal MP - Parliamentary Standing Committee on DFO,
Mark Stahl – Conservative MP (BC) – Fisheries Critic,
Fin Donnelly – NDP MP (BC) – Fisheries Critic, and
South Vancouver Island Anglers Coalition.
SEND TO: Hunter.Tootoo@parl.gc.ca;min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca;
Kelly.Binning@dfo-mpo.gc.ca;
COPY TO: Randall.Garrison@parl.gc.ca; Murray.Rankin@parl.gc.ca; Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca: Scott.Simms@parl.gc.ca; Mark.Strahl@parl.gc.ca; Fin.Donnelly@parl.gc.ca;
info@anglerscoalition.com;
Attn: The Honourable Hunter Tootoo
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
200 Kent Street, 13th Floor, Stn 13E228
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0E6
Dear Minister,
Your letter here.
Cc’d –
Randall Garrison – NDP MP Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke,
Murray Rankin - NDP MP Victoria,
Elizabeth May – Green Party MP Saanich – Gulf Islands
Scott Simms – Liberal MP - Parliamentary Standing Committee on DFO,
Mark Stahl – Conservative MP (BC) – Fisheries Critic,
Fin Donnelly – NDP MP (BC) – Fisheries Critic, and
South Vancouver Island Anglers Coalition.
fish brain
Crew Member
Well said Ukee,
Low returns are affected by far more than just nets in the river at spawning time. This is a large and complicated issue which will not be quickly or easily fixed
fish brain
Crew Member
Also some talking points from SVIAC
Letter Writing Reference Notes and Addressing Details:
Contained in the document are details of who to write to, concise bullet points about the issue and an easy-to-use letter template. We recommend sending an email letter, but a letter sent by ground mail is also excellent. Please ensure you copy SVIAC at info@anglerscoalition.com the letter you send, so we know how many letters have been sent in total.
Who to write to: The new Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Ottawa. The Honourable Hunter Tootoo - His emails are: Hunter.Tootoo@parl.gc.ca and min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Also send your email to Kelly Binning Kelly.Binning@dfo-mpo.gc.ca in DFO HQ in Vancouver to officially register your views on the proposed regulations.
Who to send a copy to: (copying strategic individuals is also very very important)
Randall Garrison – NDP MP Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke – Randall.Garrison@parl.gc.ca
Murray Rankin - NDP MP Victoria – Murray.Rankin@parl.gc.ca
Elizabeth May – Green Party MP Saanich – Gulf Islands – Elizabeth.May@parl.gc.ca
Scott Simms – Liberal MP - Parliamentary Standing Cmttee on DFO – Scott.Simms@parl.gc.ca
Mark Stahl – Conservative MP (BC) – Fisheries Critic – Mark.Strahl@parl.gc.ca
Fin Donnelly – NDP MP (BC) – Fisheries Critic – Fin.Donnelly@parl.gc.ca
The issues:
Fishery Closure or Worse Regulations - Fraser River First Nations and the Marine Conservation Caucus are lobbying DFO to close the recreational salmon fishery in Juan de Fuca and Haro Straits during May, June and July this year. At least 28 letters have been sent by First Nations bands to Minister Tootoo requesting this closure. To date, DFO have not been willing to confirm to the SFAB executive that there will be no shut down this year.
In addition, DFO Pacific Resource Managers are proposing to the Minister further Fraser Chinook regulations in June and July as a compromise position. We would be held in Zone 1 (the disliked slot size) for June and July regardless of abundance.
We Have Already Made Major Sacrifices- Since 2010 Juan de Fuca and Haro Strait Chinook salmon anglers have “borne the brunt” of DFO’s conservation measures through a suite of severe fishing restrictions that diminish our fishing opportunities from March 1st to mid-July each year. Our exploitation has dropped by at least 77% on Fraser Chinook stocks of concern. We have met or exceeded DFO’s Chinook exploitation reduction targets at every step along the way. There is NO MORE ROOM for additional restrictions without seriously damaging the fishery.
Serious Harm to Local Businesses –implementing a closure or introducing more restrictive measures will only further harm businesses that rely on our traditional year-round salmon fishery for their income. Lodges, guides, tackle stores, marinas, boat sales and repair businesses will all be negatively impacted by these proposed DFO actions. Business owners, their staff and their suppliers will all face detrimental circumstances. Staff lay-offs or business closure could result.
This is Not About Conservation - Due to the predictions of low Fraser Sockeye return this year and likely reduced First Nations Food, Social and Ceremonial Sockeye fishing opportunity, Fraser First Nations want to harvest more Chinook for their FSC regardless of conservation. Closing Victoria and area to salmon fishing in May, June and July and providing more Chinook to Fraser FN would be an extraordinary re-allocation not based on conservation. Any Chinook saved by closing our fishery would simply be caught in the river net fishery, no more would get to the spawning beds.
Precedent Setting – The underlying concern for this proposed closure is an understanding that this approach does not align with the 1998 Salmon Allocation Policy, is not conservation based, yet sets a dangerous precedent with regards to exclusive access to salmon. A decision to impose the closure has implications that threaten all tidal waters fisheries in the future.
What to Write -In your own words write a short (2 or 3 paragraph) letter expressing your very serious concerns about DFO increasing restrictions or closing the recreational salmon fishery in May, June and July. Add some additional content and feel free to use the materials in “The issues” section above to guide you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cut Plug
Well-Known Member
From what I gather, the Chinook stocks of concern are Spring run chinook, which enter the river before July 15 (If there are Saltwater closures they should end on or before this date).
Common wisdom is that Spring Chinook live in the open ocean deeper than the continental shelf (unlike summer/fall Chinook.) I have heard that the Fraser Spring Chinook actually make landfall off the WA coast (coded wire tag recovery data supports this; see first linked document:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/status/1999/D6-11e.pdf
Note the bar graphs showing where the wire tags are recovered.
Next document:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/fraser/docs/abor-autoc/2011FrasRvrChkInformDoc.pdf
The good stuff starts about page 25 where pie charts show that the sports guy's catch 1.2% & the FN about 20%
When/if you write your government, I think these documents with a reference to highly applicable pages/sections would be a good idea, and demand that (unless they have been modified/superceded, that the plan be followed.
I live in WA & am not a BC resident.
As you may know our recreational inside water Salmon fishery is shutdown because the FN & State could not agree on how to manage the low Coho returns. We have had closures/restrictions on Spring Chinook fishing for about 30 years now; first it was any fish over 30" had to be released between April 15 & June, then it went to a full closure until July 15, and now perhaps nothing.
As an FYI I read today that one of the reasons for the disagreement in WA was FN's are unhappy with a sports selective fishery where only adipose clipped fish (hatchery) may be retained. I'd have to say that outside of Guides, the release technique's I have seen have great room for improvement, but on the other hand the long term survival rate for commercial troll/gillnet releases has to be about zero. Right now the FN's are gillnetting the Skagit where at the native Chinook are about 10 times as endangered as the Fraser's.
FYI, except for profisher and a few others the comments on this thread come across as rants from a bunch of racist rednecks. Once it's on the internet the world can see it. If a liberal politician were to read this stuff how do you think they will act on this issue( I know, you don't care but it's not OK to hammer your fellow fishers).
Common wisdom is that Spring Chinook live in the open ocean deeper than the continental shelf (unlike summer/fall Chinook.) I have heard that the Fraser Spring Chinook actually make landfall off the WA coast (coded wire tag recovery data supports this; see first linked document:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/csas/Csas/status/1999/D6-11e.pdf
Note the bar graphs showing where the wire tags are recovered.
Next document:
http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/fraser/docs/abor-autoc/2011FrasRvrChkInformDoc.pdf
The good stuff starts about page 25 where pie charts show that the sports guy's catch 1.2% & the FN about 20%
When/if you write your government, I think these documents with a reference to highly applicable pages/sections would be a good idea, and demand that (unless they have been modified/superceded, that the plan be followed.
I live in WA & am not a BC resident.
As you may know our recreational inside water Salmon fishery is shutdown because the FN & State could not agree on how to manage the low Coho returns. We have had closures/restrictions on Spring Chinook fishing for about 30 years now; first it was any fish over 30" had to be released between April 15 & June, then it went to a full closure until July 15, and now perhaps nothing.
As an FYI I read today that one of the reasons for the disagreement in WA was FN's are unhappy with a sports selective fishery where only adipose clipped fish (hatchery) may be retained. I'd have to say that outside of Guides, the release technique's I have seen have great room for improvement, but on the other hand the long term survival rate for commercial troll/gillnet releases has to be about zero. Right now the FN's are gillnetting the Skagit where at the native Chinook are about 10 times as endangered as the Fraser's.
FYI, except for profisher and a few others the comments on this thread come across as rants from a bunch of racist rednecks. Once it's on the internet the world can see it. If a liberal politician were to read this stuff how do you think they will act on this issue( I know, you don't care but it's not OK to hammer your fellow fishers).
OldBlackDog
Well-Known Member
As i understand it, the decision on this is being made in the next couple of days.
As there has been no time to involve all the people who should have input on this.
Contact your local DFO representative and tell them your concerns as well.
As there has been no time to involve all the people who should have input on this.
Contact your local DFO representative and tell them your concerns as well.
Similar threads
