Fisheries Minister’s Comments on Skeena Sockeye

[Swiggy]

Fisheries minister’s comments on Skeena sockeye ‘asinine’: BC NDP MLA
By Andrew MacLeod December 15, 2009


Federal fisheries minister Gail Shea’s comments about Skeena River sockeye salmon returns show why regional management is needed, said the New Democratic Party MLA for Stikine, Doug Donaldson.

“Maybe the salmon will return a year later,” Shea said in an interview on CBC radio’s All Points West during her visit to Prince Rupert yesterday. “Nobody knows what’s happening in the marine environment.”

To suggest salmon might be a year late returning shows a lack of knowledge, said Donaldson. “That’s absolutely asinine,” he said. “It flies in the face of how the migration cycle works with sockeye.”

The fish have always returned on a four-year-cycle and are not likely to suddenly change, he said. “Evolution just doesn’t quite work that way.”

In July the Department of Fisheries and Oceans predicted Skeena sockeye returns would be average, but by December local news reports said the returns had collapsed.

The federal government has launched an inquiry into the collapse of the Fraser River sockeye run and Shea said in the CBC interview that maybe some of the recommendations will also apply to the Skeena.

Donaldson said it’s time to act on a January, 2009, report from the Pacific Salmon Forum, chaired by former fisheries minister John Fraser. It recommended considering a watershed governance model that shares decision making between provincial, federal and first nation governments.



"It is much easier to criticize than to come up with a solution."

 

[Dogbreath]

She's obviously little more than an idiot, as are her advisors.

I wonder where that poster from Tahsis who's so connected to the Federal PC party is, I'm sure he could enlighten us as to the azzholes/morons we have running the Govt in Ottawa.

 

[eaglemaniac]

X2 Dog... Like the Conservatives would have someone in that position that new what they where talking about. eman

 

[chris73]

So much stupidity is unbelieveable [xx(]

 

[SerengetiGuide]

She is not the best fisheries minister by any means. But that was taken out of context. What she was saying is that there is a possibility there could be a good return next year, not that the sockeye returning this year are going to spawn and thoseee newly born fish will come back the following year...If you are going to post something like this, make sure it is AT LEAST within context.

Not a fan of Gail Shea, but at the same time, whether on issues I support, am against, or neutral to, I will call out things such as this.

www.serengetifishingcharters.com

*NEW VIDEO*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlEzuNC59ck

 

[danthewire]

Have you guys got a link so we can hear/read it for ourselves.Dan

 

[Swiggy]

I am not so sure that is out of context.

Here is the link:

http://thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/BC-Politics/2009/12/15/SockeyeShea/

"It is much easier to criticize than to come up with a solution."

 

[profisher]

If she was quoted accurately..she said they may come back a year later.</u> Not that next year may be a better year.

 

[danthewire]

Thanks Swiggy, as long as the quote was accurate its clear to me. Dan

 

[SerengetiGuide]

I highly doubt that is what she meant...I've said numerous times maybe the salmon in a run will be better next year, or "return" better the next year...yet I am well aware of the return cycles...when I said it I meant the fish that would be returning the next year...not the same fish! You guys are just jumping on her because you already have a prejudged view of her...and this reinforces your views of her...pretty common thing to do, actually a psychological name for it that slips my mind. Point being that since most of you are bias you are interpreting the quote the way you want to interpret it...when there is clearly more than one way to.

www.serengetifishingcharters.com

*NEW VIDEO*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlEzuNC59ck

 

[Charlie]

For those that don’t know: Sockeye salmon typically mature at an age of 5 years and return to spawn in their natal freshwater habitat; age 4 and 6 fish are common with fish maturing at 2, 3, 7 or 8 years occasionally.

I have learned over the years when it comes to wild salmon, the more I learn, the more I find I know… and the more I realize I don’t know. The other is News Papers want to sell papers and politicians will do about anything to get elected and if enough people believe everything both have to say, your end result is Obama!

The other thing in case you don’t know when it comes to salmon, there have been a lot of recent studies, with the use new technology in the last few years. We are now finding a lot of our “old” beliefs are being proven wrong? The DFO scientists, from what I see are well in the forefront of these studies. DFO is also well known to have some of the best and most renowned scientists in the world. So, with that (not wanting to argue with the entire scientific world)! I didn’t hear “that” specific statement, so I can’t comment on its context or meaning, but I have to ask… did it originate from a scientific study?

Is it possible for “some” of those missing Sockeye to show up next year? Yes, it is. Is it probable? I will believe if I see it!

I also have to ask how in the hell did the Skeena Sockeye go from a “lower” than expected (were DFO kept fishery open to Sport), to now in freaking December it is suddenly a “collapse”? And, who is trying to get “elected”?

quote: News – from DFO: The Sockeye (Red) Salmon run on the Skeena River is lower than projected. Two million are expected but only one half million have shown up so far. Commercial fishing has been closed but sportfishing will remain open. Commercial fishing may open for Pink Salmon.

UPDATE: by Mark Beere, Senior Fisheries Biologist, Skeena Region. Summary Info:
• The Tyee steelhead index is 77.2 - for comparison, to the 7th of August: lowest on record: 9.6 (1957); mean all years: 47.8; highest on record: 166.4 (1998)
• The in-season Skeena River sockeye escapement estimate to August 3rd is approximately 784 201 - the pre-season forecast of 2.1 million has been downgraded, as we are now well past the 50% date for this year’s sockeye migration to the Skeena River at Tyee; the year end prediction is currently less than one million
• To August 7th, 55 sockeye have passed through the Kitwanga River weir (range to this date in past years: 501 – 1241)

I believe people are failing to see the issues and problems with both DFO and Gail Shea. There is so much information by the scientist and, but that information is being suppressed and not published to the public! Gail Shea, is no idiot, nor is she stupid, nor is “she” really responsible for “any” salmon issues – She is only doing what has been mandated. If she resigns or gets fired, another out of Ottawa will be given the task with the same mandate – which is to make Canada the #2 aquaculture producer in the world.

There would lie the problem and where the term “idiots” might be appropriate and it all starts here: There is no value to Salmon says Ottawa. My personal opinion… You need to leave Shea alone, she is just being used as a pawn by a bunch of higher politicians. Start getting rid of everyone in Ottawa that is willing to trade your “Wild Salmon” for farmed!

Just my nickels worth!

 

[Little Hawk]

Nickel's worth?
Hell Charlie, that's a solid '2-bits-worth' if I ever heard it!

It's a shame more of us Canuck voters up here don't have the understanding of the real-agenda that you do.

Indeed, managing a pen-based food fishery requires little to no addressing of near or long-term ecological issues and frees-up priceless fish-habitat for - what our current government considers to be - other more important venues like uncontrolled forestry/mining and hydro-power projects. Trouble is salmon farming, as it is practiced today, is unsustainable and I think our government is starting to realize that more and more voters are beginning to get wise to the folly of fish-farming.

I'm all for helping the Yanks out of their power/water-shortage situation, but it has to be achieved with a minimal footprint on fish-habitat.

Bottom-line: We all must continue to fight for the long term sustainability of Pacific Salmon!</u>

"Some could care less if there's any fish left for our kids!"

 

[profisher]

Charlie, you forgot to mention the other government agenda. Once wild salmon are gone from major rivers, the hydro companies can move in, erect large dams and sell the excess power at inflated prices to the US. I'm sure there is hugely larger profits to be made from hydro dams operating 365 day a year than by all the salmon fisheries combined. I'm sure its been on their minds all along. They just have to tank the fisheries slowly and make it appear it was us overfishing, the warm ocean etc etc fault and not theirs..cause they have to get re-elected.

 

[likwit]

i heard the interview on cbc... the way she said 'maybe they'll return a year later' definitely stopped me in my tracks. i had to believe she meant to say that maybe there will be a better return next year, but the way the words came out of her mouth sure sounded like what is being implied... her tone was really like "hey, nobody can really say why the salmon didn't return.. they could even be still swimming around".

i hope for the sake of all of us who care about our salmon that that interview was a slip-up, and not a real indication of the minister's knowledge and concern about pacific salmon.

 

[chris73]

Her comments go quite well along with the nonsense answers I have received with her signature in several response letters to me. She is by far not very bright, that's for sure. Agree, after all she is only a tool by certain agenda and that's likely the reason why a rather limited intelligent person was chosen for this position - to be easily steered.

Serengeti, of course you want to protect the entirety of conservative portfolios from general criticism, but reality is, the conservatives have failed us on several major political fronts badly and I am sure in a future election a lot of vigilant voters will turn away from the conservatives, for who oil sands seems to be the only worthwhile objective. That attitude will backfire.

 

[SerengetiGuide]

quote:Originally posted by chris73

Her comments go quite well along with the nonsense answers I have received with her signature in several response letters to me. She is by far not very bright, that's for sure. Agree, after all she is only a tool by certain agenda and that's likely the reason why a rather limited intelligent person was chosen for this position - to be easily steered.

Serengeti, of course you want to protect the entirety of conservative portfolios from general criticism, but reality is, the conservatives have failed us on several major political fronts badly and I am sure in a future election a lot of vigilant voters will turn away from the conservatives, for who oil sands seems to be the only worthwhile objective. That attitude will backfire.

Which fronts are these and explain how any of the other major parties, specifically the only other one that would have a chance of getting elected, Liberals, would do any better.

www.serengetifishingcharters.com

*NEW VIDEO*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlEzuNC59ck

 

[chris73]

Let's not get too far off topic, serengeti but I want to mention only a few: accountability & trustworthiness (cover-ups and scandals), environment (look at Copenhagen - Canadians should be ashamed of how we are represented there), and of course dealing with fisheries issues (salmon, halibut ...). There is plenty more but you get the picture. It's sad and if there ever was a change as Harper promised it was sadly for the worse.

I won't burn my fingers in saying who and how any other party would have done better but believe me many people will try other options next time just hoping it may induce a positive change here and there...

 

[SerengetiGuide]

Will start new thread in GOF.

www.serengetifishingcharters.com

*NEW VIDEO*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlEzuNC59ck

 

[eaglemaniac]

Nail on the head chris73. eman

 

[MRWood]

Originally posted by SerengetiGuide

But that was taken out of context. What she was saying is that there is a possibility there could be a good return next year, not that the sockeye returning this year are going to spawn and thoseee newly born fish will come back the following year...If you are going to post something like this, make sure it is AT LEAST within context.

Not a fan of Gail Shea, but at the same time, whether on issues I support, am against, or neutral to, I will call out things such as this.

MRWood
How on earth does Serengeti figure Gail Shea words were taken out of context and then try and explain what it is she means. Is he pyschic?? Then he says that he's no fan of hers....wtf?? This woman should be forced to resign as she has no clue about the fishery out here. Worse yet is that we the taxpayers will be paying this women in wages and pension for the rest of her life. This is pathetic and anyone who wants to protect someone like this must have some ulterior motive or is blinded by politics. Come on Serengeti lets call it what it is.....a very sad joke.