Herring roe fishery

fish4all said:
Firstly according to science herring has not been overfished. Second I look forward to seeing the information that eulachons were a significant bycatch in the herring fishery. I have heard in the shrimp trawl fishery it has been a factor but personally (not to say it never happened) I have not seen or witnessed a significant bycatch of anything in the herring fishery during the last 34 years I have participated.
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I believe u are correct ...
 
fish4all said:
Firstly according to science herring has not been overfished. Second I look forward to seeing the information that eulachons were a significant bycatch in the herring fishery. I have heard in the shrimp trawl fishery it has been a factor but personally (not to say it never happened) I have not seen or witnessed a significant bycatch of anything in the herring fishery during the last 34 years I have participated.
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Most eulachon were captured when mid-water trawl nets (e.g. Engel & Diamond #5, #7 & #8's) were fishing close to the sea floor and targeting on Pacific herring (one inch, mesh liners were installed in the cod-ends). Eulachon that are shown in Juan de Fuca Strait were trawled during fall and winter, herring hydro-acoustic surveys in the 1970's when large schools of mid-water fish (e.g. herring, dogfish, hake and eulachon) were highly mobile and migrating along the strait.
 
terrin said:
Most eulachon were captured when mid-water trawl nets (e.g. Engel & Diamond #5, #7 & #8's) were fishing close to the sea floor and targeting on Pacific herring (one inch, mesh liners were installed in the cod-ends). Eulachon that are shown in Juan de Fuca Strait were trawled during fall and winter, herring hydro-acoustic surveys in the 1970's when large schools of mid-water fish (e.g. herring, dogfish, hake and eulachon) were highly mobile and migrating along the strait.
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So in the 70’s they caught some herring in a trawl net doing a survey after installing small mesh in the cod end strictly for the survey. Since,I believe 1974, herring are only harvested in BC by seine or gillnet. I have seen herring in the shrimp nets (small mesh) but not in today’s trawl gear.
 
T
wildmanyeah said:
Herring was closed coast wide for 4 years in the early 1070s because of over harvesting in the 1950 and 60’s

Perhaps fishforall is referring to the resent decades

https://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/scien...herring-hareng/hertags/pages/default4-eng.htm
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Thanks for sharing the migration paper - an interesting read, and explains some of the on-water observations of smaller sub-groups of herring that are local residents as opposed to the offshore migrants. Was also very interested to see the migratory speed (average of 15 km/day).

I don't agree with Fogged In's assessment (over-fishing is the cause of fluctuations in herring abundance) in an era of the modern day management of the herring fishery. Management and understanding of the herring stocks has evolved significantly in the past few decades. The current MSE approach will help us avoid repeating past errors in managing the fishery (over-fishing) - so long as we listen carefully to the science and don't try to manipulate the MSE process. We also need to continue refining the MSE approach and add to the simulation run modelling a full accounting for the ecosystem herring as prey requirements for other species that depend upon herring (salmon etc). Over-fishing can take place if we fail to properly account for the full ecosystem requirements for herring as prey or forage.

As always the challenge is finding the sweet spot between understanding and responding to the biological triggers and curbing our desires to fish when stock abundance decreases. Current abundance trends show a strong downward cycle in SOG stocks, while others are not showing recovery even after long periods of non-harvest (WCVI for example). So again, what does fishing have to do with some of these naturally occurring fluctuations?? Don't pin the tail on over-fishing as the donkey responsible for herring abundance - there is way more to it than that simplistic view of the issues facing herring stocks.

Krill or euphausiids is another foundational forage species. Fortunately the krill fishery in BC is fairly small, and spatially confined to a few small inlets. The unfortunate part is while the fishery is small, we really do not have a full understanding of the ecosystem requirements these krill removals might impact.
 
The evidence supports the theory that Herring have a migratory pattern that extends well beyond the area around Denman Island where we continue to harvest them heavily.
It is difficult to understand how the bio mass can be accurately estimated by DFO and what the appropriate harvest rate should be.
Many, if not all the bio mass being harvested there has migrated thru other areas.

“How Do Herring Learn to Migrate? Go to Schools
The lack of big chiefs could doom Pacific herring.”
“First, they found that adopted migration could create “spatial demographic structure”—in other words, the central coast’s herring stock may actually be a collection of subpopulations, each following learned paths to unique spawning areas. Imagine the region’s herring as cliquish high school kids in a cafeteria: all seem to share the same broad space, yet each clan is fiercely loyal to its individual table, with freshmen flocking annually to the most popular factions.
Second, the team discovered that herring’s spatial separation comes with alarming implications. Fish a herring population intensely enough to shrink its numbers, and it becomes less likely new recruits will encounter the school. Gradually, the group’s numbers dwindle as young members fail to replace the old. Eventually, says Rogers,“
“They risk going beyond the tipping point and heading toward extirpation.”

https://www.hakaimagazine.com/news/how-do-herring-learn-to-migrate-go-to-schools/
 
Its hard to have this discussion because DFO does a poor at tracking bait fish. I know in the area I fish that anchovies are starting to blow up in population. I have a coworker who has lived in Howe Sound his whole life. He said he's never seen as much marine life as he does now. How is it that all these marine predator numbers are blowing up like sea lions, seas, otters, humpback whales, killer whales ect... Its a complex web and to be honest if these changes are driving by climate change then they will only continue to get worse or better depending on what you fancy.

Warm Northwest waters draw spawning fish north
https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/news/features/spawing_shift/index.cfm
Unusually warm ocean conditions off the Pacific Northwest in the last few years led anchovies, sardines and hake to begin spawning in Northwest waters much earlier in the year and, for anchovy, longer than biologists have ever recorded before, new research has found.

The rapid northerly shifts in spawning may offer a preview of future conditions if ocean warming continues, according to the new study published in Global Change Biology by scientists from the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, Oregon State University and NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center.

Some species may spend less time in southern waters off California, where anchovy and sardines have been less prevalent in recent years, and more of the year off the Northwest, the authors suggest. From 2015 to 2016 researchers found the highest concentrations of sardine, anchovy and hake larvae in the Northern California Current, off the Pacific Northwest, than they have in any year since collections began in 1998.

“Changes in spawning timing and poleward migration of fish populations due to warmer ocean conditions or global climate change will negatively affect areas that were historically dependent on these fish, and change the food web structure of the areas that the fish move into with unforeseen consequences,” researchers wrote.

“We’re getting these species that usually just spawn off the Northwest in the summer time, and now they’re spawning year-round,” said Ric Brodeur, a NOAA Fisheries research scientist at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center’s research station in Newport, Oregon, and coauthor of the paper. “Things are changing so much, it’s hard to say what’s normal these days.”
 
Category(s):
COMMERCIAL - Herring - Roe: Gill Net
COMMERCIAL - Herring - Roe: Seine
COMMERCIAL - Herring - Roe: Test Fishery
COMMERCIAL - Herring Special Use
COMMERCIAL - Herring: Food and Bait
COMMERCIAL - Herring: Spawn on Kelp
Subject:
FN0067-Notice of Approval of the 2019/2020 Pacific Herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan



The 2019/2020 Pacific Herring Integrated Fisheries Management Plan (IFMP) has
been approved by the Regional Director General, Pacific. The Draft IFMP was
posted on December 18, 2019 for a 31 day review (FN 1271:
https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?
pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=228342&ID=all).

Thank you to those that submitted advice and recommendations for the plan
during that period; DFO received a large number of comments, including from
First Nations and First Nations organizations, commercial and recreational
harvesters and industry organizations, and members of the public.

As outlined in the IFMP, the Strait of Georgia area will be open to Roe, Food &
Bait, and Special Use commercial fisheries at a harvest rate of 20%. The
Central Coast area will be open to Spawn-on-Kelp commercial fisheries only, at
a 5.2% harvest rate. The Prince Rupert District, Haida Gwaii, and West Coast
Vancouver Island will be closed this season to commercial fisheries.

Commercial harvesters participating in the roe herring fishery will also have
the option of participating in a Gear Selection Trial. The Gear Selection Trial
program allows licence holders to select their licence to be fished by either a
seine gear or gill net gear pool, regardless of the original gear type. This
means that seine and gill net licences could have a combination of quotas that
come from seine or gill net licences, but are fished by just one of the gear
types. The selection into a gear would be one way only (not revisable prior to
or in season) but would be for the 2020 season only and not carry over to
subsequent seasons. More detail on this can be found in a fishery notice here:
https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?
pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=229131&ID=all

You may request an electronic copy of the IFMP from Victoria Postlethwaite
(victoria.postlethwaite@dfo-mpo.gc.ca). The final copy will be posted on the
DFO library website shortly.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Victoria Postlethwaite, 604-666-7851 or victoria.postlethwaite@dfo-mpo.gc.ca



Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0067
Sent January 29, 2020 at 1033
 
DFO just announced they will once again allow the herring commercial sector to take out 20% of the total herring population in the Salish Sea.

There have been estimates that herring populations have decreased by more than 60% since 2016 levels. Whether that is a cyclical normal pattern or not, it's still a serious concern. There is ABSOLUTELY ZERO room for interpretation with this formula... Reduce a species food resource availability NEGATIVELY affects the health and population of that species... If DFO as concerned as they say they are about Salmon and Orca population health, why the heck do they continually allow this to happen? So let me understand this correctly, a direct variable to the health and survival of salmon and Oracs(Herring), while they state they are willing to make tough decisions to protect these species, once again allows huge numbers of herring to be taken out of the food chain..... Yet, when it comes to policies for the recreational sector that has virtually (ZERO..... if you consider how many fish are taken for the recreational sector vs Commerial/FN).... impact, they hammer down on it.

I guess my cats and dogs are at least greatful..... the herring that is caught by the commies will be used to make their food. And my neighbor will be happy... he can continue to get cheap fertilizer made in part from herring.

https://www.vicnews.com/news/dfo-sets-salish-sea-herring-harvest-rate-at-20-per-cent/

I guess the new Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Bernadette Jordan), like the former Jonathan Wilkinson, has absolutely no idea what she is doing. Why the hell do we hire politicians with ZERO experience or intelligence when it comes to our natural resources in the sea to manage this extremely precious resource??? Why don't we hire someone like a marine scientist or someone with at least a sensible background and level of intelligence????
 
I never agreed with shutting it completely down. The science just isn't there hate to say, and searun listed it out many times on here. Many times listening to the shut down talk reminded me of the campaign of the whales.

At start of this campaign it started to an end to roe fishing, then it moved to reduction total catch, then a complete ban altogether, and then it when all else failed it was somehow linked to orca recovery. I get people are pissed with fishing restrictions, and rightfully so. We must not forget we can't start doing the same to the commercial fleet as what happened to our recreational fishery last year.

It sounded like there was going to be a reduction, so not sure why the rate didn't change? Preliminary estimates were probably higher than expected in the IMFP?

Maybe an alternative now is for the people opposed to this is to look other ways to help. Cleaning up areas, piling wrapping for marina etc. Anything that can aid in herring spawning. We do it for salmon why not herring?

Also it would be great to move towards understanding what the prey availability really is with our salmon/other wildlife. This is an area of science we need to understand more.
 
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Must say I just love this debate, with each side protecting their vested interests.. I think the big elephant in the room is that most levels of government have declared both Climate and Environmental emergencies, yet have shown little inclination to treat either of these problems as an emergency .. Just look at the corona virus as an example of an emergency .. cities totally shut down, no one in or out of the city, a fire emergency, people evacuated from the area, with men, women, planes etc thrown at the problem to get it under control.. Our governments continue to anaylyze these problems to death and then implement band aid solutions so they impact as few people as possible. Do I have a solution NO, but if we continue to be driven by current business , social and political interests we are doomed !
I was not born in during either war, but if we were to treat the problems as such it would be all hands on board to fix the problem as soon as possible ..A few years of pain is way better than death by a thousand cuts !
Time for politicians to get off their @#$% and show some leadership !
 
EVERYBODY PANIC!!!! FOGGED IN HEARD THERE WAS ONLY 60,000 TONS ASSESSED 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE FISHERY BEGINS!!!!

'BbBbBuT iTs ThE LoWeSt NuMbEr In HiStOrYyyyy'. Riiiiight. that's an easy statement to make. they erred well on the side of caution with the official assessment numbers this year. Don't act so shocked when 120,000+ tons show up in the gulf and if/when that happens you will have got your way, a big quota reduction seeing as the boys are only looking for about 10,000ton this time around. ill make sure to post some pics in a few weeks while we're undertaking yet another year of sustainable harvesting. I'll also try and document the very long line of people employed not only directly, but indirectly by this fishery, although I know the cancellers like mcallister don't really like to see the human element of the things you are so passionately trying to tear down. Much easier on the ol conscience to just spread the gospel online. If only people were as half as eager about habitat restoration as they are about closing this fishery, something might actually change.
 
chevyshaulass said:
EVERYBODY PANIC!!!! FOGGED IN HEARD THERE WAS ONLY 60,000 TONS ASSESSED 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE FISHERY BEGINS!!!!

'BbBbBuT iTs ThE LoWeSt NuMbEr In HiStOrYyyyy'. Riiiiight. that's an easy statement to make. they erred well on the side of caution with the official assessment numbers this year. Don't act so shocked when 120,000+ tons show up in the gulf and if/when that happens you will have got your way, a big quota reduction seeing as the boys are only looking for about 10,000ton this time around. ill make sure to post some pics in a few weeks while we're undertaking yet another year of sustainable harvesting. I'll also try and document the very long line of people employed not only directly, but indirectly by this fishery, although I know the cancellers like mcallister don't really like to see the human element of the things you are so passionately trying to tear down. Much easier on the ol conscience to just spread the gospel online. If only people were as half as eager about habitat restoration as they are about closing this fishery, something might actually change.
Click to expand...

Never under estimate the tenacious hate and heartlessness that keyboard activists exhibit while pretending to be respectable Canadian citizens. While hiding behind their screens they can comfortably rally and solicit hate and discontent for every Canadian citizen who works in a resource based business industry. Logging, mining, fishing, ffrming it doesn’t matter because the environment is more important than People and people are ruining it!!

Anyways just for the record. I feel for you guys who are getting fkd over by the loud voice of losers just like we as all sport fishers are getting fkd over by the louder voice of the same enviro losers that are claiming to honour conservation the most ethical thing to do is fk all Canadian resources based industry!!

Welcome to the new Canada!!
 
“I am saddened that this keystone fishery will be happening once again, given the collapse of herring stocks up and down the coast. I am not alone in this regard, as at the Association of Vancouver Island and Coastal Communities convention last April, nearly every elected official voted to suspend this fishery in the Salish Sea for 2020.”
"Even the Dept. of Fisheries recognizes an issue with this fishery and recommends a reduction in harvest from 20 to 10 per cent.”

https://www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/o...SbRsBmJTlUp19OSoPw5pjglhaeOefbPO-EKQ0NoBuIjbs
 
Marnee Pearce
Saturday Feb. 15, 2020
"I live right next to the Salish Sea - I have watched and photographed the herring fishery for 20 years from French Creek. I have seen the decline with my own eyes - it is horrifying how the herring have diminished in numbers. I am concerned that the herring, if they do not have a chance to replenish their stocks, will be lost and we will get government apologies but no explanation for why we did not stop it when we still had the chance."
If you share this observation sign the petition now.
http://chng.it/5rYFg896ZX
 
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And government continues to win by pitting one user group against the other. During my 35 year commercial career and another 10 in commercial sport fishing I often wondered if all the user groups could manage to smarten up and quit working against each other and unite and finally figure out how much power they could have. Stop thinking about the "Me" and just consider the power of the "We"
 
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