Bryan Allen
Well-Known Member
February 9th, 2022
Attn: The Honourable Joyce Murray, MP
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Murray,
Re: Public Fishery Chinook Retention Opportunities in
PFMAs 14, 17, 18, 19, 20-5 and 28 plus Fraser River
In recent years, at critical times of the fishing season, the Department of Fisheries, Oceans and
the Canadian Coast Guard (DFO) has denied the Public Fishery opportunities for retention of
Chinook salmon in important Southern B.C. tidal and in-river fisheries. This, despite the Sport
Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) demonstrating the absence of Fraser River stocks of concern in
their very modest fisheries proposals.
Additionally, between April 1st and July 31st there has been no retention permitted of plentiful
U.S. origin adipose fin clipped hatchery Chinook.
These actions have had devastating effects on the Public Fishery, both financially and socially.
Many hard-working Canadians in the public fishery and related businesses are now without a job
and the fishing service infrastructure that supports angling is collapsing. The COVID-19 pandemic
has simply magnified these social and economic impacts.
An SFAB salmon technical working group produced multiple Chinook retention proposals in
collaboration with your department’s salmon stock assessment and fisheries management staff
using up-to-date DFO stock data. The purpose was to allow very modest access to the retention
of hatchery Chinook and other Chinook stocks that are not of concern. The proposals were
assessed by DFO review to be very low risk or no risk at all to stocks of concern. They offered an
important lifeline to the Public Salmon Fishery to avoid further harm, and importantly did not
jeopardize the recovery of Fraser River Chinook stocks of concern, yetthey have all been rejected.
Recently, DFO’s specific concerns with the latest SFAB proposal have been disclosed. With your
department’s salmon management team now indicating these important early season
opportunities will not be discussed, it would appear the Public Fishery is set for another year
without relief. However, there are clearly solutions to these concerns that would allow the
reopening of very modest Chinook retention fisheries in critically important areas where stocks
of concern are not present, and/or the abundance of hatchery Chinook is sufficiently high.
We, the undersigned, firmly believe there are additional solutions, which could, for example,
include reductions in fishing times and areas, hatchery only fisheries and size limit adjustments
Page: 2
to the original proposals. These added management actions would result in even more protection
forstocks of concern. Therefore, we urge that you direct your department to work together with
the SFAB, particularly at the upcoming February 11th SFAB Main Board meeting, to explore ways
these desperately needed openings can be approved. We particularly want to focus on the period
from April 1st to May 31st this year, where there is a documented unique window of opportunity
when stocks of concern are not present, while hatchery marked Chinook are prevalent in high
numbers.
As very significant work and discussion has already taken place on this issue, and with April 1st
being less than two months away, this is obviously a time sensitive matter that needs urgent
attention and should be easy to complete. The undersigned organizations that rely on these
Chinook openings respectfully seek your support in ensuring that the required consultations take
place as soon as possible.
Be assured we are committed to working respectfully with your department and First Nations
toward conservation of this precious resource, the recovery of stocks of concern and preserving
opportunities for all Canadians.
Yours in conservation,
Signed by Public Fishery Alliance , Victoria F&G, SVIAC, Fraser Valley Sportfishing Alliance, Esquimalt Anglers, Fraser Valley Salmon Soc., Sidney Anglers Association.
Anyone up for writing the Minister to back up this letter ?
Attn: The Honourable Joyce Murray, MP
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Murray,
Re: Public Fishery Chinook Retention Opportunities in
PFMAs 14, 17, 18, 19, 20-5 and 28 plus Fraser River
In recent years, at critical times of the fishing season, the Department of Fisheries, Oceans and
the Canadian Coast Guard (DFO) has denied the Public Fishery opportunities for retention of
Chinook salmon in important Southern B.C. tidal and in-river fisheries. This, despite the Sport
Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) demonstrating the absence of Fraser River stocks of concern in
their very modest fisheries proposals.
Additionally, between April 1st and July 31st there has been no retention permitted of plentiful
U.S. origin adipose fin clipped hatchery Chinook.
These actions have had devastating effects on the Public Fishery, both financially and socially.
Many hard-working Canadians in the public fishery and related businesses are now without a job
and the fishing service infrastructure that supports angling is collapsing. The COVID-19 pandemic
has simply magnified these social and economic impacts.
An SFAB salmon technical working group produced multiple Chinook retention proposals in
collaboration with your department’s salmon stock assessment and fisheries management staff
using up-to-date DFO stock data. The purpose was to allow very modest access to the retention
of hatchery Chinook and other Chinook stocks that are not of concern. The proposals were
assessed by DFO review to be very low risk or no risk at all to stocks of concern. They offered an
important lifeline to the Public Salmon Fishery to avoid further harm, and importantly did not
jeopardize the recovery of Fraser River Chinook stocks of concern, yetthey have all been rejected.
Recently, DFO’s specific concerns with the latest SFAB proposal have been disclosed. With your
department’s salmon management team now indicating these important early season
opportunities will not be discussed, it would appear the Public Fishery is set for another year
without relief. However, there are clearly solutions to these concerns that would allow the
reopening of very modest Chinook retention fisheries in critically important areas where stocks
of concern are not present, and/or the abundance of hatchery Chinook is sufficiently high.
We, the undersigned, firmly believe there are additional solutions, which could, for example,
include reductions in fishing times and areas, hatchery only fisheries and size limit adjustments
Page: 2
to the original proposals. These added management actions would result in even more protection
forstocks of concern. Therefore, we urge that you direct your department to work together with
the SFAB, particularly at the upcoming February 11th SFAB Main Board meeting, to explore ways
these desperately needed openings can be approved. We particularly want to focus on the period
from April 1st to May 31st this year, where there is a documented unique window of opportunity
when stocks of concern are not present, while hatchery marked Chinook are prevalent in high
numbers.
As very significant work and discussion has already taken place on this issue, and with April 1st
being less than two months away, this is obviously a time sensitive matter that needs urgent
attention and should be easy to complete. The undersigned organizations that rely on these
Chinook openings respectfully seek your support in ensuring that the required consultations take
place as soon as possible.
Be assured we are committed to working respectfully with your department and First Nations
toward conservation of this precious resource, the recovery of stocks of concern and preserving
opportunities for all Canadians.
Yours in conservation,
Signed by Public Fishery Alliance , Victoria F&G, SVIAC, Fraser Valley Sportfishing Alliance, Esquimalt Anglers, Fraser Valley Salmon Soc., Sidney Anglers Association.
Anyone up for writing the Minister to back up this letter ?
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