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It's remarkable how rapidly the reported capture increases when enhanced monitoring begins in 2022. Especially when you consider the total groundfish landed catch is about half of what it was from 2016 to 2021.
Because previously it was only an estimate. We noticed when reviewing by-catch data reported internationally that the US had detailed accurate data by salmon species. Digging into it discovered that Canada allowed the GF fleet to dump by-catch and just provided standard year over year "estimates" of salmon bycatch. We brought this forward within the SFAB process, developing motions to suggest reasonable amendments to how DFO practiced managing/accounting for salmon by-catch. Our interest isn't to stop GF fisheries, rather to seek improvements in management practices to reduce impacts to Chinook stocks of concern to help all of us recover these stocks and eventually return to our former fishery opportunities which have been closed now for some time.yeah it doubled
No mystery why the US fleet has reasonably accurate data for by-catch in its groundfish fisheries: 100% mandatory observer coverage.Because previously it was only an estimate. We noticed when reviewing by-catch data reported internationally that the US had detailed accurate data by salmon species. Digging into it discovered that Canada allowed the GF fleet to dump by-catch and just provided standard year over year "estimates" of salmon bycatch. We brought this forward within the SFAB process, developing motions to suggest reasonable amendments to how DFO practiced managing/accounting for salmon by-catch. Our interest isn't to stop GF fisheries, rather to seek improvements in management practices to reduce impacts to Chinook stocks of concern to help all of us recover these stocks and eventually return to our former fishery opportunities which have been closed now for some time.
So that explains how the data suddenly doubled, and you may have also noticed that some GF fisheries have been suspended or moved from areas where there are high encounters of Chinook - which going forward is a responsible way for our GF fleet to fish sustainably while protecting Chinook stocks of concern.
So how would you go about accomplishing that with 300,000 license holders that is an enhancement to the current approach DFO employs? In other words, what would you change in the current DFO approach to catch monitoring? Recreational catch monitoring modernization is a priority the SFAB has consistently pressed DFO on. Always interested in hearing practical modernization enhancements that could be advanced to DFO.Be careful what you wish for! If the sport fishery was properly monitored with all the undersized fish encounters being accurately reported, and the abysmal release techniques factored in, you might not be happy with the DFO response.
As far as I can see, sportfishing data is also a bit like throwing a dart at the dartboard and cherry picking the data (estimate) that fits the narrative.
As far as I can tell the bulk of DFO's data is based on accurate self reporting by anglers (creel surveys, DFO online surveys, and license date). We have seen how well that has worked in the commercial sector hence the observer/camera options now in place for most commercial fishing sectors.So how would you go about accomplishing that with 300,000 license holders that is an enhancement to the current approach DFO employs? In other words, what would you change in the current DFO approach to catch monitoring? Recreational catch monitoring modernization is a priority the SFAB has consistently pressed DFO on. Always interested in hearing practical modernization enhancements that could be advanced to DFO.
Maybe a topic worthy of its own thread to explore ideas.
DNA samples are collected at the dock. Some lucky boats get selected and need to keep every head from every marked fish. Logbooks are NOT particularly accurate, in fact, I would say, mostly BS other than what is caught and kept, (we learned the hard way that information given to DFO, can, and will be used against you, to close areas and shorten seasons). All kept fish are then counted and verified by JL Thomas at the dock, at the expense of the boat owner.
Some of the troll fleets data is accurate, some is NOT. I am not sure if the observer program is still in place for the troll fleet but we did, on occasion, have to take independent observers. I am actually surprised DFO has not made cameras mandatory on all trollers. I guess, from DFO's point of view, there are so few trollers left, and that number continues to decline, that get so little time on the water, that eventually they will achieve the unspoken goal of having zero, non FN, trollers in BC waters.
Good luck on data collection once the whole troll fleet has been reallocated to FN.