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Ernie Fedoruk is Vice President of the
Outdoor Writers of Canada and former B.C. Director with
the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association. Winner of
26 awards in the last 16 years, the sports/outdoors
columnist retired from a 48-year newspaper career in
1996.
Messages can be faxed to him at (250) 592-7090, or emailed
to efedoruk@islandnet.com
"A man's passion for fishing should not allow it
to interfere with his love of family. But if the glue
binds, then please consider the angler's passion also
a love for family." |
1999 Outlook, or is this for the Millennium?
British Columbia’s recreational fishing season is about to
move into high gear but the Department of Fisheries and Oceans
plays Nero while the fires of enthusiasm burn. DFO remains
in its customary fiddle-and-diddle mode.
One cheery voice in DFO’s sportfishing department at Vancouver
pointed out, with a week to go to the date, that Fisheries
and the Sport Fishing Advisory Board would meet May 15 "to
deliver the Pacific fishing plans." Isn’t that wonderful?
Sportfishing, which gives woefully-managed BC one of its
brightest economic industries, is into its early season but
government is still "defining" and "fine-tuning" the "salmon
opportunities for the 1999 season" in the merry month of May!
Don’t blame SFAB. The advisory board consists of many outstanding
men, highly-capable volunteers from the length of the Canadian
West Coast. They represent all aspects of the sport-fishing
tourist industry. SFAB’s duty is to give my government intelligent
and factually-documented advice meant to add more bucks to
a clean industry moving its value toward the half-billion
mark.
In one rare moment of sanity, the Canadian government two
years ago installed a Minister who understands the recreational
industry and respects the resource. Unfortunately David Anderson
allows himself to be handcuffed, at times, by DFO’s highest-ranking
bureaucrats. I can’t accuse the professionals of being morons
because they make far more money than I ever did. They do
practice stupidity, however. Often. Many top bureaucrats are
masters at living off the pork barrel but are either unable
or too inept to making plans for enhancing or saving salmon.
Stupid? I leave it up to you. Make your own judgment
Ignorance is the problem today. This was written May 6. BC’s
saltwater fishing resorts, large or small, made (or tried
to make) campaign plans in November, December and/or January.
All must market their packages, order food and supplies, perhaps
replace a boat or six, line up summer help, and so on. For
success, all resorts depend on marketing a hospitality industry
that pays heavy support bills, including air fares, food,
staff and marketing. But what is the lame-brained federal
government and those incompetent bureaucrats doing? Not much,
as a frustrated industry will attest.
Accountant/business consultant (and personal friend) Deane
Strongitharm estimated a few years ago that 60 cents out of
every dollar grossed by the sportfishing industry goes into
paying a tax of one form or another. Understand, therefore,
Canada and BC benefit mightily from a clean industry. But
what do those dozy economists in Ottawa do? They look for
another way to suck the life out of recreational fishing.
In the past, the self-serving economists had too much power
over the biologists, many of whom are dedicated to saving
a valuable resource. That scenario may be changing but it
may not be fast enough to save Pacific salmon.
So here we are into May. The dimwits in Ottawa and DFO’s
West Coast offices are still studying plans that will give
us -- me and thee -- some idea of what the sportfishing regulations
will allow us to do or not do. Will we keep coho (silvers)?
Will coastal fishing corridors again be narrow and restrictive
ribbons on DFO maps? What are 1999’s daily and possession
bags?
We must wait until June. That is when the official tidal
water guide will be distributed! This is the dramatic proof
that DFO, particularly the dozes in Ottawa, has no idea of
the devastation it is causing to a wonderful and beneficial
industry. Mr. Anderson and his array of goofs must learn what
is important to the working class, the angler and to the people
who try to serve us. Those who gleefully anticipate a visit
to a BC destination are not always able to make a choice in
May or June. Those who gambled that Canada’s fishing rules
may be acceptable have already made their 1999 reservations
. . . back in October, November, December or, if lucky, in
January. Some workers are tied into a job dictated by seniority.
They must put their hold on vacation preferences by a certain
date early in the New Year. Otherwise, seniority to bump will
not mean a damn thing.
Does DFO bureaucracy understand? The answer is no, not if
you look at DFO’s ongoing record. One DFO servant, obviously
the sublime Monarch of Morons, suggested the department "has
to be fair" and "must" issue sportfishing regulations at the
same time as the commercial allocations. Utter garbage . .
. and thrown at us by a supposedly-learned individual. Sportfishing
and commercial fishing are two different games. Sportfishing
contributes mightily to our economy, yet has the smallest
effect on the resource. Commercial fishing has a minus effect
on the economy, yet is the greatest danger to the resource.
Big, big difference! (The gigantic difference has only recently
been recognized by the federal government, and the thanks
probably should go to Anderson.)
The 1999 regulations should have been announced before the
end of 1998. January or mid-February would have been acceptable
if the "first priority" is too much of a drain on the DFO
brain. When will intelligent management become a significant
element in DFO operations?
Do me a favor people. . .Please don’t hold your breath.
Copyright ©
Ernie Fedoruk retired in 1996 after a 47-year journalism career as an outdoors and sports columnist, has just completed
14 years as director/officer of the Outdoor Writers of Canada,
also was director of the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association
for 11 years. His passion is fishing – to find and to
protect – and insists his greatest contribution as a
conservationist is incompetence.
Ernie Fedoruk Freelance Journalist
1867 Neil Street Victoria, BC, V8R 3C6, Canada
phone:(250)592-4438 fax:(250)592-7090
e-mail: efedoruk@islandnet.com
To purchase Ernie Fedoruk's column for publication, please
contact efedoruk@islandnet.com
For previous articles by Ernie Fedoruk, click on the links
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