Emergency Victoria @ Area SFAB Mtg Re: 2018 Chinook - May 4/18

[wildmanyeah]

Book your trips north of JDF and north of SOG. I'll be visiting Port Mcneill/Port Hardy June/July and got one tentatively booked for August that I will bail on if we get sockeye.

Not going to bother fishing local after mid May. First year doing this but I figured we were in for it.

Il reserve any further comments till I hear what this full **** show looks like.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Basically for Victoria Sooke the option B or Blanket plan will mean an extension of the 45cm to 85cm slot size for wild Chinook will extend to the end of July instead of around the 18th of July. If either of the A or B options had any real benefit to us for the future I would have no problem supporting them. However this is just a continuation of a methodology of the department to do nothing meaningful but to just look like they are managing. I see us back at a future meeting talking about other Fraser Chinook stocks requiring exploitation rate cuts and us being asked to restrict the August time period. And why? Sure as hell isn't because the Chinook restrictions from March to July and the entire summer Coho restrictions are working to bring our salmon runs back!!!! A 3rd option was added because 3 of us in the room said NO to either. The SFAB has to work with what is given to them I understand that. However I wanted my voice to be recorded as enough is enough. I want meaningful management with POSITIVE results.

Thanks I was wondering what was said, and that seems to concur with what I thought. I can't seeing the one day any size working but never know.

 

[Che]

Maybe the Russians could do it, they have had some success fairly recently....

Oh Christ on a Crutch... Muh Russians seriously?

The joke on you here is that El Presidente Trump is actually winning through his social media outlets. Legacy media is dead. Social media is the modern battlefront for any political issue.

Are things all sugar and spice for salmon? No. Can propaganda be produced to show that anglers are not the reason for the decline in Salmon stocks and that they're working to enhance the fishery? Hell yes. Can that propaganda be used against the NGO's who want to shut us down? Yes. Social media shapes public opinion.

Hashtag, #anglershelpsalmon

 

[Dave]

Social media shapes public opinion.

Hashtag, #anglershelpsalmon

That is absolutely true. A year ago I would said no, we are all too bright for that to happen. Now I know better. Elections, fish farms, pipelines, etc., are all under social medias spell.
Che is right about this, the only way to get back in the game and attempt to make up some ground is to do a better job of promoting angling.

 

[ziggy]

From Raincoast s site

Victoria, BC — Oct. 24, 2017 — Local expedition cruise company Maple Leaf Adventures is committing a 10-year, $100,000 donation to Raincoast Conservation Foundation, starting today. It’s an example of how tourism business and conservation can work hand-in-hand on the British Columbia coast.

So if anyone doubts why Raincoast and it’s spokes person Misty is anti recreational fishery, it’s because they are in bed with ecotourism. What are the odds they are soliciting money from whale watching companies to create feeding grounds close to their operations and hopefully more predictable sighting opportunities.

 

[OldBlackDog]

Do you think that this could be part of the problem?

You will note the Maritimes owns this committee.


https://sencanada.ca/en/committees/pofo/

 

[profisher]

Well last night we were told that the largest whale watching company in Victoria (Prince Of Whales) has just committed to a $25,000.00 donation to the SVIAC Sooke Net Pen Project this year. Eagle Wing and Springtide Whale Watching have both been supporting the project from the beginning with sizable cash donations and volunteer labour. The PSF also kicked in $5000.00 and we were told last night that the Sooke Charter Boat Assoc members are in for another $2000.00 If the Oak Bay Marine Group Juan De Fuca Fishing Tournament sells all the 500 tickets available to the public this year it will be able to direct somewhere between $35,000 and $40,000 to the net pen...thus covering all of this years net pen costs. So there are people, events and companies willing to support our solution to fix decline in Chinook populations.

 

[Aces]

It's been a great 50 years, looking forward to my future lawn bowling career

 

[halimark]

No lawn bowling. Water restrictions only allow dry grass. Can still jig 3 greenling from the new railed and safer breakwater, while watching the cruise ship tourists. Ha ha

I say again THANKS to the very few who are doing so much work to keep us on the water. Most fishermen could care less as proven by the almost empty room last night.

HM

 

[wildmanyeah]

Most fishermen could care less as proven by the almost empty room last night.

That’s not necessarily true for the SRKW issue most areas had people show up that couldent even get in the door.

The measures were advertised before and shared on many social media platforms.

If these measures weren’t rammed threw at the last min and the information was distributed online I gareentee there would be a huge turn out.

I’m sure when the measures are implemented the ***** fest on here will go on for 100 pages or the mods will Close the thread.

Just be happy you got the option of a meeting sent three emails to my area chair and have herd nothing.

 

[Che]

I say again THANKS to the very few who are doing so much work to keep us on the water. Most fishermen could care less as proven by the almost empty room last night. HM

This is the divisive attitude that plagues many these committees. Its not helpful. So let's realistic about anglers here. Most are just casual anglers. They go out if the weather's good drop the lines and have a good time maybe get some fish. That's it. But these people are the masses. They're the ones who will be talking about it around work or at their kids baseball games to people who are not informed. They need to be reached. They need to be informed on this issue. How? An aggressive social media campaign.

People WILL hit like and thumbs up and re-post these issues. They will talk about the issue to friends and coworkers. People will start to get the message that sport fishing has a huge economic benefit up and down the coast.

Hashtag #SportFishingEconomics

 

[halimark]

This is the divisive attitude that plagues many these committees. Its not helpful. So let's realistic about anglers here. Most are just casual anglers. They go out if the weather's good drop the lines and have a good time maybe get some fish. That's it. But these people are the masses. They're the ones who will be talking about it around work or at their kids baseball games to people who are not informed. They need to be reached. They need to be informed on this issue. How? An aggressive social media campaign.

People WILL hit like and thumbs up and re-post these issues. They will talk about the issue to friends and coworkers. People will start to get the message that sport fishing has a huge economic benefit up and down the coast.

Hashtag #SportFishingEconomics

You are correct, this needs to be done now, the way its going there will not be sport fishing as we know it.

HM

 

[halimark]

That’s not necessarily true for the SRKW issue most areas had people show up that couldent even get in the door.

The measures were advertised before and shared on many social media platforms.

If these measures weren’t rammed threw at the last min and the information was distributed online I gareentee there would be a huge turn out.

I’m sure when the measures are implemented the ***** fest on here will go on for 100 pages or the mods will Close the thread.

Just be happy you got the option of a meeting sent three emails to my area chair and have herd nothing.

I went to the Esq anglers meeting for the SRKW meeting, yes maybe 100 people there but that is a small percent of Vic fishermen. Not what I was expecting, got there early to get a parking spot, there were empty spots after meeting started. I stand by my statement. Most people are uninformed are the casual fisherman and will willingly do something else without a fight.

HM

 

[SpringVelocity]

I was involved with a social media campaign for several years on a very large issue in the province.

It is my experience and still is that it isn't as effective as you guys think when it comes to government. Also I hate to say it fishing isn't a headline that really is going to grab people's attention. The general public right now believe fish stocks are dwindling, and that people shouldn't fish for them. I am actually glad we stayed away from it as it would backfire not in our favor.

While social media is a great tool it is more effective to meet with people in power that make those decisions IE DFO.

The only effective social platform I found when we won our battle with Province is the national news and also investigative report on W5. If you can take something in the region and elevate it nationally you can get more attention. When we did that I can tell you Horgan immediately was drilling Clark (premier at the time) in legislature daily. It came up every question period over and over gain.

People aren't showing up because they don't know. They are not showing up because they are tired of it and done. Remember Area 19/20 has really been thrown to the curb year after year. As a result its showing with lack of participation. Just my view.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Also just remember it takes money also, and a number of volunteers to run any social media campaign. The one I spoke of had more than 50 at given time, and thousands of dollars spent.

 

[Deewar25]

People aren't showing up because they don't know. They are not showing up because they are tired of it and done. Remember Area 19/20 has really been thrown to the curb year after year. As result its showing with lack of participation. Just my view.

Agree and disagree...people aren't showing up because they don't know? Sure, the casual recreational, but all members were emailed - that is what, 600-700 people, the 'discussions' on this forum likely put the number of faces knowing about this meeting at 1000, yet 20 people show up? That was nail in the coffin kind of response (and you can't blame the guys for short notice, that was on DFO). The guys that work hard just can't win, figure small turnout and book esquimalt anglers, people are spilling out the doors, figure a huge turnout, waste $400, and no one shows up. Perhaps future meetings should have a scheduler linked so they can get a better idea of what kind of venue they need to book with confirmed attendance?

Regardless, this leads into your second point, they are not showing up because they are tired of it. Exactly, we are, but if we don't show up, if we don't express our opinions that are used with DFO discussions, we will be off the water entirely because we are easy pickings without a voice, end of story. We are continuously taking the lessor of all evils for a reason, if we don't, we are done. If that's too discouraging, just get off the water and take up golf.

If 1000 people though were actually active, involved, and vocal, maybe we will get somewhere, but really, this is about public education. We can't say we want to keep a salmon that is endangered without people understanding our area represents 1-3% of mortality for these fish. They need to understand the real issue, they need to understand we have been 'protecting' these salmon for many years with mandatory 'over' catch and release to let them through to their rivers and NOTHING is happening. WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.

That education needs to be mainstream, outside of this forum. We all know these restrictions are a joke, but its all about perception, so we won't get anywhere without serious education outside of the sports fishing world....and a whole bunch of money.

 

[california]

WE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. That education needs to be mainstream, outside of this forum. We all know these restrictions are a joke, but its all about perception, so we won't get anywhere without serious education outside of the sports fishing world....and a whole bunch of money.

That's a bit of the problem, insistence that sport fisherman are not any part of the problem, therefore should not have restrictions. On chinook we are a significant user of the resource. A single lodge like Queen Charlotte lodge with 75 guests x 34 trips assuming 3 chinook each on average will take almost 8,000 fish over the course of a season. Area G troll is down to 15,000 fish, WCVI sport take is more than that. Sport take is now a significant part of the Chinook catch. Of course our take is part of the issue. The basic problem is the fish are declining constantly, if they were even stable we wouldn't be looking at restrictions, and reality is our catch will need to come down with the declines in the resource. The SFAB and others are the main tool we have to mitigate it. If no one shows at a meeting like this it doesn't mean we don't have representation, it just means we cant ***** at what course our reps decide to take on trying to mitigate the inevitable effects that are coming. Of course complicating it in 2019 and beyond is the courts now deciding FN commercial fisheries will need to take precedent over sport, so more restrictions will have to come from that, there isn't much Chinook commercial catch left to take for FN.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Well when fishermen of the Strait of Georgia find out that their is a good chance were getting a slot limit of 62mm to 85mm June, July, August and September. They are going to wish they went to the meetings.

Might as well send letters to the prime minister begging for more money for the Salmon Enhancement Program so they have the funds to clip chinook.

 

[Deewar25]

That's a bit of the problem, insistence that sport fisherman are not any part of the problem, therefore should not have restrictions. On chinook we are a significant user of the resource. A single lodge like Queen Charlotte lodge with 75 guests x 34 trips assuming 3 chinook each on average will take almost 8,000 fish over the course of a season. Area G troll is down to 15,000 fish, WCVI sport take is more than that. Sport take is now a significant part of the Chinook catch. Of course our take is part of the issue. The basic problem is the fish are declining constantly, if they were even stable we wouldn't be looking at restrictions, and reality is our catch will need to come down with the declines in the resource. The SFAB and others are the main tool we have to mitigate it. If no one shows at a meeting like this it doesn't mean we don't have representation, it just means we cant ***** at what course our reps decide to take on trying to mitigate the inevitable effects that are coming. Of course complicating it in 2019 and beyond is the courts now deciding FN commercial fisheries will need to take precedent over sport, so more restrictions will have to come from that, there isn't much Chinook commercial catch left to take for FN.

'We' in this case I was referring to greater Victoria who was taking 1-3% and all these years our restrictions have done nothing. QCL etc, zero restrictions (sounds like that is changing). Victoria is tired of being the whipping boy all these years when WE are not the problem...sure, part of, but very small %. That was my point. Need to remember the stocks of concerns are the issue and many of these places have been taking fish as part of healthy runs. That is changing now as now their rivers are in trouble.

 

[littlechucky]

Well when fishermen of the Strait of Georgia find out that their is a good chance were getting a slot limit of 62mm to 85mm June, July, August and September. They are going to wish they went to the meetings.

Might as well send letters to the prime minister begging for more money for the Salmon Enhancement Program so they have the funds to clip chinook.

And the daily limit of one unclipped fish.

Not that the alternative was any better.