What can WE do to help save the salmon?

[bushwackin]

If you really want to make change, IMO, its time to get with the enviromental groups. Thats where im focusing. The SFAB and SFAC wont make the nessecary change i want in my life time. To much bearuacry. THe DFO would love us to use them for everything. They can manage the SFAB. I dont want to be managed, i want change.

Alexandra Morton is where im starting. Passionate, EDUCATED, and knows how to get it done.

Ditto on that. I'm going to start donating to her myself and I have about 10-12 friends that come out fishing with me every year at different times. I'm going to get each one of them to donate $100 per trip (most of them come out once a year) towards her Salmon Are Sacred organization. If they can afford to go fishing, they can afford another $100.

 

[Mighty Sylvan]

This thread has been the most productive of any other threads I've read.
Foxsea, do you know Alexandra Morton personally? Is there a chance she could speak to interested recreational sportfisherman as a group. I would like to also put salmon first, make conservation a priority and enjoy a well managed recreational sportfishery.

 

[Foxsea]

Ditto on that. I'm going to start donating to her myself and I have about 10-12 friends that come out fishing with me every year at different times. I'm going to get each one of them to donate $100 per trip (most of them come out once a year) towards her Salmon Are Sacred organization. If they can afford to go fishing, they can afford another $100.

Great idea! I have many friends and family that come out each summer, as well. That's ~$1000. If we all did that....
These videos might give folks an idea of why we are concerned and why we support the Pacific Coast Wild Salmon Society: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es7y_iBumBc
http://www.callingfromthecoast.com/
It's sad the one on youtube has ~ 300 views in a year. We have a lot of work to do building awareness of these issues.

 

[profisher]

Funny, last night we went to a dance at the Archie Browning Centre. The bud I went with is the lead member of a couple of local bands. I asked him if he had any interest in putting on a fairly major music festival here in town with all proceeds going to Alexandria Morton's work. He said great idea...he's not much of a fisherman but hates the salmon farms. He has access to some fairly well know talent..so we will see where this goes. May be a fun project. I've put on a dance before when I was much younger and my brothers band was up an coming. So I have some idea of whats involved. We'll see what happens.

 

[lorneparker1]

This thread has been the most productive of any other threads I've read.
Foxsea, do you know Alexandra Morton personally? Is there a chance she could speak to interested recreational sportfisherman as a group. I would like to also put salmon first, make conservation a priority and enjoy a well managed recreational sportfishery.

I just started communicating through email with her 2 weeks ago. She is an avid fisherwoman. And whats nothing more then to unite and reach more sportfisher people. Stay tuned. IMO she is the best shot we have at saving our fish. I have been following her for 2 years, and she is rentless. IMO you get the farms out of the water, and improve the logging practices(i.e improve habitat) and we will have more fish then we know what to do with. THEN WE CAN WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS WHAT.

The issue is we dont have enough fish, therefore we fight and bicker over reg changes, allocation, etc. Get rid of the reason why are stocks have been declining, fix it, the rest becomes easier.

 

[bushwackin]

Here is where to send donations, right from her website

Donate - Send A Cheque
Donation cheques can be made out to Pacific Coast Wild Salmon Society or PCWSS and mailed to Box 399, Sointula BC V0N 3E0 as well they could be included with your wild salmon for the Voices Campaign, still made out to PCWSS and sent to the address on the download which is: A Reed, Salmon Are Sacred 3866 Island Hwy W Qualicum Beach BC V9K 2G9

Together we can create change. Your donation is essential to keep the voice of the wild salmon clear through the efforts made in the Sacred Salmon peoples movement.

 

[Foxsea]

I just started communicating through email with her 2 weeks ago. She is an avid fisherwoman. And whats nothing more then to unite and reach more sportfisher people. Stay tuned. IMO she is the best shot we have at saving our fish. I have been following her for 2 years, and she is rentless. IMO you get the farms out of the water, and improve the logging practices(i.e improve habitat) and we will have more fish then we know what to do with. THEN WE CAN WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS WHAT.

The issue is we dont have enough fish, therefore we fight and bicker over reg changes, allocation, etc. Get rid of the reason why are stocks have been declining, fix it, the rest becomes easier.

M.S. asked if I know Dr. Alex Morton personally. I do not,... although I've heard her speak and I read her articles, letters and blog regularly.I donate to the PCWSS monthly. I hold her in very high regard, as a scientist and as a rational activist. Lorne is absolutely right - she is relentless for this cause and maintains outstanding integrity. I imagine the rich and powerful have tried to buy her off or intimidate her. She then redoubles her efforts to save salmon. I also agree that she is the best shot we have at saving the salmon now, when it desperately needs to be done.

If we can organise the large numbers of committed sportfishers we have here to support this common cause, it will add another strong voice to her message. And I would imagine it will give her some comfort knowing we are onside with her. The fight she's taken to the doors of the powerful has got to be draining.

Lorne, would you consider being the go-to guy for liason with Dr. Morton? I believe you have the cred on this forum plus the local connections and the years of experience needed to get this action rolling. I humbly ask everyone reading this thread to put any personal differences aside so we can get this job done. Lorne said: "Get rid of the reason why are stocks have been declining, fix it, the rest becomes easier." I say "Let's git-er-done." ...Oh, BTW: "Harper, Duncan, Clark and Co., - heads up!"

 

[Foxsea]

When we go looking for support one good place to talk to is Cabela's. Before they even had a location in Canada, I had asked them for a donation for our local fish and game club and they promptly responded with the department to request from and a donation of $150. was provided.
Just a thought.

Gunsmith: If we can decide, as a unified group, to support P.C.W.S.S., we could encourage all the related enterprises to support the cause, as well. In return we will give them first shot at our (significant) business - we could ask them to put up a P.C.W.S.S. stickers on their doors (or on the boats of the guides - and the sports fisher-supporters) to show who is committed to saving our salmon: gold contributor, silver contributor, bronze contributor...and more public visibility. Maybe some would take donations at the till. The only group offended will be Norwegian fish farmers and maybe John Duncan - Waaah! as Bruce Willis said: "Call a Whaaambulance." 70% of Canadian economic activity is consumer driven. Let's use that power and drive things in the right direction.
More thoughts on fund-raising ...

 

[Englishman]

I totally agree with what Lorne, Foxsea and others have posted here. I am already support Alex Morton's group as I have posted here before. I also support other environmental groups like Ecojustice among others (that pipeline fight is going to courts in big way and those guys will need some dough).

I agree of the existing groups, Alex Morton's group is the best one out there for our purposes. However, I still believe there is nothing wrong with enlightened self-interest and dream of the day when there could be a "Salmon Unlimited" organisation as powerful and as well funded as Ducks Unlimited. Maybe duck hunters have more money than recreational anglers, I don't know. Most of their money does come from hunters but not all - I have supported them in the past even though I do not hunt. Many educated people can see that DU, because they want more ducks, are doing a great job of protecting and enhancing habitats, because that is fundamentally what it is all about. And those wetlands they have protected do a whole lot more than support ducks.

BTW a good example of the power of cooperation is the Anglers Cooperative Association (ACA) in the U.K. These guys bring court actions, just like we dream of doing....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglers_Conservation_Association

They now in fact call themselves Fish Legal

http://www.fishlegal.net/landing.asp?section=158&sectionTitle=Fish Legal

 

[lorneparker1]

Lorne, would you consider being the go-to guy for liason with Dr. Morton? I believe you have the cred on this forum plus the local connections and the years of experience needed to get this action rolling. I humbly ask everyone reading this thread to put any personal differences aside so we can get this job done. Lorne said: "Get rid of the reason why are stocks have been declining, fix it, the rest becomes easier." I say "Let's git-er-done." ...Oh, BTW: "Harper, Duncan, Clark and Co., - heads up!"

I would love to be that guy. However, as i mentioned i just started communicating with her. Other then a few emails back and forth I dont personally know her at all. I have seen her speak, and have read her blog and articles. Hopefully i will get to be in that seat. Only time will tell. I am sure she is swamped, as the amount of effort required to do what she does has got to be taxing. I dont have "years of experience" i do however have lots of passion, my heart is in the right place and I am educated. I have also tried what i thought were other good avenues to help our sport, only to be let down. I feel the ball is starting to roll. She has no second agenda... She wants to save our fish, more then anyone and anything. And with more $$$ and support, I have every reason to believe that she can.


Lorne

 

[sammyslabber]

) we could ask them to put up a P.C.W.S.S. stickers on their doors (or on the boats of the guides - and the sports fisher-supporters) to show who is committed to saving our salmon: gold contributor, silver contributor, bronze contributor...and more public visibility. Maybe some would take donations at the till. The only group offended will be Norwegian fish farmers and maybe John Duncan - Waaah! as Bruce Willis said: "Call a Whaaambulance." 70% of Canadian economic activity is consumer driven. Let's use that power and drive things in the right direction.
More thoughts on fund-raising ...

We could do what the Commies did during the Mifflin plan...get our boats & trailers and form a daisey chain all the way to DFO HQ!!

 

[profisher]

You have to be careful with that kind of public protest. You have to make sure that the media doesn't twist the message to something about unhappy sport fishermen...instead of just supporting her in her efforts to save salmon.

 

[reelfast]

i think it would be important to let her group know just why you are sending your money to her instead of other groups. in the case of our conservation groups and the Elwha, they made their intentions know in a very public way by sending the concerned parties a letter, which became public, indicating an intent to file suit in federal court. this warning shot allerted many of us to just how serious these groups were on moving forward. while lots of groups are out there and make considerable 'noise', it takes some real balls to step up to the federal court level. just make sure which ever horse you are betting on has the wherewithall to move YOUR agenda.

it never hurts to contact several conservation groups to come up with some info regarding just which one is willing or close to stopping the harper plans via litigation. i know there may be some different feelings with folks regarding many of these groups but the important thing is which one or more of them are going to take action. time is short, the fish keep disappearing, this is a critical agenda item, pick the right horse in the race, ask alot of questions.

 

[sammyslabber]

You have to be careful with that kind of public protest. You have to make sure that the media doesn't twist the message to something about unhappy sport fishermen...instead of just supporting her in her efforts to save salmon.

I think the Candian public has to be heard,regardless of how we are portrayed in the media.To much blahblah doesn't always send home a loud & clear message.
When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty!

 

[lorneparker1]

i think it would be important to let her group know just why you are sending your money to her instead of other groups. in the case of our conservation groups and the Elwha, they made their intentions know in a very public way by sending the concerned parties a letter, which became public, indicating an intent to file suit in federal court. this warning shot allerted many of us to just how serious these groups were on moving forward. while lots of groups are out there and make considerable 'noise', it takes some real balls to step up to the federal court level. just make sure which ever horse you are betting on has the wherewithall to move YOUR agenda.

it never hurts to contact several conservation groups to come up with some info regarding just which one is willing or close to stopping the harper plans via litigation. i know there may be some different feelings with folks regarding many of these groups but the important thing is which one or more of them are going to take action. time is short, the fish keep disappearing, this is a critical agenda item, pick the right horse in the race, ask alot of questions.

Shes been to federal court for our fish, more then once, and Won.

Here is a great little back ground on her


http://salmonaresacred.org/about-alexandra-morton

 

[Foxsea]

You have to be careful with that kind of public protest. You have to make sure that the media doesn't twist the message to something about unhappy sport fishermen...instead of just supporting her in her efforts to save salmon.

You are right, Profisher - the media has developed a bad habit dismissing us as "angry" sport fishermen, only concerned with our allocation and possible closures. They have rarely bothered to probe the complexities of the salmon issues. So the "late-breaking news" of sportfishermen getting solidly behind an aggresive conservation group devoted to saving the salmon, actually putting our "self-interest" aside for now, should cause them to revisit their prior notions. Let's make sure they get the message right this time: recreational fishermen care very much about fish conservation and enhancement and have done so for many years.

 

[lorneparker1]

You are right, Profisher - the media has developed a bad habit dismissing us as "angry" sport fishermen, only concerned with our allocation and possible closures. They have rarely bothered to probe the complexities of the salmon issues. So the "late-breaking news" of sportfishermen getting solidly behind an aggresive conservation group devoted to saving the salmon, actually putting our "self-interest" aside for now, should cause them to revisit their prior notions. Let's make sure they get the message right this time: recreational fishermen care very much about fish conservation and enhancement and have done so for many years.

Agreed!

IMO this is the best way for us to make real change. We need the general public on our side. In order to do that we need the media on our side. In order to do that we need to carefully choose our actions and support the right causes.

Lorne

 

[alexandramorton]

Viruses in your fish

Hello,

thank you Lorne for alerting me to this conversation. There is so much that I learned in the Cohen documents I read (thousands) and now from the disease testing that I am doing. There are three very serious viruses in salmon, that DFO has turned a blind eye to in salmon feedlots. They are in your fish and there is no evidence they can survive this if they keeping pouring out from the salmon feedlots. Government is covering this up and I don't have means to get the information out there. So was very glad to see this forum. what is the best way to communicate with you guys? I have a blog alexandramorton.typepad.com

 

[chris73]

Alex, most of us are from southern VI. Would it be possible for you to come down here for an afternoon/evening to discuss the issues and options with us? I think a face to face discussion is most appropriate to gain an understanding what you need from us and we need from you or anybody else.

 

[Mighty Sylvan]

Alexandra, welcome to the forum and thank you for your post. I would like to know how you feel about recreational sportfishers and the current and future role we could play in the conservation of salmon and the removal of open net salmon farms on our coast.