WTF-- Early herring Fishery in the Gulf

Cuba Libre

Well-Known Member
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
(pm@pm.gc.ca)

November 7th, 2011

Honourable Prime Minister:

FISHERIES MINISTER DEEPLY IN ERROR, IN ALLOWING HUGE HERRING FISHERY ON DEPLETED STOCKS

SUMMARY
Your Fisheries Minister, The Honourable Keith Ashfield (Min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca) will move today to open a huge new winter herring fishery for the "resident" (non-migratory) herring populations of the Salish Sea, even though the deep decline of these populations, is well documented, by the DFO itself (see below). He has set a target quota of 6,000 tonnes (the catch last year was 283 tonnes). This is a massive increase, in a region that suffers from complete loss of access to herring by First Nations, and the depletion of other fish, mammal, and bird species, that rely on herring, and that are essential to other economic activities, and that provide very large public benefits. Thus huge quota is thus causing deep public discontent, and rousing interest in numerous court actions.

This massive quota increase has been requested by the industry lobby (see below) and Minister Ashfield has ceded to this pressure with a complete lack of transparency and under a veil of secrecy (see below). With the exception of industry, and the First Nations on the west side of the Salish Sea, few have been made privy to this quota increase. This is the short term management of the fisheries of Canada, for a select few, a corrupt public policy.

The "resident" herring are vital to other wild fishes, such as the severely depleted wild Chinook and coho salmon, rockfish, and ling cod, that the DFO is supposedly trying to rebuild. They are also vital to the endangered Killer Whale (see below), and many species of sea birds, such as Harlequin duck and white-winged scoter (see below).

Therefore, extracting 6,000 tonnes of "resident" herring will not only now prevent the rebuilding of the dozens of First Nations fisheries, but it will further deflate local economies, including the sports fishery, and whale and birdwatching industries, resulting in severe economic losses, to western Canadians.

As the DFO has no stock assessment process for the "resident" stocks, and as all of the Salish Sea herring are officially considered part of one "metastock" by the DFO, a fishery for them is in breach of DFO's "precautionary principle."

It is requested that the Prime Minister should instruct his Fisheries Minister to not only stand down the herring fleet today, but also impose a permanent moratorium on herring fishing in the Salish Sea.

It is also suggested that your Fisheries Minister should come to B.C. to meet with the First Nations, and those involved in the herring-dependent industries, to plan long term rebuilding. He should come to know through them, first hand, the depleted state of these stocks, and their potential.

Finally, the Fisheries Minister should face the reality that, should the fleet now take 6,000 tonnes, a future listing, under COSEWIC, or Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, will be a strong possibility, as yet another species under the management of your government, is pushed to extinction.

LOSS OF FIRST NATIONS ACCESS
Herring are a constitutionally protected food source of First Nations, but today, the First Nations of the Salish Sea are unable to harvest herring and herring roe. Recently, a university/First Nations group called the "Herring School", has documented this loss of access, while at the same time providing much valuable new archeological evidence that observes long periods of Aboriginal past use, by location. This newly acquired knowledge, if the DFO allows it now be fully integrated with modern fisheries science, can provide the basis not only for a comprehensive rebuilding process, but also for a much better understanding, of the diversity, of the ancient herring populations.

You have offered an apology for past wrongs to First Nations, but the recent actions of your Fisheries Minister in regard to this herring fishery, do not indicate a change in government attitude; the DFO did not live up to even the minimal legal obligations of the Crown to "consult" with First Nations, and only the First Nations on the west side of the Salish Sea, were made privy to this fishery. DFO science concludes that since all of the Salish Sea herring are a single "metastock". Therefore, the courts must conclude, that all of the Salish Sea First Nations must be consulted, before any fishery can be held. I hope you can instruct your Minister, that the only way forward is sincere and full inclusion of all of the First Nations in the long term management of the herring resource.

[Re: Roe-herring issue: The quota set for the later March roe herring fishery for the "migratory" stocks (taken in March in the Hornby Island to Qualicum areas) will be set at the same high levels as in recent years, although the roe herring taken in recent years have been decreasing in size, and fishery must now be left open over a longer period, and over a larger area, than at any time in the past.]

THE SCIENCE (OR LACK OF IT)
DFO's research arm, the Pacific Biological Station, has never studied the biology of the "resident" herring, and only one paper tries to assess their abundance; it concluded that they were at very low levels: Schweigert, J. F., and M. Linekin. 1990. (The Georgia and Johnstone straits herring bait fishery in 1986: Results of a questionnaire survey. Canadian Technical Reports of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1721, 44 pp. attached). The "resident" populations, once used for sporting fishing live bait, remain so depleted that the "bait ponds" are today unable to operate.

THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF THE HERRING-DEPENDENT, SPORTS FISHING, WHALE WATCHING, AND BIRDWATCHING, INDUSTRIES
The "resident" herring populations are of central importance to the diverse Salish Sea ecosystem, and the economies of the sports fishing, whale watching, and birdwatching industries depend upon the rational management of this ecosystem. Each of these are huge economic activities, although they have decreased, as the "resident" herring populations have decreased. The sport fishery has suffered a huge economic decline, one of the major contributing factors being the decline of the local herring populations that once attracted and feed local Chinook and coho salmons, in all areas of the Salish Sea. The southern resident Killer Whale pod is now critically endangered due to high toxin loads, its' small population size, and lack of access to Chinook salmon, which no longer can rear in larger numbers in the Salish Sea due to depressed "resident" herring populations. Thus this is a SARA (Species at Risk) issue. Killer Whales, Chinook, and herring are closely linked and interdependent in the ecosystem, as noted on the DFO web site, which concludes that just as the major food of Chinook is herring, the major food of the resident Killer Whales, is Chinook. The populations of birds such as the Harlequin duck and white-winged scoter, have sunk to lower levels, as the number of herring spawning sites, and the thickness of the herring spawns, have decreased in the Salish Sea. For these and many other seabirds, the nutrition provided by the herring spawns, is essential for later nesting success.

EAST COAST, ALL OVER AGAIN
The reason for the fishery is simply that industry asked for it:
From DFO's draft fishing plan, for 2012:
"As a result of increased interest in this fishery and development of global markets, and as recommended by the Herring Industry Advisory Board (HIAB), the allocation to this fishery will be 6,000 tons (one hundred licenses) for the Strait of Georgia area for the 2011/2012 season."
(283 tons taken last year)
 
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EAST COAST, ALL OVER AGAIN
The reason for the fishery is simply that industry asked for it:
From DFO's draft fishing plan, for 2012:
"As a result of increased interest in this fishery and development of global markets, and as recommended by the Herring Industry Advisory Board (HIAB), the allocation to this fishery will be 6,000 tons (one hundred licenses) for the Strait of Georgia area for the 2011/2012 season."
(283 tons taken last year)

GOODBYE, PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE
Thus any targeted fishery for the "non-migratory" or "resident" populations, is in breach of DFO policy, as no scientific research, whatever, has been conducted. Under the new "precautionary principle," supposedly now adopted by the DFO, there has to be a scientific justification for any fishery, and the identification of a surplus, before there can be harvest. As these "resident" fish populations are not included in the stock assessment process, science-based quotas for them just cannot be established. The DFO quota that has been set is only a "political" quota. I attach a scanned summary article by Marion Lightly, "Homesteader Herring, Local Non-migratory stocks Are Still Poorly Understood", which best summarizes the lack of scientific knowledge and research, for these stocks.

POSSIBLE COURT ACTION
The fact of the matter is that the upcoming winter fishery could be stopped by the courts, on many fronts. What is wrong in Canada, if the common citizenry has to undertake the task of defending a resource, which is supposed to be responsibility managed by your Minister?

Has your Minister come here to meet with the First Nations on this issue? Does he know that the loss of herring roe is a huge grievance to these communities?

Has your Minister read the Schweigert and Linekin paper, or come to the West to talk to local people of knowledge who are involved in the related industries about the present status of these "resident" populations?

EFFECTS OF A FISHERY-IN SUMMARY
If the fishery is opened today, the "resident" herring populations will be driven so low that a COSEWIC assessment will be required, as it was on East Coast cod. In the interim, the First Nations cultures will face a much longer re-building period, until they can again obtain this coveted food, used for many key ceremonial practices, as well as for food. Also, the sports fishing, and mammal and birdwatching industries, will continue to face economic declines. Overall, it needs to be recognized, that the net public revenues that could be generated in future from a rebuilt and well-managed "resident" herring resource, are very large, and that the goal of full rebuilding, before any commercial harvest is again attempted, should be the most important policy goal of your Minister at this time.

I ask that you order your Fisheries Minister The Honourable Keith Ashfield to not only stand down the herring fleet today, but also immediately impose a total closure on commercial herring fishing, in the Salish Sea. Also at this time, more DFO resources need to be devoted to herring research, in close concert with the First Nations, in what will be a good long term investment, for the people of Canada. Commercial extraction, must cease to be the major factor, in the allocation of research resources.

Yours Sincerely,

David Ellis
Former Head, Marine Fishes, Pacific
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
Vancouver, B.C.
 
...basically 6,000 tons was transferred from the herring roe quota to bait and food lic. It is a market shift that is directing the change.

DHA.
 
There was a brilliant article published in the Vancouver Sun this past summer outlining the peril that resident herring stocks are in and by all accounts, this herring fishery should not be occurring. Scientists have catalogued 40 distinct genetic groups of herring on this coast and many of those are, by historical accounts, thought to be extinct. STOP this fishery!
 
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The main issue with the way our fisheries are managed today, is that our common public resources are held in a political trust. There is no legal accountability under a political trust, therefor no remedy. So a court action would be fruitless at this point.

We need a modern common law revival of the public trust doctrine in Canada. The political public trust that our common resources have been administered are now diminished and failing to serve the better good. At least under the public trust doctrine, we would have a leg in court to stand on. Today, we do not!

DHA.
 
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Guess what, this is approved and in the Fishing plan.
To late to do anything once again.
This is the commercial sector running the ship.

The splintered groups of sports fishermen is cut out once again.
F/N were involved in this decision, so they have nothing to say against it now.

Pretty soon no herring and with them gone goes all the others.
 
The area in front of Nanaimo is the most productive I have seen it in years. The reason there is actually life out there, for a change, is IMO the lack of any significant herring fishery last spring. There are juvenile herring everywhere and that is what is feeding the ecosystem. You want fish/whales and healthy ecosystem then one would logically think you need to suport the foundation.

This is so sad and short sighted. boils my blood
 
Someone at the Department for Commercial Fishers should get fired for such a hare brained idea.
The person who controls such things is showing a complete lack of judgment.
This example of "rape the ocean" needs to be stopped. Problem is I don't know how to do it.
GLG
:mad::mad::mad:
 
...basically 6,000 tons was transferred from the herring roe quota to bait and food lic. It is a market shift that is directing the change.

DHA.

DHA can you tell us what market this going to?
 
none of these fish are market quality for roe, they are bait and food only, 6000 tons doesn't make sense, talk about flooding the market. at lease they had trouble getting the fish last year, and the last couple of years ( no cknw herring sales )
 
Considering the number of boats that were approved for the fishery and reviewing all of the names on the list of boats, you can be guaranteed that not all of them will be fishing, so many of the lic. will be stacked. The roe fishery has been weak due to various events and market shifts. Basically it comes down to dollars and cents in any commerce based fishery, including sport and commercial FN. The fish will be sold for food and sport bait. The quality is at its highest grade, they are not mature enough to be harvested for roe. This is a seine net fishery.

I can understand doubling historic quota values as a test, but I do not agree with an over a 300% increase...that is plain and simple BS!

Stop Political Bureaucracy, put FISH FIRST!

DHA.
 
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might be good idea to do a little more research before you fly off the handle.


Yes they approved 6000 tons to be havested. Now ask the question how much will be taken.

Every boat that had a herring seine licenses on it in 2011 is eligable for the fishery. That would be the long list of boats posted earlier. To the best of my knowledge there are only 4 boats going from CFC. also if you read the list there are boats on there that are dedidcated longliners and have never and will never catch herring as they are not even plumbed for a drum..

The fish that are being harvested are old enough to produce eggs but have not yet started(they begin egg development in the new year). Lastly it is a food fishery so the herring cannot be sold as bait. there are already designated licenses for that purpose.

Way to go with the sky is falling once again...
 
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I wouldn't be too surprised if the salmon fishing mysteriously declined after the herring fishery closes....
funny thing how salmon like to eat herring and when there's none around,.... well they just go away. :(
 
might be good idea to do a little more research before you fly off the handle.


Yes they approved 6000 tons to be havested. Now ask the question how much will be taken.

Every boat that had a herring seine licenses on it in 2011 is eligable for the fishery. That would be the long list of boats posted earlier. To the best of my knowledge there are only 4 boats going from CFC. also if you read the list there are boats on there that are dedidcated longliners and have never and will never catch herring as they are not even plumbed for a drum..

The fish that are being harvested are old enough to produce eggs but have not yet started(they begin egg development in the new year). Lastly it is a food fishery so the herring cannot be sold as bait. there are already designated licenses for that purpose.

Way to go with the sky is falling once again...

As I will reiterate by looking at the list not every boat will be fishing! Further according to DFO in a personal conversation, it is in fact food/bait fishery.

DHA.
 
DFO has a history of pandering to commercial interests.

Remember when they wiped out the Basking Shark population a few decades ago......so that the commercial interests could flourish.

Bait fishery?.......like the government or commercials actually give a damn about whether you have enough bait for next year...if there was any other profitable market for this particular allocation, you can be sure your bait supplies would be non-existent or dead last on their list.
 
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