Emergency SFAB Meetings About Proposed SRKW Fishing Closures

Tips, the local whale watchers are now going to be following rules that are very close to how the US boats are governed in their waters. No closer than 200 metres and no leapfroging . The pathe in front of the whales is a no go zone. Obviously there will have to be some enforcement to make sure the compliance level is high. Work has to be done to educate the general boating crowds too....many of them are unaware of the new protocols.
Who regulates and monitors the rules for whale watchers?
Who do we report to when we see them breaking the rules?
I certainly don't think the current rules are being followed and the number of whale watchers out there say after day are relentless.
I'm not sure there is any enforcement at this time.

Did this come up at any of the meetings?
 
Jackel, I was speaking to any sector telling DFO to cut us back we are catching to many. Obviously most people will self limit for various reasons...full freezer, don't like eating fish, on a long trip and don't want to limit too fast etc etc. There are lots of reasons for individuals not to take their limit....and your reason is one of them.
 
Tips, yes it came up ate the SVIAC town hall meeting a back in January. The owner of Eaglewing was speaking to the changes coming in for their industry. This will be the year to watch and see if they follow the new rules. I think most will as they are in the cross hairs and have everything to loose if they don't. Think about how much more money they have invested in boats, offices, staff etc than us fishing charter boats. Way more to loose if they get pulled off the water. They also have up to 75 witnesses on the bigger boats...and would be very easy for DFO to set them up with a sting by simply buying a seat and observing.
 
I would think DFO or RCMP and likely Coast Guard too would be able to lay charges for not following the new rules. Don't know of any other agencies with any a marine enforcement presence.
 
Have Chinook stocks fell into what scientist call a

"“predator pit.” After everyone has had their fill, there simply aren’t enough fish left for the Chinook population to climb out of the hole. More young adults join the spawning stock each year, but not enough to outweigh the number being eaten."
 
Have Chinook stocks fell into what scientist call a

"“predator pit.” After everyone has had their fill, there simply aren’t enough fish left for the Chinook population to climb out of the hole. More young adults join the spawning stock each year, but not enough to outweigh the number being eaten."

Yes we may have reached the tipping point. Steelhead are a very good case study on what is about to happen to Chinook if we don’t arrest the predation

Then we can also say that recreational anglers also fell victim to a predator pit of a different kind. Sort of like steelheaders
 
If anyone can share info from the Bass Pro meeting it would be appreciated . Couldn't make it as I have company arriving from out of town .
 
Well Pro, i for one and my wife included NEVER (pulling a Wolf here) kept our 4 springs a day when we could, once i myself kept 3 otherwise it was 2 each max, we always thought it was an insane limit to have 4 a day. Now as for the whale watchers, i live on the ocean in Jordan River, and what i see ever day in front of the house with the whale watchers running and gunning at the whales is unacceptable, day in day out. I have never seen the whale in an active feeding mode just swimming for their lives and burning valuable energy. My best guess is they are probably doing most of their feeding at night when the watchers are all tucked in bed. If we take a hit then THEY SHOULD TOO (another Wolf moment :) )

I personally would like to see some 3 rd party scientific data on the impact of the whale watching industry and the grizzly bear watching industry. Both of them have had a major NEGATIVE impact on the 2 species. This is one of my major concerns of late with the political moves made lately and parties with financial interests lobbying the government. These are not HEALTHY industries to support. It is all about money.
 
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If anyone can share info from the Bass Pro meeting it would be appreciated . Couldn't make it as I have company arriving from out of town .

2oo+ fishermen that want to reduce the seals population and stop whale watchers.

Oh and get a membership to SFI because thoes guys are working hard for us mainlanders.
 
great to see a big turnout...... exactly what Wildman said ...... cull on seals and and keep the whale watchers out of the closed areas just like the fisherman have too..... seems impossible to have a legit study with 1 of the 2 inside the foraging areas..... DFO is a joke always has been and always will be..... afraid its a little too late for us small guys ...
 
I hate to say it but I think what's best for our long term survival is to have First Nations sport fishing guides. To get first nations involved in sports fishing.

I don't no how to start that but for our long term survival it's probably a necessity.

Also there was more gray hair in the crowd then not, So young people either did not care or just don't fish.

Oh and also their was also a older blonde lady talking all sexy about how to grow bigger chinook! She's been doing it for over 15 years she's got the facts to back it up she also worked in a DFO hatchery.

I'll see if i can contact her for more info from her!

https://www.bclocalnews.com/news/port-alberni-salmon-fest-contributes-to-salmon-enhancement/

http://www.omegapacific.ca/

https://www.gofundme.com/saving-the-iconic-king-salmon
 
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If anyone can share info from the Bass Pro meeting it would be appreciated . Couldn't make it as I have company arriving from out of town .

I was there. Read the 2 documents which were put out there. The presentation was supposed to talk about the highlights of those papers.

One thing that irked me was Martin Paish recommending that we “stop fishing” and leave the area when the whales are by. That irked me a little. Not sure why.
 
save the whales....catch fewer Chinook!

Meanwhile, we’re on Native land in Tsawassen and you don’t hear jack sh$t from any First Nations Group talking about “saving the SRKW”. funny how that is.....a prominent animal—-a species at risk....so predominant and prevalent and of such importance in First Nations artwork and culture....and when there is a serious and clear threat to the survival of the species....Natives are absent from providing solutions...such as “we’re going to allow more salmon to reach spawning grounds because the whales need more to eat”.

It’s all DFO’s fault! Or is it? Is it really all the Bureaucrats fault? FN used to fish on a subsistence basis....so how do you call a race based commercial Fishery no longer rooted in subsistence a non impact to salmon stocks and the SRKW population?
 
save the whales....catch fewer Chinook!

Meanwhile, we’re on Native land in Tsawassen and you don’t hear jack sh$t from any First Nations Group talking about “saving the SRKW”. funny how that is.....a prominent animal—-a species at risk....so predominant and prevalent and of such importance in First Nations artwork and culture....and when there is a serious and clear threat to the survival of the species....Natives are absent from providing solutions...such as “we’re going to allow more salmon to reach spawning grounds because the whales need more to eat”.

It’s all DFO’s fault! Or is it? Is it really all the Bureaucrats fault? FN used to fish on a subsistence basis....so how do you call a race based commercial Fishery no longer rooted in subsistence a non impact to salmon stocks and the SRKW population?
The Sportfishing sector is always the first to give in. Allowing this race based commercial fishery was the beginning of the end and the white man will take the blame all the way down.
 
I was there. Read the 2 documents which were put out there. The presentation was supposed to talk about the highlights of those papers.

One thing that irked me was Martin Paish recommending that we “stop fishing” and leave the area when the whales are by. That irked me a little. Not sure why.

Very sage advice on Martin's part.

All the research (please read it) points to the biggest single thing vessel operators (ergo sportsfishers) can do to help whales is avoid disrupting SRKW feeding and prey acquisition. Avoidance helps significantly reduce physical and acoustic disturbance, which impedes feeding success by as much as 25%. So, we are advocating that all recreational anglers when they see killer whales, maintain a 400 m bubble or spatial exclusion zone to reduce both physical and acoustic disturbance. Also turn off your sounder, and slowly leave the fishing area. Besides when whales are there your fishing success will be very poor generally. Its the right thing to do, and certainly far more effective for helping whales than an Area Closure.

If we can't prove as recreational anglers that we care about whales enough to adopt best practices like simple avoidance, then I say expect the next step to be close the whole ocean to recreational fishing.
 
I hate to say it but I think what's best for our long term survival is to have First Nations sport fishing guides. To get first nations involved in sports fishing.

I don't no how to start that but for our long term survival it's probably a necessity.

Also there was more gray hair in the crowd then not, So young people either did not care or just don't fish.

Oh and also their was also a older blonde lady talking all sexy about how to grow bigger chinook! She's been doing it for over 15 years she's got the facts to back it up she also worked in a DFO hatchery.

I'll see if i can contact her for more info from her!

https://www.bclocalnews.com/news/port-alberni-salmon-fest-contributes-to-salmon-enhancement/

http://www.omegapacific.ca/

https://www.gofundme.com/saving-the-iconic-king-salmon

That's Carol's S-1 project from Port Alberni. The claims Carol is making are not yet confirmed - the Area 23 gang is still waiting to see how the S-1's actually perform over the longer term. We have supported Carol's work, but by no means can say its "the" answer. Jury is still out. Don't get too excited yet.
 
Very sage advice on Martin's part.

All the research (please read it) points to the biggest single thing vessel operators (ergo sportsfishers) can do to help whales is avoid disrupting SRKW feeding and prey acquisition. Avoidance helps significantly reduce physical and acoustic disturbance, which impedes feeding success by as much as 25%. So, we are advocating that all recreational anglers when they see killer whales, maintain a 400 m bubble or spatial exclusion zone to reduce both physical and acoustic disturbance. Also turn off your sounder, and slowly leave the fishing area. Besides when whales are there your fishing success will be very poor generally. Its the right thing to do, and certainly far more effective for helping whales than an Area Closure.

If we can't prove as recreational anglers that we care about whales enough to adopt best practices like simple avoidance, then I say expect the next step to be close the whole ocean to recreational fishing.
Agreed
 
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