Are you ready? The Feds get ready to close fishing areas.

[4bouys]

Here is what we should do:
The problem for orcas is not the number of salmon, but the number of large salmon. The feeding efficiency for small salmon results in whales not receiving the energy return when feeding on small salmon. Therefore the sportfishing community should agree to:

• A self-imposed size restriction of 18 pounds or so (or associated length)
  
• A self-funded monitoring group where volunteers check boats on the water, not just at the docks.
  
  
• Rewards for whistle-blowers.
  
  
• A high profile awareness campaign at the docks, tackle stores etc.
  
  
• Individually allocated fishing days. Allocate certain calendar days for each licence – only ¼ or 1/3 of days in each month available to each licence to be on the water.
  

Again, this could all be self-monitored by a “Sport-fishing and Guiding” body that is self-funded and staffed by volunteers. I think that most fisherman would join up and participate if faced with the alternative of no fishing at all.


Proposing a solution such as this would be much better that just a contrarian rejection of the closure.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I think it’s silly to restrict summer fishing and max sizes. All it does is force the sports foshing industry to catch the same fish when it’s small
In the winter and spring.

Why kill a fish when its 3 years old but then not when it’s 4?

Allocating caleder days is also silly, what if you get the ****** tides, ****** weather ect.. also there’s peek timing when fishing is on fire and then the next week completely dead.

You could end out being completely shut out.

I could see doing only even or odd days fishing that would give whales every other day to feed unimpeeded

 

[Rockfish]

4bouys - It is taking every bit of self restraint I can muster to reply to your suggestions only with a simple - ah no.

 

[california]

Here is what we should do:

• A self-imposed size restriction of 18 pounds or so (or associated length)

A size restriction (mandated not voluntary) could be coming soon, and if not this year it probably will at some point to preserve some of the larger spawners and older fish.

 

[Rockfish]

I could see doing only even or odd days fishing that would give whales every other day to feed unimpeeded

It seems to me that already occurs naturally on any day in JDF when the wind is blowing 20 to 40+ knots. Less for a lot of the smaller boats. As I write this it is blowing 24 at Race Rocks and is increasing. One look out my window at my weather tree told me that it is already good out there for unimpeded feeding. With slots (max. size limits) which we have had for years, most of our decent Chinook season is pretty much wiped out already. I am not willing to give up many more of the very few days we have left to fish for a decent Chinook. South VI has more than done our part. Time for others to do theirs.

 

[wildmanyeah]

It seems to me that already occurs naturally on any day in JDF when the wind is blowing 20 to 40+ knots. Less for a lot of the smaller boats. As I right this it is blowing 24 at Race Rocks and is increasing. One look out my window at my weather tree told me that it is already good out there for unimpeded feeding. With slots (size limits) most of our decent Chinook season is pretty much wiped out already. I am not willing to give up many more of the very few days we have left to fish for a decent Chinook. South VI has more than done our part. Time for others to do theirs.

I hear most areas are getting hammered in the next announcement...

Also when I state things I refer them coast wide. I don't believe picking on any one area is a solution, it just forces people to change where and when they fish. There is hundreds of anglers waiting to go back to chinook fishing on the fraser river that have been shut out now for along time while the ocean guys have went about their business. Everyone in the JDF seems to always conveniently forget about that.

 

[Derby]

It seems to me that already occurs naturally on any day in JDF when the wind is blowing 20 to 40+ knots. Less for a lot of the smaller boats. As I right this it is blowing 24 at Race Rocks and is increasing. One look out my window at my weather tree told me that it is already good out there for unimpeded feeding. With slots (max. size limits) which we have had for years, most of our decent Chinook season is pretty much wiped out already. I am not willing to give up many more of the very few days we have left to fish for a decent Chinook. South VI has more than done our part. Time for others to do theirs.

Pretty sad statement when u wish pain on others or any area's....

 

[calmsea]

Easy to say for you Derby when your area got off easy while the south coast gets pretty much closed down. I wonder what your reaction would be if they closed Beale to Ukie.

 

[Powerset]

Slot limits for chinook are likely on the way and in most areas, if not this year then next. The real problem is there hasn’t been any other measures really tried. Why not go from 15 chinook a year to 10 or 5.? Why not release everything over 65 cm ? How about get the nets out if the water? I mean if we’re serious about conservation then the idea is to conserve. DFO has always looked at CLOSURE as the cheapest form of enforcement. That can’t be allowed to stand any longer. There’s too many lives and livelihoods at stake here now. You can’t go from from very few measures to all out fishing bans. That stinks of mismanagement down through the years. This is a dreadfully underfunded resource, and now that we’re finally getting some investments, the government wants to shut everything down to protect the money they’ve spent. Well the money they’re spending is our money. Liberals are in a dogfight here in BC, elections matter, keep reminding them of that. Mass closures now and I’m voting Conservative

 

[Derby]

Something that is being missed here is we are seeing the effects of the blob that was present for 2 or three years..these returns are also part of the big down swing in returns.. Not sure if anyone out in the GS has notice...there seems to be very few small springs present when fish out front in Nanaimo this year which are usually present.. we may be not be thru all this yet...........

 

[searun]

Hard to read some of the comments within this thread. From my experience over a lifetime of fishing, the core value of recreational fishing has been having the opportunity and expectation of catch. They are both interdependent values. For example, we can have the opportunity to go fishing or have access to fish....but without and expectation you will actually encounter fish its not likely you will go fishing. Experiencing the process of going fishing, encountering fish, and sharing those moments with friends is part of the Canadian fabric...is a social tradition. Un-Canadian to think otherwise in my humble view.

Would many guys on here pay to trailer their boat on a ferry, drop hundreds if not thousands of $$ on gas, food, boat, tackle, accommodation if they didn't have a reasonable expectation of catch?? Be honest!

So why are we wishing away our opportunity and expectation, getting all jacked up about pitting one area against the next? A core value here should be to make sure where ever sustainable, we should be promoting recreational fishing opportunities & expectations of catch.

Spoiler alert...for those of you wishing for more max size restrictions - those aren't in the cards for most areas this season.

 

[Derby]

Easy to say for you Derby when your area got off easy while the south coast gets pretty much closed down. I wonder what your reaction would be if they closed Beale to Ukie.

Wait for it..you can break out the champagne tomorrow when the announcements comes because the GS & Up North will be under new regs as of June first...if that makes you happy & float your boat. enjoy it... like I said before.. not sure why anyone would wish any closer on any area's.....

 

[wildmanyeah]

It comes down to ones own philosophy if you beleive that the recreational harvest has an impact on a fishery.

 

[OldBlackDog]

Rumours say today will be start of the bad news.

 

[Mudshark]

What’s the exact link they will be posted to ?

 

[california]

Normally they would be on the DFO fisheries notices page, http://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sa...2bcd2ad21-F7D96A16-9F5C-B6B9-950A531E3DE7D51F
Nothing there today except some commercial fisheries notices.

 

[Whitebuck]

We have had restrictions for years both freshwater and salt.
We continue to be part of a solution that is supposed to be helping.
We have done our part with no increase in stocks.
Cutting us back is not helping anything.
I have ZERO problem not fishing to preserve stocks, but when another sector is wiping out endangered fish I have a problem with that. We are almost past the point of no return with a lot of stocks within the Fraser, Nass and Skeena.

And in regards to us working with FN? It is a pipe dream and will never happen. We have a small group of FN in region 3 who are willing to help and preserve fish stocks. That is it! With all due respect people need to wake up if they think we are ever going to find a solution working with them.

 

[Powerset]

The one grain of hope is dfo(liberals) may throw us a bone and not completely shut down the fraser chinook fishery, the other bone is 2019 is a federal election and very soon Sheer and Conservatives will start making promises to fishermen! I’m willing to listen

 

[OldBlackDog]

It appears the rumour mill was wrong again.
No news today.
That could be good or bad!

 

[Powerset]

closures were supposed to be enacted June 1, gotta love dfo for allowing folks plenty of time to make plans and cancel trips! I suspect they’ve known for quite some time what’s coming, I just wish they’d make an announcement and folks can get on with their lives, this waiting ******** is getting old