Cowichan River - Region 1 - Coho Opportunity

[yammy5]

Category(s):
RECREATIONAL - Salmon

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Subject: FN0895-Salmon: Cowichan River - Region 1 - Coho Opportunity - Daily limits

Cowichan River, downstream of Skutz Falls to the Highway No. 1 Bridge (Silver
Bridge) effective immediately to 23:59 December 31, 2008 the daily limit:

- for Coho Salmon (over 35cm) will be one (1) per day,

Notes:
Anglers are further reminded of the following:
- The use of single barbless hooks is mandatory in all streams in Region 1;
- All foul hooked (ie: hooked other than in the mouth) must be returned to the
river immediately;
- The use of bait is prohibited in this area (as per the 2008–2009 Freshwater
Fishing Regulations Synopsis);
- The Marie Canyon Closure remains in effect until December 15, 2008 (as per
the 2008–2009 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis);

Please refer to the 2008–2009 Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis for
further restrictions and information when fishing in the non-tidal waters of
British Columbia, or contact your nearest Fish and Wildlife Office (Nanaimo 751-
3100), or Department of Fisheries and Oceans Office (Duncan 746-6221)

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call
the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line
at (800) 465-4336.

For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at (866) 431-
FISH


FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact the nearest Fisheries and Oceans Canada office – Duncan (250) 746-6221.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0895
Sent November 25, 2008 at 12:41
Visit us on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

[fishhawk8]

All I've got to say is "WHY!!!!"

Were the netters that productive out in Cow Bay last week? I heard otherwise. Chum, I could see, but the Cohos??
DFO - Dumb Freakin' Organization, and that's being polite!!!

I would be pleased if someone told me different re: the coho returns though, but can't see it. More proof of mismanagement, and maybe a good question to ask at the meeting tonight.

Seafood, eat it, then catch more.

 

[alley cat]

And on this one I agree , good God the misery these coho stocks are in for this area surely predicates far more special concern than an opening to fish in the nursery streams.
Insanity !

AL

 

[Cuba Libre]

Ummm - dont know for sure , but remember that a lot of folks have lobbied long and hard to keep retention opportunities. IF the run is strong enought it does no harm. It so late in the season that the first fish will have already spawned,. so is this oppertunity any thing more than an optical illusion?

Another thing to consider is the crashing number of Island steelhead anglers since the retention opportunities have been limited... Where have all the friends of the steelhead gone?? Golfing??? Might be the same here??? Once no one care for the fish, maybe its all about waterskiing and wakeboarding??? Dunno!!! But there is still personal choice-- if an angler is unhappy about killing a fish, then he (she) doesnt have to.




20ft Alumaweld Intruder

 

[steeliehead]

Maybe you should look in the upper Cowichan for Coho, we saw hundreds there the other day spawning.

 

[nitnat_junkie]

Yeah steelies right lots of coho in the cowichan, up closer to lake cowichan, damn good trout fishing right now

 

[yo mama]

Just cause there is a good return doesn't mean it should be open in my mind. Why do we feel the need to constanly ride the edge with salmon runs? Shut it down to retention and let the numbers grow. That river used to get so many coho it looked like Goldstreams Chum run. Let the wild coho runs be...

 

[Lipripper]

It has been open since the 16th????(the the email date) I read those notices when I was up there the Sunday it opened




DFO: keeping good in the eye of the sporty......not the fish [V]
Most of us are smart enough to leave them alone and there isnt enough to put in the time....... how much will actually be harvested??

 

[Big Bob]

Any idea how many coho actually made it into this system? I thought the numbers were very low.

 

[bee15]

no thanks.why is it whenever DFOsees an extra fish they have to make sure it gets caught and killed.that riversupplied great coho fishing in finlayson arm in the past why not let it happen again

 

[Cuba Libre]

Careful now-- Peta would just LOVE some of these comments!!!! But the comments about leaving the fish alone are right on the mark.. Who needs to go fishing at all?? Golf is us????




20ft Alumaweld Intruder

 

[Charter Tofino]

Doesnt seem to be an arguement saying close fishing, i think its saying dont bonk every last fish. I agree with most that it seems like dfo tries to let as many fish as possible get caught with no room for error(which happens).

Sure everyone might not be happy if they are more conservative about openings but the fish should come first.Cuba there is alot of different fishing oppurtunities and if someone is not going to fish because they cant bonk something then the golf course is a good place for them.

 

[tidehunter]

Why do so many feel the need to kill what they have caught? What's wrong with enjoying the 'fight' and releasing? Those that need to kill should stick to hunting and Xmas mall shopping.

 

[Cuba Libre]

quoteoesnt seem to be an arguement saying close fishing, i think its saying dont bonk every last fish.

I understand what you are saying. But perhaps some of the younger board members need to do a history review of how anglers finally got the right to fish for salmon in freshwater after years of being told they were poachers if they took a salmon in the fresh. That was the DFO stand. salmon dont bite in freshwater, its unsporting to catch them when they are spawning, they are no good to eat when they are in freshwater . These are just a few for the excuses that the old Dept of Fisheries used to keep the commercial fishermen and Natives off thier backs by stopping freshwater fishermen from "molesting" "spawners" .
Even far back as the guru Rod Haig-Brown, it was recognized that there was a period when the fish first entered the rivers that they were fair game by anglers-- but Fisheries for the above reasons and more, kept us from taking a fish.
It took a LOT of work from a whole bunch of anglers to change the government mind-set. The commercials didnt like it, neither did some of the more vocal Native bands. But over time , more and more rivers were opened up. Guys like Lee Strait and Mike Crammond , local SFAcs, angling organizations and a few enlightened Fishery Officers made the difference. But the right to fish in rivers is not set in stone. Conservation must come first, as it should for the Native fishery and the commercial fishery.

Are there enough coho in system for fishery? I dont know-- its not my home river.....

But I would sure like to hear from the guys that are spending a lot of time at meetings on the Cowichan management plan and the local SFAC to see what they think before less well informed anglers throw away all the gains that have been hard fought to win.

So--- who has the facts? How many coho does this system have? Will removing a few fish harm the run? Is this REALLY a case of "bonking the last fish?" I sure would like to see some data before throwing away past gains.

Cheers
CA










20ft Alumaweld Intruder

 

[islandboy]

It seems to me DF[)] would be far better off restricting fishing in the ocean and regulating fresh water salmon harvesting to pump up the stocks. At least they would have a better idea of escapement.

my 2 cents

 

[Charter Tofino]

I see that but theres a difference between shutting down fishing in freshwater and shutting down an endangered run. I dont know the numbers but its safe to assume they arent good. I assume because the ECVI has had barely any coho in the chuck since 2001, reports from the opening infront of the cowichan reported almost no coho and the cowichan like most ecvi flows has gone to Sh&% in terms of salmon/steel numbers.

Yes im to young to have seen most of this first hand like alot of members have. Also i know the reason for it happening is a number of somewhat complex issues but it doesnt seem like rocket science to close retention on a struggling system.

 

[yo mama]

The thing about younger eyes are that they are not tainted on the way things used to be when the rivers and oceans were teaming with fish. I find that the older "crew" tend to think that retention in the right of a fisherman regaurdless of run status and they seem to be the first to point fingers everywhere else but on fisherman themselves. Get with the times people. DFO doesn't know anything besides what they are being told from above from people trying to collect votes. simple math says more fish spawning in rivers= more fish leaving rivers as fry and then more fish returning to the river if limits are controled in the ocean. Simple as that.

 

[Cuba Libre]

quote:Also i know the reason for it happening is a number of somewhat complex issues but it doesnt seem like rocket science to close retention on a struggling system.

I agree... but dont you think anglers should get armed with facts first, rather than jumping on a bandwaggon that might be heading in the wrong direction?

And Yo M. I guess you missed this very important principle

quote:Conservation must come first

in my previous post. Guess younger eyes arnt all that great at times too..




20ft Alumaweld Intruder

 

[Cuba Libre]

Here is a start to finding what the real situation is. Contact on of the volunteers and ask THEM why there is a retention opportunity for coho. It doesnt seem to be a problem from the meeting notes..

quote:Cowichan Harvest Round Table notes,
Tuesday, Oct. 21st, 2008

Attending: Willie Jansen, Cameron Blacklock, C&P, Leroy Hopwo, Terry Palfrey, DFO, Wayne paige Sr., Larry George, Cowichan Tribes, Paul Rickard, Kim Zak, SFAC

We heard that the enforcement on the River has gone very well this year, with DFO providing good support to the Cowichan Guardians at all hours of the day and night. Very few problems, only two nets found and confiscated, few snagging violations, good compliance to Tribes fisheries regulations. Of particular note was that the spear fishermen were angry at nets, and they removed or discouraged the setting of them. There was apparently minimal non native illegal fishing going on, mostly some few young people carrying rods not knowing river was closed.

The Pink Project was all set to go again this coming year, with the egg collection done, and just waiting to be transported to the Cowichan Hatchery for incubation when they reach the eyed stage. We have to meet to discuss the setting of a fishing plan in the Bay upon their return. This will be a group consensus activity.

The hatchery has collected close to 900 chinook adults for broodstock, and will be set to do the maximum allowable egg take, which may be around 1.5 million eggs. The hatchery capacity, limited by water supply is 2 million eggs.

Escapement figures as of today are 940 adult Chinook past the fence to naturally spawn, with the addition of 200 adults which went up before the DFO counting fence was in place, but counted through a traditional hand made weir in the river which Cowichan Tribes put up beside their cultural center. I will attach a scanned copy of a graph of the past escapement of Cowichan Chinook, so that you can see very low return historically that this year’s return represents. I have indicated in pen where this years will likely end up, probably a total combined escapement of 2400 to 2600 adults. This will, as usual be updated and validated by DFO after reviewing video and mark / recapture dead pitch survey.

This is again, as we discussed, a very low return, and again Georgia Strait was shut down in large areas, and again Cowichan Tribes had a voluntarily reduced fishing opportunity for FSC fish. We discussed this disappointment at lack of rebuilding, and asked about the possible reasons. It is the fourth year since the hatchery power failure which resulted in the loss of all that year’s incubating eggs, but 4 year old fish are not a major component of the run, traditionally.

We then learned that the September fishery by area G troll took 5 Cowichan Tags, in addition to the 4 tags already recorded up to September. This means a total of 9 tags for a year’s fishing, which is the largest impact on Cowichan Chinook recorded in the last 10 years, we believe, but that needs to be confirmed. Our Recreational Community had expressed concern over the impact on Cowichan Stocks by having a 40,000 fish opening in September on conference call with the executive and DFO staff, but were told the fishery would go ahead as planned. Because DFO stock management decided that simply taking 20% off the top of the TAC for Area G this year would be sufficient to protect Cowichan, no action was taken, or will be taken now to restrict greater impact on Cowichan fish. Cowichan Tribes and our Recreational people are meeting next week to consider sending a letter to DFO expressing concern about the management practice which resulted in this impact.

We also discussed the fact that there is still no Chinook rebuilding plan in place as far as any of us knew, and our Round Table is sending a letter to the South coast Director expressing our strong concern over the lack of such planning which was promised at a Public Meeting last April.

We have already planned some triggers for commercial opening on Chum, and the Chum will be closely monitored with a test fishery to see how the numbers look. In addition the Didson sonar counter will be relocated to the lower river to give an idea of chum escapement, to aid in a decision around openings.

The In river fishery will open November 15th, with a limit of one coho, two chum per day.

20ft Alumaweld Intruder

 

[Charter Tofino]

Cuba you know just as well as "us asking why its open" that this years coho run wont be in good shape. Its kind of past the point of needing hard numbers as we all know its going to be a bad return which is kind of sad. I can see your trying to show the other side and tell us not to assume.

All i got from that bulliten is that the run of springs was low so they closed some of the straight(some of my favourite spots) and that DFO decided that a 40,000 fish opening shouldnt hurt to much. Didnt mention anything really about coho numbers