Emerging Issues for SVI Chinook Regulations

[Tips Up]

Unfortunately we sound like "whiners" because we would rather catch a big fish than address conservation.
Not enough exposure of what is happening to these fish once they reach the river.
Net caught and sold to highest bidder.

We come across the same way in the halibut allocation fight.
Rather catch big fish than release the spawners... Commies long line anything you like and sell to the highest bidder.

Our slot limits are not going to save the fish. If it did I would be 100% on board.

Time for our Government to grow some balls.

 

[Whitebuck]

I agree that article is a **** poor reflection of what is actually going on and the way sportsanglers feel.
Email sent to the editor

 

[Clint r]

Exactly! Every year we get a wee bit more clawed away. Death by 1000 cuts.

Yes. But we keep on making excuses why it's ok. Like oh it could have been worse or at least we're aloud allowed blah blah blah. We need to take back what's rightfully ours. If that means fishing in packs and putting the run on DFO when they show up we should seriously think about it. Wouldn't take long before the folks in Ottawa realized just how pissed we are.

 

[Clint r]

^^^ I don't mean fishing illegally either. I mean surrounding them and hassling them until they leave. No physical violence, no threats nothing like that. But when they pull up to check someone we could surround them and generally make it impossible to do their so called "job". Like green peace does to whalers.

 

[profisher]

Why not go for a national news story and blockade the Cheam band from leaving their reservation. The message to the media is: we are not there to fight DFO's restrictions put on us but to protest that the unaccountable in river net fishery that is preventing the recovery of these stocks. We are blockading to save Fraser River Chinook salmon and the wildlife and sealife that depend on them. (killer whales, bears, eagles etc) The conservation concern must be grave for DFO to further cut back, restrict and do long term harm to a recreational fishery that takes 2% of these fish. To continue to allow a net fishery that takes over 30% of these fish makes no sense and will only continue to cause these stocks to continue in decline.

 

[Fisherman Rob]

To continue to allow a net fishery that takes over 30% of these fish makes no sense and will only continue to cause these stocks to continue in decline.

Is this the allowed quota? What are the regs for the First Nations net fishery?

 

[Whitebuck]

Only restriction is size of mesh and times. Whats the point of regulations when band members dont follow them anyway.

 

[ziggy]

If the fish are being sold as opposed to being used for food by the band, then fisheries has a few options. Stop the fishing altogether which they can't legally .Designate it as commercial fishery, which it is in part, and count the catch against commercial quota. Educate the public on what is going on. Crack down on purchasers!

 

[Whole in the Water]

You are right Ziggy DFO could do these things, however there is no political will to do anything involving FN's for fear of bad PR and potential court battles.

The only way to get DFO to do something is to force their unwilling hand by having the rec sector start to lobby and protest politically and/or take DFO to court. To do any of these things rec fishers need to start seriously supporting existing lobbying organizations like SVIAC, SFI-BC, BCWF, etc. with their volunteer time and money. If we don't band together to fight this, then we deserve whatever we get by our inaction. So it is time to start getting involved!!!

 

[ziggy]

In the scenario you describe the rec sector will be painted as greedy and racist by the FN lawyers.
Better in my opinuon to force DFO to do their job. Educate the so called environmentalists/comsumers about what's happening and stop the sale of illegal fish.

Getting into a peeing contest with FN's, without the support of average Canadians is doomed to fail IMHO. If you take away the non FN market, I think you win?

 

[profisher]

Ziggy, the rec fishery should not take on the FN for more access to fish for themselves. They should go after the FN to support our efforts to allow Fraser River Chinook to recover by cutting back the numbers they take (like we already have for a number of years) and to make those cuts verifiable by allowing DFO to properly monitor their catches. The public would support reducing their catch if it was in the name of conservation especially if without that cooperation the fish, whales, bears ,eagles etc are likely to be severely effected.

 

[Derby]

( by allowing DFO to properly monitor their catches..)

Profisher this is the right track....

 

[ziggy]

Ziggy, the rec fishery should not take on the FN for more access to fish for themselves. They should go after the FN to support our efforts to allow Fraser River Chinook to recover by cutting back the numbers they take (like we already have for a number of years) and to make those cuts verifiable by allowing DFO to properly monitor their catches. The public would support reducing their catch if it was in the name of conservation especially if without that cooperation the fish, whales, bears ,eagles etc are likely to be severely effected.

I think we are in complete agreement.

 

[AlGee]

I have a pretty good idea WHY the Fraser R. FN's want those early run Chinooks, and as usual, it all boils down to the mighty dollar. A buddy went commercial fishing (trolling) for springs off WCVI a month ago. Its no wonder that FN's want to get into the game when buyers were paying $12.50 a pound for large reds. Personally, I've never seen LR's selling for more than $3.50. He said whites were $7.00 a pound. Not a lot of fish caught but one tote (about 50 fish) was worth $5000. So if not a lot of fish were caught during this fishery then the price should still be at a premium, even for river GN fish in the round. And don't even TRY to tell me that FNs don't make any money from their food fishery. Hell, most of them would prefer to go to MacD's for dinner anyway!

But as far as wanting a Chinook allocation in lieu of their traditional sockeye...which Chinooks do they want? Those early run fish, ie. those in the river right now have a long way to go, almost to the Alberta border. That's a rare fish you got there and indiscriminately gillnetting them from the river puts those stocks in danger. And if it were to happen then they should be monitored. Food fishery requires an allocation of 10.5 lbs per person? Then that's ALL they should get!

 

[MadJigga]

I have a pretty god idea WHY the Fraser R. FN's want those early run Chinooks, and as usual, it all boils down to the mighty dollar. A buddy went commercial fishing (trolling) for springs off WCVI a month ago. Its no wonder that FN's want to get into the game when buyers were paying $12.50 a pound for large reds. Personally, I've never seen LR's selling for more than $3.50. He said whites were $7.00 a pound. Not a lot of fish caught but one tote (about 140 fish) was worth $5000. So if not a lot of fish were caught during this fishery then the price should still be at a premium, even for river GN fish in the round. And don't even TRY to tell me that FNs don't make any money from their food fishery. Hell, most of them would prefer to go to MacD's for dinner anyway!

But as far as wanting a Chinook allocation in lieu of their traditional sockeye...which Chinooks do they want? Those early run fish, ie. those in the river right now have a long way to go, almost to the Alberta border. That's a rare fish you got there and indiscriminately gillnetting them from the river puts those stocks in danger. And if it were to happen then they should be monitored. Food fishery requires an allocation of 10.5 lbs per person? Then that's ALL they should get!

here here. 10.5 lbs each sounds fair.

 

[fish brain]

Got this off the Cheanuh facebook page. caught and molested at the Tap. This is what you get when you have stupid Regulations.
I would have blured out the dudes face, but couldnt figure out how. He should know better, but guys are gonna want their picture taken with trophy fish, and might not do exactly the right thing in the heat of the moment.

 

[Aces]

Got this off the Cheanuh facebook page. caught and molested at the Tap. This is what you get when you have stupid Regulations.
I would have blured out the dudes face, but couldnt figure out how. He should know better, but guys are gonna want their picture taken with trophy fish, and might not do exactly the right thing in the heat of the moment.

Stupid F***er

 

[spring fever]

Unbelievable!! Maybe DFO should pay a professional visit or even a Courtesy call!

 

[Big Green Machine]

Hope he managed to wipe off all the protective slime on his shirt, that stuff is gross, said no one ever.

 

[Bent-Tip]

Buddy got a bit of a roast on facebook for the slab post. Not my cup of tea but his choice. Cheanuh's facebook page even posted a guy's salmon and crab in his cooler. Crab on top, belly up was a female dungy....... tsk tsk tsk