Not looking good!

[fish4all]

Not buying our licences until this gets sorted out. I doubt DFO has done any studies on what this could mean for the fishing effort being directed to other species or other areas. What a mess the department has made of this.
I agree the people in the concrete jungles that have no ties to the water won’t give two ***** about those affected by this. Maybe Gord Johns will offer all the workers a couple extra weeks if ei like he did to the commercial fleet.

 

[RBL]

For those of you holding off on buying your licences, I think thats a great way to let your wallet speak and I applaud you for letting the government know we're tired of being the whipping boy.

Ill be buying mine here shortly, partly because I need one for my job and partly because I want to try to keep my feelings on the rumored restrictions seperate from my enjoyment of fishing. No matter what restrictions they impose, there will likely still be an opportunity to get out on the water and do what we all love doing, even if it means keeping a few less (or even none) for the freezer. The proposed scenario A calls for non-retention of chinook, not a closure to all finfishing. Maybe somebody more cloesly involved in the process can correct me if Im mistaklen, but thats how I interpret scenario A.

If you still have a job! I’m sure there will be quite a few cancellations this season

 

[SerengetiGuide]

I don’t see how that release changes anything to be honest.

And with a reduction of 0.8% I can’t see option A being chosen. Even the liberals aren’t that dumb.

Nothing has been chosen. The fear lingering that option A is what’s chosen is doing no one any good.

 

[searun]

I believe the Department's economists pegged the impact of Option A at a 40% reduction in angler effort...they I believe felt that a fishery in August would somehow allow lodge operators, guides and unguided anglers to catch up in some way. Well, in a word...wrong. Inventory simply can't be moved from months where there is non-retention to those where there is retention. Similarly, vacations and trips for unguided anglers simply can't be moved...opportunity lost, is just that.....lost. The economic impact of Option A will be far more significant than what I believe the advice offered to the Minister was. Option A is simply a disaster. Surely common sense and good judgment, along with an objective view of the science will lead the Minister to see through the pitfalls of Option A...I think the Minister is pretty savvy and understands data analytics so will see through the fact that fishery restrictions simply aren't going to deliver sufficient benefit to Chinook recovery to justify the offsetting impacts.

 

[OldBlackDog]

Just remember, there are other groups involved in this decision.

 

[searun]

Just remember, there are other groups involved in this decision.

Appreciate the e-lecture.

 

[Powerset]

I wonder how the Government sells anglers of all stripes on the notion that we need to stop fishing when there’s ample evidence out there that the real declines in salmon stocks have as much or more to do with seals and sea Lions than fishermen? If they don’t address the real problems, then how do they tell us , yes we know the seals are the real culprits but that’s a decision we’re not prepared to make! But we are prepared to trash the bc economy and sideline you fishermen until late July and then turn everyone loose? Is that a scientific solution or just a politically expedient one? Is anyone voting Liberal this fall? The other point that needs to be made here is wtf are we on pins and needles every spring now? Can we not get a comprehensive plan with some certainty please? I understand that salmon stocks fluctuate annually but our government needs to account for that and put a plan in place so we know we’re fishing every year that’s what our government needs to do

 

[browningmirage]

I wonder how the Government sells anglers of all stripes on the notion that we need to stop fishing when there’s ample evidence out there that the real declines in salmon stocks have as much or more to do with seals and sea Lions than fishermen? If they don’t address the real problems, then how do they tell us , yes we know the seals are the real culprits but that’s a decision we’re not prepared to make! But we are prepared to trash the bc economy and sideline you fishermen until late July and then turn everyone loose? Is that a scientific solution or just a politically expedient one? Is anyone voting Liberal this fall? The other point that needs to be made here is wtf are we on pins and needles every spring now? Can we not get a comprehensive plan with some certainty please? I understand that salmon stocks fluctuate annually but our government needs to account for that and put a plan in place so we know we’re fishing every year that’s what our government needs to do

I think it's unfair and unreasonable to blame seals and sealions, and it mischaracterizes the scope of the problem.

Seals and sealions are but one component of a wrecked ecosystem that we have created.

You could deal with the seal and sea lion question, but survival would still be in the tank. Because of how we have changed the environment. I'm not saying dont deal with it, but they aren't they only place for blame to rest.

 

[fogged in]

I think it's unfair and unreasonable to blame seals and sealions, and it mischaracterizes the scope of the problem.

Seals and sealions are but one component of a wrecked ecosystem that we have created.

You could deal with the seal and sea lion question, but survival would still be in the tank. Because of how we have changed the environment. I'm not saying dont deal with it, but they aren't they only place for blame to rest.

Another new member who says "I think it's unfair and unreasonable to blame seals and sealions"
No one has ever laid the blame entirely on Seals and Sea Lions, but their huge increase in numbers are a factor, so do you suggest we simply ignore them or cull them?
And next post, how about a fishing report or advice to the many boating questions that come up on this site.

 

[browningmirage]

Another new member who says "I think it's unfair and unreasonable to blame seals and sealions"
No one has ever laid the blame entirely on Seals and Sea Lions, but their huge increase in numbers are a factor, so do you suggest we simply ignore them or cull them?
And next post, how about a fishing report or advice to the many boating questions that come up on this site.

Oh but I never said not to deal with the seals and sea lions, rather I said to acknowledge the entirety of our impact.

I enjoy fishing, but I think it's more in my soul than my psyche. I have zero interest in quantity or size. I dont think I'll ever give a fishing report or answer a boating question, but I will happily talk fishing with anyone who asks directly.

But that doesnt make me less worthy of this space.

I have made fish and fisheries my life and livelihood. I am as much deserving of a voice as any other.

 

[brutus]

I think it's unfair and unreasonable to blame seals and sealions, and it mischaracterizes the scope of the problem.

Seals and sealions are but one component of a wrecked ecosystem that we have created.

You could deal with the seal and sea lion question, but survival would still be in the tank. Because of how we have changed the environment. I'm not saying dont deal with it, but they aren't they only place for blame to rest.

ya ok I will bite on that,soo the massive influx in wolves in northern bc as nothing to do with the decline of ,deer,elk,and moose?????

 

[browningmirage]

ya ok I will bite on that,soo the massive influx in wolves in northern bc as nothing to do with the decline of ,deer,elk,and moose?????

You cant goat me buddy, this is my livelihood not a keyboard vendetta.

 

[kingspring]

Oh but I never said not to deal with the seals and sea lions, rather I said to acknowledge the entirety of our impact.

I enjoy fishing, but I think it's more in my soul than my psyche. I have zero interest in quantity or size. I dont think I'll ever give a fishing report or answer a boating question, but I will happily talk fishing with anyone who asks directly.

But that doesnt make me less worthy of this space.

I have made fish and fisheries my life and livelihood. I am as much deserving of a voice as any other.

Hmmmm, well stand up for the resource, all of us are in some way responsible for our damaged earth, part of the repair is managing the damage, as in culling predators to enable salmon stocks to rebound.
The pinipods are in good shape and can weather a population reduction.
Yes, hard choices need to be made, rational science based programs that create positive species outlooks and respect predator/prey relationships.

Funny, Mr Browning doesn’t care about fish quality or size,with all due respect are you primarily a bullhead fisherman then.

 

[kingspring]

Directly now browningmirage, let’s talk fishing?!!

Where, when, why?

Fishing is a traditional and cultural piece of my family’s heritage. We come together and fish,respecting the high value protein they provide us.

Eh vous?!

 

[brutus]

You cant goat me buddy, this is my livelihood not a keyboard vendetta.

well my keyboard warrior,if you want to keep your livelihood alive,predator control is a problem that needs serious attention,seals and sealions are out of control all over the west coast and nothing gets done,taking away our fishing privilledge aint going to fix this problem,just leaving more for the pinnipeds to kill.i made the wolf comment as an exemple,same problem but on land instead of the sea.

 

[wildmanyeah]

The choice is simple feat and famine or
Balance

 

[chevy guy]

Any government that allowed seining the last good cycle Sockeye run in Kamloops lake just before they made to home to the Adam River are insane and can never be trusted to make decision that makes any sense. O credability.

 

[DollarBoat]

Worth a read:

https://davidsuzuki.org/story/human-behaviour-is-at-the-root-of-orca-plight/

Culling seals could create a temporary bump in salmon stock but to make an meaningful impact you would need to cull 50% of the species and maintain those levels for years, if not decades. That of course doesn’t guarantee salmon stock to increase as another predator could move in and pick up what the seals did. I agree we need balance, but it’s going to have to be on the human side, not nature.

 

[fish4all]

Any government that allowed seining the last good cycle Sockeye run in Kamloops lake just before they made to home to the Adam River are insane and can never be trusted to make decision that makes any sense. O credability.

That is/was a major screw up. Kill the strong ones after they made it to the lake. Makes no sense.

 

[Powerset]

I made my comments about seals based on what I consider fairly obvious evidence. We started protecting seals and sea lions in 1970, a graph showing the decline of salmon stocks is a mirror image of the explosion of the protected seal population. Our government has closely monitored our salmon spawns, releases, survival rates, ocean conditions and yet despite heroic efforts and investment our salmon stocks declined. Had the oceans warmed to the point where they could no longer support salmon survival, they’d all be gone, everywhere, that hasn’t happened. If habitat destruction was solely to blame entire runs would be extinct. Didn’t happen, barring something catastrophic like a mining disaster etc. DFO closely monitors our catch numbers, has for 40 years now. Yet we were left dumbfounded as to why we kept sending millions and millions of smolts out the tailpipe and only getting thousands back. We know fishermen didn’t take them. That’s a fact. If mother nature was killing them they’d all be dead everywhere that didn’t happen we’ve had good years and bad years I don’t think mother nature in a warming ocean works that way, the oceans can support life or it can’t. We know it can, certain runs are just fine. That wreaks of predation. Our salmon aren’t dying they’re being killed and we know it’s not BC’s fishermen doing it. The solution is starring us right in the face! I know 10-15 years ago fishing up in Campbell River, you dropped your gear out past the lighthouse and immediately you picked up 2-3 seals, they followed you until u fed them your first spring. This happened for years there. I know, small sample size, but my story was very very common on the coast. I’ve been fishing up there for 25 years, I lose 3-5 Springs every year to seals. I’m not alone