Throw the big Chinook Back... Rec AND Commercial

[nicnat]

the mortality rate would probably be way too high for fish released by the commercial troll fishery, it doesn't make sense to me to have them releasing the fish, who knows how long they've been hooked and dragged plus the time involved for proper releasing, time is money for them and so are big fish. imho you cannot compare or expect them to do the same as us sportfishers are able to do as far as releasing fish go. I am in no way involved in commercial fishing but for me, my answer to the ops question is, no I don't think the commercial trollers should throw them back.

 

[profisher]

The commercial trollers loose most of the real big Chinook anyway. They can't play the fish...imagine how well you would do with a downrigger with no release clip and could only run a bungy and hope it didn't bust off, straighten a hook or tear its lips. We get a way bigger percentage of the bigger ones into our boats than they do.

 

[JuandeOne]

The commercial trollers loose most of the real big Chinook anyway. They can't play the fish...imagine how well you would do with a downrigger with no release clip and could only run a bunny and hope it didn't bust off, straighten a hook or tear its lips. We get a way bigger percentage of the bigger ones into our boats than they do.

So true. Used to beach seine brood in the Cowichan for the hatchery in the mid 90’s. Almost every fish over 30# had a rusty hook stuck in its jaw.

 

[fshnfnatic]

What profisher says is true.I commercial trolled with a highliner captain for 4 years and we had plenty of big fish break off or straighten hooks.The ones we got in the most were fish on plugs with 120 ft. leaders.The long leaders made for a lot more stretch in the line and basically using your forearm as a shock absorber would help in getting the big hawgs in.We still lost plenty that way as well.

 

[mbowers]

the mortality rate would probably be way too high for fish released by the commercial troll fishery, it doesn't make sense to me to have them releasing the fish, who knows how long they've been hooked and dragged plus the time involved for proper releasing, time is money for them and so are big fish. imho you cannot compare or expect them to do the same as us sportfishers are able to do as far as releasing fish go. I am in no way involved in commercial fishing but for me, my answer to the ops question is, no I don't think the commercial trollers should throw them back.

I agree. As far as I know the commercial limits go by pounds and not by number of fish. Please correct me if I am wrong. If in pounds that means if a 30lb fish is released, the commercial fisherman will then kill 2 more 15lb fish to hit the limit. Is it better for 30lb of fish be taken in one fish or 30lb of fish be taken in two fish AND whatever percent mortality of big fish be wasted. Releasing big or small fish usually makes no sense if the limit is in pounds not pieces.

 

[profisher]

Lets put it this way so you can see it
Lets say there are 95 Chinook salmon in the ocean between 10-25 pounds
and there are 5 Chinook 30 pounds or better
You are allowed to catch 90 pounds of fish
Which ones should you keep and which ones should you let go?

 

[spikeydave]

I agree. As far as I know the commercial limits go by pounds and not by number of fish. Please correct me if I am wrong. If in pounds that means if a 30lb fish is released, the commercial fisherman will then kill 2 more 15lb fish to hit the limit. Is it better for 30lb of fish be taken in one fish or 30lb of fish be taken in two fish AND whatever percent mortality of big fish be wasted. Releasing big or small fish usually makes no sense if the limit is in pounds not pieces.

The fishery used to be based on tonnage, it has now gone to pieces. That is why they deferred the spring fishery last year to later in the season as the fish were too small.

 

[cby]

Ok these are my logical and KISS thoughts (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID) these all make sense and I think most would agree.
1) Put a stop to all river fishing. NO FISHING ALLOWED EVER. The fish have survived the big ocean. They have come to the end of their life cycle to be caught in their spawning grounds. Never made any sense why this is even allowed. CLOSE River fishing.
2) Raise the license fee for recreational fishing. $28.35 for license and fish stamp is a joke. A fitness pass is like $400-$500 a year, but a fishing license is $28.35. It should be at least $100.00 to fish salmon for the year. All ages need to pay for a license whether your young or old. No discounts. Then take the extra $75.00 a year from each license and invest that in Salmon enhancement, net pens, land based salmon farms close to rivers
3) Get rid of salmon farms for Atlantic salmon in our waters. Do our best to move fish farms to land based.
4) Stop Commercial Draggers from fishing in our waters. They tear up the ecosystem and rip the ocean apart. Stop commercial Seine and Gill Net fishery. Only Commercial trolling should be allowed as they catch less fish and the fish are in better shape for processing.
5) Have a cull on Sea lions and Harbour Seals as there populations are outrageous and they are eating all the fry that are trying to leave the rivers. They are way way over populated.
6) Environmental impacts, sewage, fuel spills, nuclear plants, warming of ocean (this one is huge), all aspects of climate change.

7) Once all of this is done, then maybe look at the recreational fishery. But geez we are not the problem, nor are we the solution. All 6 of the solutions mentioned before this are the problem and need to be fixed before recreational fishery should be even mentioned.

I could go on an on about this but that is my say. So much could be done before the recreational fishery has to pay the price.

 

[Stizzla]

Ok these are my logical and KISS thoughts (KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID) these all make sense and I think most would agree.
1) Put a stop to all river fishing. NO FISHING ALLOWED EVER. The fish have survived the big ocean. They have come to the end of their life cycle to be caught in their spawning grounds. Never made any sense why this is even allowed. CLOSE River fishing.
2) Raise the license fee for recreational fishing. $28.35 for license and fish stamp is a joke. A fitness pass is like $400-$500 a year, but a fishing license is $28.35. It should be at least $100.00 to fish salmon for the year. All ages need to pay for a license whether your young or old. No discounts. Then take the extra $75.00 a year from each license and invest that in Salmon enhancement, net pens, land based salmon farms close to rivers
3) Get rid of salmon farms for Atlantic salmon in our waters. Do our best to move fish farms to land based.
4) Stop Commercial Draggers from fishing in our waters. They tear up the ecosystem and rip the ocean apart. Stop commercial Seine and Gill Net fishery. Only Commercial trolling should be allowed as they catch less fish and the fish are in better shape for processing.
5) Have a cull on Sea lions and Harbour Seals as there populations are outrageous and they are eating all the fry that are trying to leave the rivers. They are way way over populated.
6) Environmental impacts, sewage, fuel spills, nuclear plants, warming of ocean (this one is huge), all aspects of climate change.

7) Once all of this is done, then maybe look at the recreational fishery. But geez we are not the problem, nor are we the solution. All 6 of the solutions mentioned before this are the problem and need to be fixed before recreational fishery should be even mentioned.

I could go on an on about this but that is my say. So much could be done before the recreational fishery has to pay the price.

That’s about all that needs to be said. Nailed it

 

[mbowers]

The fishery used to be based on tonnage, it has now gone to pieces. That is why they deferred the spring fishery last year to later in the season as the fish were too small.

Ok. Thanks for the information. Interesting that they delayed the fishery until the fish were bigger. Was the piece limit the same or reduced? Catching the same number of fish later in the season is a bigger impact to the stock than earlier in the season. It's a well known fact that springs and coho are smaller than they used to be so it's not appropriate to wait for them to grow when it's a piece limit. That's the same as increasing a tonnage limit as it gets later in the season.

 

[wildmanyeah]

1) Put a stop to all river fishing. NO FISHING ALLOWED EVER

Wouldn’t the opposite make more sense from a conservation standpoint. Ocean fisheries target many stocks, including ones that are beyond indangered. ocean fisheries also target baby feeders. To many mixed stocks in the ocean to attempt to manage.

If you only have in river fisheries then You can manage the individual rivers. Have test fisheries and when the escarpment goals are met open it up. If escarpment goals are not met then you can close down that river but allow all the others that make their escarpment goal. Can still have terminal ocean fisheries as well.

Instead now your area might get closed down to protect a Fraser river stock even tho 90% of chinook or stocks might be from a different area.

All your other points are bang on

 

[cby]

Wouldn’t the opposite make more sense from a conservation standpoint. Ocean fisheries target many stocks, including ones that are beyond indangered. ocean fisheries also target baby feeders. To many mixed stocks in the ocean to attempt to manage.

If you only have in river fisheries then You can manage the individual rivers. Have test fisheries and when the escarpment goals are met open it up. If escarpment goals are not met then you can close down that river but allow all the others that make their escarpment goal. Can still have terminal ocean fisheries as well.

Instead now your area might get closed down to protect a Fraser river stock even tho 90% of chinook or stocks might be from a different area.

All your other points are bang on

Yes this could be reasonable point as well.