going to fishery meetings is a waste of time - change my mind?

[Rum Buddies]

Every time a meeting comes up, people moan that not enough people showed up.

This is a fools errand and ultimately they turn into a b*tch fest.

The only argument I hear is that we need to show DFO we mean business. Like the mid level punching bag they sent into the meeting has any power.

But maybe someone can change my mind

 

[Rockfish]

https://openparliament.ca/committees/fisheries/41-2/40/dr-gerald-kristianson-1/

Perhaps reading through some of the Fisheries Committee Meeting Minutes would give you some perspective. Here is an example I pulled up quickly, but there are others where SFAB has made presentations which you could search out.

Those of us who went to the recent Town Hall Meeting in Sooke that SVIAC helped set up concerning the whale closures and other fisheries issues had the chance to provide input to an MP who is a fisheries critic/shadow minister and I understand also on the Federal Fisheries Committee. There were TV news cameras there for that meeting.

 

[Whole in the Water]

Every time a meeting comes up, people moan that not enough people showed up.

This is a fools errand and ultimately they turn into a b*tch fest.

The only argument I hear is that we need to show DFO we mean business. Like the mid level punching bag they sent into the meeting has any power.

But maybe someone can change my mind

If you don't want to go to fisheries meetings because you don't think they are useful then don't! Why should anyone need to change your mind? You are free to do as you please and think for yourself.

However, the bottom line is if there is not enough people that stand up for rec fishing rights and access in Canada then they will be decreased over time like they have in eastern Canada and many other countries around the world. If one cares about something being taken away from them they figure out to do something about it, or they don't - plain and simple.

 

[Powerset]

Any chance some of these meetings are going to be coming to a town near you? I would love to see something set up for Pt Alberni Campbell River Hardy etc and get local officials invited like Mayors MLA’s Business Leaders etc because in that setting comes solutions. I think we can all agree that simply waiting for a government solution isn’t a good approach because the solutions they provide may not be the one we’d hoped for! Why can’t we actually solve some of these issues at the local level? Pen progams have been highly effective in areas! Not everyone likes this program but IMO it beats the hell out of being stuck on shore. They’re not that expensive to get going or to maintain. I know this is a very touchy subject, lord knows it us for me BUT, in terms of thinking outside the box, has anyone actually asked the fish farm community to help us by raising some pen fish for us and release them into the wild. It’s a long shot and a contentious one I know, but, it’s a suggestion, and we already know fish farms are net pen programs already in place. So, let’s raise chinook salmon in 10,20,30 pens, try it, if it’s paid for by donated money or tax dollars or from whoever, as ling as it doesn’t cost the farms maybe they’ll do their part. It’s a hail mary but fellas, it’s 3rd and long, the clock is ticking and we need a touchdown. It’s a suggestion that maybe hasn’t been considered up until now and the thought of another 200,000 or 20,000 chinook in our waters seems like a good start. Let’s hear some other ideas, there’s lots of smart people out there, no bad ideas in here, just gotta start

 

[Powerset]

Part of my rationale with using the fish farms to raise chinook and maybe coho is this: our government will likely have to spend significant tax dollars in order to buy access through a quota system for recreational anglers. They’ll have to pay FN Bands and commercial fishermen to literally not fish so that we can. Our participation in the fishery is too important economically to simply gut us completely out of the picture. So instead of paying 10 million or 5 or 50 million to certain user groups, why not spend some of that money on direct enhancement paying fish farms to NOT raise Atlantic salmon but instead pay them to raise Pacific salmon that would be released into the wild. This could work, we kill 2 birds with one stone, we get more chinook salmon and effectively eliminate an Atlantic salmon farm which is a good thing. Now I’m sure the environmentalists out there will scream BUT the farms are already there raising salmon we don’t want in our ocean so telling us this is a bad idea doesn’t cut it. These are basically Ocean based hatcheries if we did it right, instead of fish farms and if individual farms are paid to work for the tax payers it’s a huge win for us. Just thinking outside the box

 

[Whole in the Water]

In regards to having a local town meeting one will never know unless one tries. Maybe start with some local leaders and area SFAB reps, etc.

In regards to using net pen fish farms to raise Chinook I don't think that will fly as you still have all the disease and pollution problems with any net pens fish farms. IMO such farms need to be moved onto the land where there harmful environmental impacts can be better managed. This is the future for this troubled industry as evidenced by numerous very large on land salmon farms being developed around the world.

If this idea where to proceed one issue to sort out is where do this Chinook smolts come from? If DFO continues it's short sighted and mistaken policy of decreasing hatchery funding and closing down hatcheries one would need to find an alternative supply of Chinook smolts.

 

[california]

If this idea where to proceed one issue to sort out is where do this Chinook smolts come from? If DFO continues it's short sighted and mistaken policy of decreasing hatchery funding and closing down hatcheries one would need to find an alternative supply of Chinook smolts.

Reducing hatchery output is one of the few long term decisions DFO has made based on science. The deleterious effects of hatchery production are well studied and increasing production was tried with no or even negative effects on returns. The most successful enhancement program on the cowichan has reduced output from 3 million to 800k and could probably reduce it more. The band aid short term solution is to do what is known not to work, more hatcheries. Large scale net pens would destroy wild stocks as inbred net pen fish stray up random rivers where they dont belong. DFO scientists know this and will not approve large scale net pens, not to mention all those fish raised along with Atlantic's would be be infected with the viruses endemic to those operations.

 

[calmsea]

You have no clue what you are talking about, california. I suggest you get off your computer and start learning from real people instead of googled websites. The sad part is that you really seem to believe this self compiled nonsense that you spew out here. And that on pretty much any topic on this forum pretending you know it all, all the while pissing off valuable and very knowledgeable contributors here. A substantial portion of humbleness would suit you well.

 

[california]

You have no clue what you are talking about, california. I suggest you get off your computer and start learning from real people instead of googled websites. The sad part is that you really seem to believe this self compiled nonsense that you spew out here. And that on pretty much any topic on this forum pretending you know it all, all the while pissing off valuable and very knowledgeable contributors here. A substantial portion of humbleness would suit you well.

I'm really broken up about pissing off some individuals on this site (insert sarcasm).

 

[IronNoggin]

I'm really broken up about pissing off some individuals on this site (insert sarcasm).

And that WELL shines through.

Moderators: Is there an IGNORE function on these forums??

Hoping...
Nog

 

[california]

And that WELL shines through.

Moderators: Is there an IGNORE function on these forums??

Hoping...
Nog

Are you following me around on the forum now like my fan boy. I'm flattered...

 

[Admin]

And that WELL shines through.

Moderators: Is there an IGNORE function on these forums??

Hoping...
Nog

Yes, there is an ignore function on the forum. Simply click on the username of the member and when there profile window pops up just click the ignore option from the choices on the highlighted tab line.

 

[bones]

Large scale net pens would destroy wild stocks as inbred net pen fish stray up random rivers where they dont belong. DFO scientists know this and will not approve large scale net pens, not to mention all those fish raised along with Atlantic's would be be infected with the viruses endemic to those operations.

Could you please elaborate on how "Large scale net pens would destroy wild stocks as inbred net pen fish stray up random rivers where they dont belong. "

 

[IronNoggin]

Yes, there is an ignore function on the forum. Simply click on the username of the member and when there profile window pops up just click the ignore option from the choices on the highlighted tab line.

THANK YOU SIR!!!

Rather Appreciated!

Cheers,
Nog

 

[california]

Could you please elaborate on how "Large scale net pens would destroy wild stocks as inbred net pen fish stray up random rivers where they dont belong. "

There are studies showing straying of hatchery chinook in general is higher than wild populations, and net pen raised its higher still. If net pens were to be used extensively many of those fish would imprint on the net pen locations. During the time Chinook were net pen raised in Indian arm many came back and hung out near the Buntzen power plant outfall (if you are old enough you might remember a fishery out there). Eventually they go somewhere, some went up the Indian river, although they were never able to establish a spawning population. Each run is genetically distinct, and having too many strays interbreeding, particularly hatchery origin fish that are not as genetically diverse as wild fish could be detrimental. Some of these net pen raised fish will end up going up rivers they were not meant to breed in, particularly if they are kept in the pens for significant periods of time. The effects of the increased straying would compound over time. It is also removing yet another part of the natural life cycle and natural selection process these fish evolved through, so is unlikely to improve the long term survivability of the species if long term recovery and survival is the goal.

This is off topic for the thread about fishery meetings being a waste of time however.