Annoucement of Protest Outside Fisheries Minister's office May 1 from 12 to 1 PM
- Thread starter cohochinook
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el.Pereh
Well-Known Member
And culture
Tinny
Well-Known Member
Great job guys and a special thumbs up to Jason Tonelli! But I think we are fighting an uphill battle with this DFO Minister and with the people who have his ear.
PLEASE READ THIS - I couldn't make the protest today so I figured I would call Wilkinson's office today at 12:30 and ask to speak with him on the off chance he would take the call. A pleasant sounding lady answered the phone and told me he was in Ottawa - I explained why I was calling and that I was frustrated with their recent Chinook decisions and would like a call back. In any case, we started talking and I commented that I wouldn't bore her with my thoughts as she probably was not part of the decision making process. She countered that she does talk with the minister about these issues and encouraged the conversation to proceed. So I stated the lack of science, how frustrating it was that we can't even keep a hatchery marked fish, mentioned several times the nets in the rivers, and then started to talk about the futility of targeting the rec fishing sector on upcoming SRKW decisions. All in all we talked close to 20 minutes. This very polite and proper lady who has Mr. Wilkinson's ear said some very strange things during our conversation that tell me we are in for some more hurting with these Liberals in power.
Specifically and in chronological order,
- on the topic of retaining hatchery fish she started going on about how returning hatchery fish are important as they are used for breed stock for future generations (I am not making this up)
- she touted the closure of the Atlantic Cod fishery and its subsequent recovery as evidence that sometimes temporary suffering is needed.
- every time I mentioned nets in the river she countered that it was important not to point fingers and that we must all work together to save salmon stocks or there will be nothing left.
- she went off on a Trudeau like tangent about how natives have not been historically treated fairly by European settlers and that wrongs must be reversed.
- regarding the protest, she mentioned it in passing with a dismissive voice and was a little irritated when someone was trying to put a sticker on the window.
- Then to my COMPLETE AND UTTER DISBELIEF she said "that maybe it is time that in order to protect the environment we all take a step back, take a look at the big picture, stop fishing altogether and become vegetarians. Now that is easier for me to say as I am already a vegetarian" I ALMOST FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR WHEN SHE SAID THIS.
The conversation ended politely as she had to go and there was no point talking much as I could see she had a preset opinion on everything and viewed anything contrary to her world view in a dismissive manner.
In any case I wanted to take the time to share this experience so you have an idea of what we are up against. You may not like the Conservatives, but from what I can see we will never be fishing for Chinook with the Liberals holding government. So this fall pick your poison carefully when you vote and chose the dose you can live with.
Strength in unity.
PLEASE READ THIS - I couldn't make the protest today so I figured I would call Wilkinson's office today at 12:30 and ask to speak with him on the off chance he would take the call. A pleasant sounding lady answered the phone and told me he was in Ottawa - I explained why I was calling and that I was frustrated with their recent Chinook decisions and would like a call back. In any case, we started talking and I commented that I wouldn't bore her with my thoughts as she probably was not part of the decision making process. She countered that she does talk with the minister about these issues and encouraged the conversation to proceed. So I stated the lack of science, how frustrating it was that we can't even keep a hatchery marked fish, mentioned several times the nets in the rivers, and then started to talk about the futility of targeting the rec fishing sector on upcoming SRKW decisions. All in all we talked close to 20 minutes. This very polite and proper lady who has Mr. Wilkinson's ear said some very strange things during our conversation that tell me we are in for some more hurting with these Liberals in power.
Specifically and in chronological order,
- on the topic of retaining hatchery fish she started going on about how returning hatchery fish are important as they are used for breed stock for future generations (I am not making this up)
- she touted the closure of the Atlantic Cod fishery and its subsequent recovery as evidence that sometimes temporary suffering is needed.
- every time I mentioned nets in the river she countered that it was important not to point fingers and that we must all work together to save salmon stocks or there will be nothing left.
- she went off on a Trudeau like tangent about how natives have not been historically treated fairly by European settlers and that wrongs must be reversed.
- regarding the protest, she mentioned it in passing with a dismissive voice and was a little irritated when someone was trying to put a sticker on the window.
- Then to my COMPLETE AND UTTER DISBELIEF she said "that maybe it is time that in order to protect the environment we all take a step back, take a look at the big picture, stop fishing altogether and become vegetarians. Now that is easier for me to say as I am already a vegetarian" I ALMOST FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR WHEN SHE SAID THIS.
The conversation ended politely as she had to go and there was no point talking much as I could see she had a preset opinion on everything and viewed anything contrary to her world view in a dismissive manner.
In any case I wanted to take the time to share this experience so you have an idea of what we are up against. You may not like the Conservatives, but from what I can see we will never be fishing for Chinook with the Liberals holding government. So this fall pick your poison carefully when you vote and chose the dose you can live with.
Strength in unity.
Rain City
Crew Member
Baaaaaarf
SpringVelocity
Crew Member
Are you kidding me...
finaddict
Well-Known Member
While I would LOVE to believe that canning the Liberals would solve everything, Pat, I look back at DFO's record for the past 30 years and see no better management decisions made by them during that time. I know you have more knowledge of the political side of the coin, and perhaps you can comment. I guess the question that comes to my mind is; "Since after the first round of salmon enhancement in the late 70's, has DFO ever made actually improved salmon recovery, or have they just cut back and added more regulation on the public fishery?"
In my nearly 50 years on the water, I honestly can't recall anything good done by the far away bureaucrats since the late 70's, early 80's. And while I do not aspire to be a conspiracy theorist, it all seemed to change once fish farms began sprouting up around 1986.....
Cheers
Last edited:
Tinny
Well-Known Member
I wish I was. At the beginning of our conversation when I said I was upset with Mr Wilkinson's decision on Chinook Salmon she defended him by saying he was a "very conscientious man". So we are in trouble with this crew running the show.
finaddict
Well-Known Member
Are we allowed to fish for Vegetarians Liberals? Certainly it would have to be C&R, as I am convinced they would taste like sh*t...........
Hats off to all that attened to make our voices heard.
Especially the organizers and spokes persons.
Much appreciated.
Troubling times for our coastline indeed.
Lets vote these bottom dwelling Sharks out of office and their path to Pension checks.
The writing is on the wall. Their agenda is clear.
Ive fished our coast north to south for dam near 60 years.
Purchased my 1st boat at 16. Never been without. Sold my most loved one on the weekend.....
Watched it roll off into a big interior lake for its future.
The engines will love the freshwater.
These bottom dwelling Liberals arent done by far. Way more inaccurate science to be used by them coming to be used against everyone. Shame shame.
They have shown their true colours on how they feel about BC, its residents, its tourism, its contribution to the Canadian economy. They should be gaffed, bellied and dropped overboard.
When you thought we had a local for Fisheries Minister you would think he would listen to the people ....... NOT.
Vote that Scum out!
Especially the organizers and spokes persons.
Much appreciated.
Troubling times for our coastline indeed.
Lets vote these bottom dwelling Sharks out of office and their path to Pension checks.
The writing is on the wall. Their agenda is clear.
Ive fished our coast north to south for dam near 60 years.
Purchased my 1st boat at 16. Never been without. Sold my most loved one on the weekend.....
Watched it roll off into a big interior lake for its future.
The engines will love the freshwater.
These bottom dwelling Liberals arent done by far. Way more inaccurate science to be used by them coming to be used against everyone. Shame shame.
They have shown their true colours on how they feel about BC, its residents, its tourism, its contribution to the Canadian economy. They should be gaffed, bellied and dropped overboard.
When you thought we had a local for Fisheries Minister you would think he would listen to the people ....... NOT.
Vote that Scum out!
finaddict
Well-Known Member
On CBC's article page this morning;
Of course I couldn't NOT reply.............So I commented as follows;
More comments without any knowledge Doug. The laugh is on those who really believe that the aboriginals have not been commercially selling their FSC and ESSR allotments since the early 80's. The Cheams and other Lower Fraser bands are as responsible for the destruction of Upper Fraser Chinooks stocks as anyone else. No more so, but also no less. The protest by the public fishers is about effective management of the issue and removing less than 1 % (0.63%) of the return is an ineffective management tool that improves the return by a microscopic number and does significant harm to a 300 million dollars contribution to BC's GDP. This moratorium will need to last for 2 cycles (that's 8 years of Chinook returns, in case you needed to know). During that time the Fraser gill nets will continue to pull more than 30% of the upper Fraser stocks to be sold through the same organized crime network that has existed for decades. These actions are all documented and proven. During that same time a 2 billion dollar net loss to the economy will happen. Perhaps even a tenth of that money could be spent by the Feds on habitat restoration, effective policing of the illegal netting, buyback of the Herring commercial fishery in the SOG, removal of the overpopulation of pinnepeds, and hatchery enhancement of the stocks of concern. Should public fishers contribute to this (even more than they already do with conservation stamps and volunteer hours of salmon habitat restoration)? Absolutely, and there isn't one who wouldn't endorse effective and meaningful regulations that made effective and meaningful contributions.
Of course I couldn't NOT reply.............So I commented as follows;
More comments without any knowledge Doug. The laugh is on those who really believe that the aboriginals have not been commercially selling their FSC and ESSR allotments since the early 80's. The Cheams and other Lower Fraser bands are as responsible for the destruction of Upper Fraser Chinooks stocks as anyone else. No more so, but also no less. The protest by the public fishers is about effective management of the issue and removing less than 1 % (0.63%) of the return is an ineffective management tool that improves the return by a microscopic number and does significant harm to a 300 million dollars contribution to BC's GDP. This moratorium will need to last for 2 cycles (that's 8 years of Chinook returns, in case you needed to know). During that time the Fraser gill nets will continue to pull more than 30% of the upper Fraser stocks to be sold through the same organized crime network that has existed for decades. These actions are all documented and proven. During that same time a 2 billion dollar net loss to the economy will happen. Perhaps even a tenth of that money could be spent by the Feds on habitat restoration, effective policing of the illegal netting, buyback of the Herring commercial fishery in the SOG, removal of the overpopulation of pinnepeds, and hatchery enhancement of the stocks of concern. Should public fishers contribute to this (even more than they already do with conservation stamps and volunteer hours of salmon habitat restoration)? Absolutely, and there isn't one who wouldn't endorse effective and meaningful regulations that made effective and meaningful contributions.
Rain City
Crew Member
Pardon my ignorance on this but have "we" been at the table with the FRAFS? It seems as though what @StormTrooper has been saying for quite some time now has become clear.
finaddict
Well-Known Member
The letter shows how much closed door planning happens between the DFO and FRAFS
Rain City
Crew Member
Is this letter public?
If this is what we're up against what the **** is the point?
Who the hell is on our side?!
If our science is trusted does this mean that in 2020, after ample review time, will FRAFS acknowledge it?
Is it actually true that DFO doesn't acknowledge the FSC numbers in their assessments? Shouldn't they? Man have I been in the dark.
Pearl dog
Active Member
well written reply finaddict. personally i can't stomach reading those type of comment boards so i'm grateful for those like you who can... fwiw at the suggestion of a smart friend, i've switched my letter writing focus from the liberal establishment to those who will be running against them in the coming election. feels a bit less like smashing my head against a brick wall.. we shall see
Old Blue
Well-Known Member
And for reasons like your conversation I have been telling friends and family to vote for which ever candidate in their riding has the best chance of beating the Liberal candidate whether it be Conservative, NDP or Green. The Liberal agenda for the west needs to be quashed ASAP.
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