Eco Groups Want Emergency protection for Resident Orcas!

Whole in the Water

Well-Known Member
The time has come for the rec sector to start organizing to protect our access to fish salmon around Southern Vancouver Island. We must show a strong, unified voice to DFO and the Govt. that shutting down fishing is not the answer! The data on orca Chinook consumption tells the real story - if we shut down all Chinook fishing in Areas 19 & 20 for the entire season it would only save enough Chinook to feed them for approximately 2 weeks while causing havoc to the local communities/economies and businesses that rely on rec fishing. This is not a solution!

We need to produce more Chinook while we work on improving the other factors that contribute to the SRKW's decline (i.e. pollution, noise, marine traffic, etc.). If we do not fight this we could face fishing closures for years to come. Time to write DFO, your MP the Prime Minister, etc. Also time to support rec fishing lobbying groups like SVIAC, SFI-BC BCWF, etc. who can lobby the govt. on our behalf. This is about to become very serious, quite soon!

Here is a link to the actual petition to the Federal Govt:
https://www.nrdc.org/resources/peti...ent-killer-whales-under-s-80-species-risk-act
It contains the wording of the request complete with tables and maps of proposed fishing closure zones

Newspaper Article:
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-conservation-groups-seek-emergency-protection-for-southern-resident-killer-whales

B.C. conservation groups seek emergency protection for southern resident killer whales

Randy Shore
More from Randy Shore

Published on: January 30, 2018 | Last Updated: January 30, 2018 1:19 PM PST

Emergency action is needed under the Species at Risk Act to halt and reverse the decline of endangered, salmon-eating killer whales in B.C. waters, according to a coalition of conservation groups.

The Raincoast Conservation Foundation, the David Suzuki Foundation and others are petitioning the federal government to curtail sport fishing and whale watching in feeding areas essential to the survival of the orcas and to restrict fishing on specific Chinook salmon populations that sustain the southern resident killer whales.

Commercial shipping traffic should also be slowed down as the vessels pass critical feeding areas to limit acoustic interference that hampers the orcas’ ability to locate and catch prey, they say.

The southern residents are a genetically and culturally distinct population that feed on salmon, rather than on marine mammals.

There are only 76 members of the southern resident group left, down from 83 two years ago, according to the Center for Whale Research in Washington state.

“These animals have been listed under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) since 2003 and so far the federal government has done nothing to reduce the threats that actually face these whales,” said Misty MacDuffee, Wild Salmon program director at the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. “We’ve gotten to the point where urgent action is needed.”

The southern resident group is listed as “endangered” under SARA.

It would be enough if the government simply implemented its own Resident Killer Whale Action Plan released last year, the groups say. The detailed federal plan aims to ensure access to food, reduce disturbance due to human activities, protect whales from pollution and protect critical habitat for northern and southern resident killer whales.

Federal marine scientists have several research projects underway — bankrolled by the $1.5-billion Oceans Protection Plan — to better understand the health of the southern residents, their foraging habits and the acoustic impact of small vessels.

“The federal government has invested a lot in understanding these issues, but that have done nothing to actually reduce the threat,” said MacDuffee. “They’ve done lots of research, they hold symposiums, they are saying good things, but they have been saying this for some time and done nothing.”

The petition calls for restrictions on fisheries that target south-migrating Chinook salmon, the southern residents’ favourite food.

“We are asking to reduce Chinook fisheries on populations that are important to southern residents and that are on their way to critical (orca) habitat and foraging areas,” she said.

Foraging areas along southwest Vancouver Island, Boundary Pass and the approaches to the Fraser River should be closed to recreational salmon fishing and whale watching, they say.

“There are 14 to 28 whale-watching boats following those whales every day when they enter the Salish Sea for summer feeding,” MacDuffee said.

Fisheries Minister Dominic Leblanc announced in October that special restrictions of 200 metres would soon apply to southern resident killer whales, reflecting their precarious status, and putting Canada in line with a 200-yard ban applied by the U.S.

“There are about 55,000 boat trips a year by recreational fishing vessels that are targeting Chinook and the boats are so dense that the whales can’t access the fish,” MacDuffee said. “Those are their prime feeding areas.”

rshore@postmedia.com

-With files from Larry Pynn

 
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we should all be writing now, before it's too late


Mr Garrison,
In view of the SRKW problem , I urge you to petition the government to devote funds to the restoration and rehabilitation of Chinook salmon spawning grounds.
Eliminating recreational fishing for Chinook will have little effect
if there is not more effort put into river and stream rebuilding.
Please understand the recreational fishing sector is also passionate
about the future of our fishery.

Regards,

Scott Craven.
 
we should all be writing now, before it's too late


Mr Garrison,
In view of the SRKW problem , I urge you to petition the government to devote funds to the restoration and rehabilitation of Chinook salmon spawning grounds.
Eliminating recreational fishing for Chinook will have little effect
if there is not more effort put into river and stream rebuilding.
Please understand the recreational fishing sector is also passionate
about the future of our fishery.

Regards,

Scott Craven.
The only other thing I would suggest adding is the phrase " Please understand the recreational fishing sector is also passionate about the future of our fisheries as well as the well being of the SRKWs. They do not have to be mutually exclusive. "
 
You want to do something immediate. Everyone get off here and stop following their social media feeds for these groups. Don't engage them at all. Don't circulate or repost anything from facebook ,twitter or instagram for Suzuki,watershed watch, Georgia straight alliance, rainforest etc. When you see a post disengage from commenting.

I said this month's ago they aren't on our side. They seem to have all the answers and think that fish will just rebound like 1800s if fishing stops. Many are anti salmon enhancement and hatchery. Just keep it in mind...
 
Great post.


It’s worth sending well thought out counter arguments directly to these groups as well. Most of them are well meaning and willing to listen.
 
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The only other thing I would suggest adding is the phrase " Please understand the recreational fishing sector is also passionate about the future of our fisheries as well as the well being of the SRKWs. They do not have to be mutually exclusive. "

Good point, I actually thought of that after I sent it. :oops:
 
You want to do something immediate. Everyone get off here and stop following their social media feeds for these groups. Don't engage them at all. Don't circulate or repost anything from facebook ,twitter or instagram for Suzuki,watershed watch, Georgia straight alliance, rainforest etc. When you see a post disengage from commenting.

I said this month's ago they aren't on our side. They seem to have all the answers and think that fish will just rebound like 1800s if fishing stops. Many are anti salmon enhancement and hatchery. Just keep it in mind...
Keep your friends close, but... you know the rest of the saying. Maybe go to their meetings and give a different perspective?
 
Keep your friends close, but... you know the rest of the saying. Maybe go to their meetings and give a different perspective?

That’s what we have you for AA you wouldn’t missrepresent us their would u?
 
You want to do something immediate. Everyone get off here and stop following their social media feeds for these groups. Don't engage them at all. Don't circulate or repost anything from facebook ,twitter or instagram for Suzuki,watershed watch, Georgia straight alliance, rainforest etc. When you see a post disengage from commenting.

I said this month's ago they aren't on our side. They seem to have all the answers and think that fish will just rebound like 1800s if fishing stops. Many are anti salmon enhancement and hatchery. Just keep it in mind...


Best advice yet
 
we should all be writing now, before it's too late


Mr Garrison,
In view of the SRKW problem , I urge you to petition the government to devote funds to the restoration and rehabilitation of Chinook salmon spawning grounds.
Eliminating recreational fishing for Chinook will have little effect
if there is not more effort put into river and stream rebuilding.
Please understand the recreational fishing sector is also passionate
about the future of our fishery.

Regards,

Scott Craven.


Scott, can you let me know the email address to send my letter to?
 
This is the same folks who are against Canadian Energy. Well organized & not interested in the facts. With social media &, dumb butt mellineals the political landscape has changed.

If a celebrity tweeted it they all follow.

That's how we got Trudeau.

Not good........
 
Raincoast and Suzuki both had there hands in the grizzly bear fiasco and will do anything to spread misinformation to the city folk to get the backing they need to push their agendas. Don't engage them, get the truth to the masses, they will team with the local indigenous groups in the Fraser basin if they aren't already to do anything to get the area shut down. If the fish make it past the orca then they will be fair game in the river. Stop the spread of there half truths and get the real truth out on what the actual cause of salmon declines are, habitat degradation and over fishing by commercial fleets up and down the coast. They are targeting the masses who don't have a clue about anything other than the BS half truths these groups spread.

https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/petition-for-srkw-emergency-order_2018-01-30.pdf

In their 64 page petition these groups only mention First Nations a few times and basically say it’s import the for the aboriginal to keep their constitutional protected fishing rights.

They know as well as us that their nets in the Fraser are taking the most chinook.
 
If this does happen I guarantee you that the indigenous groups will still be allowed to fish where ever they feel
Like it and this won't pertain to them. Much like the grizzly bear, indigenous can still hunt them because unlike us they will get special treatment as a right of their past. This won't get any traction without the bands agreeing to it, and they won't agree to it unless they are exempt.

Did u even read what I posted, the groups already stated its important t to keep aboriginal constitutional protected fishing right
 
Well I see they are grabbing the Pender Bluffs. This in addition to the annual closure of the Saanich Inlet, Coal and Moresby Island pretty much decimates Spring, Coho,Pink and Sockeye fishing in the area.
 
My neighbour posted the petition link online asking everyone to quickly sign the petition. I quickly replied with this story from the University of Washington which outlines a major reason for the disappearance of the Chinook Salmon that we all know but everyone else seems oblivious to. The predation by seals and sea lions is not even mentioned as a threat to the orcas in the conservations groups article. Some great stats in the article.

https://www.eopugetsound.org/magazine/is/predators-chinook-2
 
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