Economic Impact of closing our chinook fishery

Islandgirl

Well-Known Member
I was talking to a local professional that is semi retired yesterday. He had been looking at buying a new boat, 80-100k. He said he won't be buying a new boat now with the new regs although he had been looking at one. That means the salesman, the mechanics, the tackle shop etc wont have this business. They will in turn spend less $ in our community on things such as restaurants, new vehicles, luxury items, etc. etc. This is a huge blow to the island.
 
I was talking to a local professional that is semi retired yesterday. He had been looking at buying a new boat, 80-100k. He said he won't be buying a new boat now with the new regs although he had been looking at one. That means the salesman, the mechanics, the tackle shop etc wont have this business. They will in turn spend less $ in our community on things such as restaurants, new vehicles, luxury items, etc. etc. This is a huge blow to the island.

Multiply that 1000 times over.
 
The other weekend on hwy 1 saw a bunch of people towing there boats east. That was the first weekend after the closure

Sad
 
SFI Update:

CHINOOK RESTRICTIONS IMPACT SURVEY

As all are aware, on April 16 the DFO announced new management measures—non-retention fishing restrictions to address conservation concerns for particular runs of Fraser River Chinook. The broad application of those measures and an unwillingness to consider options that would allow opportunity for the public fishery while not impacting the stocks of concern is causing unnecessary and significant damage to BC's reputation and, more importantly and critically, to the economies of small coastal communities and small businesses around the bottom end of Vancouver Island and the entire length of Juan de Fuca and Georgia Straits in particular.

Appreciating the serious impacts and to better characterize, understand and convey what the restrictions mean to British Columbians, the BC Chamber of Commerce is reaching out to all sectors who are affected by this decision with a quick six question survey.If your business is impacted by the restrictions placed on Chinook salmon, please take a few moments to complete the BC Chamber of Commerce - Chinook Restrictions Impact Survey.


SOUTHERN RESIDENT KILLER WHALE - SRKW FEEDBACK NEEDED BY MAY 3rd

As many will recall, measures to help protect SRKW were to be announced by Ministers Wilkinson and McKenna on time with the approximate return of the whales to our waters. This means that a first round of measures are in the process of development and will soon be implemented. Over the past few months, DFO and Transport Canada led a number of Technical Working Groups. The SFI and SFAB representatives were invited to participate. And, as some will have noted or perhaps even attended, there were three public consultation sessions, in Victoria, Sooke and in Richmond. There is also an opportunity now and until May 3rd to provide feedback on two proposals that have been developed as a result of the TWG sessions and public consultation.

The government has consolidated feedback from the Technical Working groups and from scientific publications and produced a consultation paper that outlines two approaches. Your feedback and response to these proposals is needed. Express your support for Option A as it proposes much less impact on recreational fishing and boating activities than Option B.

The consultation process closes this Friday, May 3rd and the measures will be implemented shortly after that. The consultation paper is here and provide comments in support of Option A to DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

For more information and details about SRKW please visit both SRKW.org or the SFI SRKW page.
 
Strongly encourage people to participate in the surveys. We have been working closely with the BC Chamber in our Thriving Orcas, Thriving Communities Coalition working to help build awareness around these issues, and broaden our base of support. The preliminary survey results show very strong economic impacts being felt by Chamber member businesses. We have been getting out to speak at Chamber membership meetings to build awareness. Next meeting is May 9th in Parksville/Qualicum.

I know from time out on the water there are very, very few boats out on the water. There was no one out yesterday. One of my buddies was out on the long weekend off Thrasher, during a time where we would normally see 50 to 100 boats.....only 3.

We keep hearing about all the SRKW measures are about reducing competition for prey and reducing physical and acoustic disturbance...these new Chinook measures have eliminated most of the rec fleet...pretty much no need now for "SRKW" management measures now.
 
No one talks about the seals that inhabit the mouth of our rivers ripping the egg laiden bellies out of the returning spawning chinook salmon. Maybe someone should get a video of this, and post on youtube. Possibly we could collectively get it to go viral?
 
We have a planned salmon trip to Port Hardy in June. With the new regs it will have to be a non-retention trip. With 3 boats and 9 guys there is a real discussion of canceling. I am happy to spend a week catching and releasing however I completely understand the want to bring fish home, especially for guys coming from the interior. It is a big expense in time and money, maybe it’s time to sell the Skagit and buy a muscle car. With the realization our trip may be cancelled the reality of the new closures is sinking in. In our case they seem to be having the desired effect of giving those fish free passage to the Fraser. My fear is they will be netted. Nets are the opposite of conservation. Times have changed and evolved. There is no longer a need for a winter supply of salmon to survive anymore. The salmon need increased spawning numbers. Do the rights of a person trump the existence of a species?
 
The problem is it doesn’t have the desired effect. Area 12/13 caught so few upper Fraser fish in the past 3 years it’s insane! (130 over 3 years in 12 and not a lot more in 13!). So the science itself says these restrictions campbell River North does virtually nothing.

Crazy the stats on how few are fishing searun
 
We have a planned salmon trip to Port Hardy in June. With the new regs it will have to be a non-retention trip. With 3 boats and 9 guys there is a real discussion of canceling. I am happy to spend a week catching and releasing however I completely understand the want to bring fish home, especially for guys coming from the interior. It is a big expense in time and money, maybe it’s time to sell the Skagit and buy a muscle car. With the realization our trip may be cancelled the reality of the new closures is sinking in. In our case they seem to be having the desired effect of giving those fish free passage to the Fraser. My fear is they will be netted. Nets are the opposite of conservation. Times have changed and evolved. There is no longer a need for a winter supply of salmon to survive anymore. The salmon need increased spawning numbers. Do the rights of a person trump the existence of a species?

If you want a place to fish on the Island that can be accessed by road, isn't crowded and has retention in June (2 per day) perhaps consider Esperanza Inlet. The inlet is part of area 25, it 10nm wide, and its open to 1nm offshore so plenty of fishing spots. The drive to Tahsis is about the same as the drive to Port hardy time wise. The last 40Km is mostly gravel road though. There are options to stay in Tahsis, or out in Port Eliza if you want to be on the fishing grounds and avoid the run out everyday.
 
If you want a place to fish on the Island that can be accessed by road, isn't crowded and has retention in June (2 per day) perhaps consider Esperanza Inlet. The inlet is part of area 25, it 10nm wide, and its open to 1nm offshore so plenty of fishing spots. The drive to Tahsis is about the same as the drive to Port hardy time wise. The last 40Km is mostly gravel road though. There are options to stay in Tahsis, or out in Port Eliza if you want to be on the fishing grounds and avoid the run out everyday.

Thanks. I fished Esperanza first week of July in 2013. We stayed at Newton Cove. Weather was horrendously terrible and we ran to Ferrier Point. The guys on the deck couldn’t even stand up. We put a tyee in the box and made some good memories. We are looking for an early June salmon trip and that just seems early for Esperanza.
 
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