Must suck to be the last ones in line...
The Spruce City Wildlife Association (SCWA) of Prince George, B.C. requests the immediate closure of all fisheries (Recreational, Commercial and Food, Social, Ceremonial (FSC)) exploiting Upper Fraser Chinook (Spring 5-2 and Summer 5-2) with the exception of Upper Fraser FSC. SCWA has received the formal support for this action from the Upper Fraser Sport Fishing Advisory Committee and we expect Fisheries and Oceans Canada to carry out this request based on the following reasons:
- The “Precautionary Approach” is identified in the Wild Salmon Policy as “An approach to decision making that requires caution when scientific information is uncertain, unreliable, or inadequate. It also implies that the absence of adequate scientific information cannot be used as a reason to postpone or fail to take action that could prevent serious harm to a resource.” If the Precautionary Approach is followed then ALL interceptions of 5-2 Chinook (Spring and Summer) should be immediately halted until the stocks are better monitored, and it is clear that there is a harvestable surplus to support fishing without further damaging the stocks
- Upper Fraser 5-2 Chinook do not have an indicator stock (CWT) in place; Furthermore, information used in the IFMP(Integrated Fisheries Management Plan) references Dome Creek. The Dome Creek facility did not meet the requirements needed to be classified an “Indicator stock” and suffered many failures in its time of operation, the information provided by the Dome creek facility that has been out of operation for approximately 20 years is still being used even though this data is out of date. This data should be considered inaccurate and use of it should be ceased immediately.
- In a DFO document from 2011 labelled “Information Document to Assist Development of the Fraser Chinook Management Plan”, the Department states in section 4.1 (Conservation) that “Conservation of Chinook is the primary objective and will take precedence in managing the resource”; yet this year it was indicated to Spruce City Wildlife Association that 5-2 Chinook were passing through the lower and middle Fraser and that significant harvest opportunities were available in those regions, yet the stocks are in conservation crisis.
- “Zoned Management” shows preferential treatment to the marine area fisheries and fisheries in the lower and middle Fraser to exploit the stocks while regions 5 and 7 very rarely have any access to fish.
In its course of its wildlife stewardship, Spruce City Wildlife Association does not seek closures of opportunity for its members and other members of the public. At this time, however, our organization believes that a closure is a necessary action the must be taken to ensure that the Spring 5-2 and Summer 5-2 stocks see as much opportunity to spawn as possible, in order to sustain recovery to harvestable levels. We request these measures so that future generations of upper Fraser residents may
1384 River Road Prince George, BC V2L 5S8
www.scwa.bc.ca sprucecitywildlife@gmail.com
UF SFAC – Nov 21, 2018 Page 7
once again get the opportunity to see these stocks reach a sustainable level, and when this occurs- we would support a reopening of this fishery.
In Conservation,
Spruce City Wildlife Association Board of Directors
