Predictions for the Columbia vs here. Bob Hooton

OldBlackDog

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Predictions for the Columbia
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Low returns will hamper salmon fisheries – Columbian.com

Not unexpected but not exactly encouraging for those of us who just like to wet a line occasionally. The steelhead prognostications are the most worrisome in terms of what we might expect for those endangered Interior Fraser fish. The difference between the fishery managers responsible for the Columbia and those responsible for the Fraser is night and day, though. Our southern neighbours take conservation seriously. Ours are not afraid to terminate commercial fisheries or recreational fisheries (no one I know believes we will ever get to fish the Thompson again) but a 27 day “rolling window closure” for First Nations fisheries is as good as it gets. Remember, this is about 1/3 of the run timing window for those fish. So much for all the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ window dressing about the importance of maintaining biodiversity in a rapidly changing environment. Last years’ 27-day “closure” and the steelhead recovery plan for which it was the central component resulted in the worst ever return of Thompson and Chilcotin steelhead. So, what happens if this years’ return follows the Columbia expectation? Ans – a plan for another 27 day closure likely to be monitored by another contract awarded to the foxes that guarded the hens last year.

Something else to remember re those FN fisheries. Its basically business as usual from the boundary line still within the estuary of the Fraser to anywhere seaward (i.e. all the way to Port Hardy if desired). The infamous constitutionally guaranteed Food Social and Ceremonial fisheries that have evolved to become indistinguishable from any other commercial fishery of bygone years just keep rolling along. In fact there’s not insignificant FSC fishing occurring inside that closure line too. Don’t waste your time, as I have, trying to track down any remotely credible steelhead catch reports from any FN fishing activity.

Good luck Thompson. You probably have one more generation before there won’t be enough of you to be detected in the DFO test fishery and the objective of managing to zero will be realized. RIP Chilcotin, Nahatlatch, Bridge, Stein.
 
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