2011 Sockeye Run Port Alberni

Been away camping on FW, time to look at SW again!
There can be strong runs of sox into mid-August, anyone know if it is worth a look into the inlet?
Are the commies still decimating it?

Thanks.

Smiley.
 
Yes it is a sickening situation for certain. I will stress that we need transparency in the fishery. DFO needs to make public what the actual catch stats are by vessel and location within the commercial fleet along with the daily in-river fish counts so we can all assess what actually took place. At the moment the DFO and Commercial sectors are blaming the situation on an early run, high cold river conditions that encouraged the fish to run into the river early rather than stage as they usually do in the inlet where there would have been plenty of "fish for all." (couldn't resist using that handle) We have been asking and not as yet receiving the data and transparency - if the whole situation was transparent there would be less blaming and finger pointing going on, and in the absence of reliable facts, folks make them up to suit their perceptions.

At the end of the day we do need to get the facts and determine what really happened - was it a commercial clean out of the fishery; was it an early migration into the river; was it a combination of the two? We need facts, then we need to sit down with all sides and come up with a future fishing plan that mitigates the impacts to the sport fishery and helps us to protect the economic and social values this fishery brings to the Alberni valley, while also meeting the needs of the other 2 user groups.

We also need the Commercial sector to listen to the needs of the sport fishery and actually be prepared to be flexible in how they fish so we can reduce the conflicts between the two sectors, mitigate real and perceived impacts. I also stress "perceived" because the Commies and DFO did not help the situation by pressing for and allowing a fishing plan that had full on fishing happening in and around the recreational fishery for extended periods. We also had several navigational conflicts with nets closing off almost completely the inlet. To this point at the multi-sectoral round table meetings that flexibility and listening has not been present from the commercial sector. I'm hopeful that after this year that situation will change, and there are some signs it will.

Fingers crossed that cool heads and logic will prevail.
 
Has the pillaging stopped? Is there any chance a recreational fisherperson might have a chance at a sockeye? Probabely not.I can't wait for sockeye at safeway for 49 cents a pound.:mad:;) eman
 
Still going, took 30,000 this past week. Recent round table meeting - looks like DFO is considering a chinook opening Aug 22/23. Reallocated 2700 fish from the Recreational allocation to allow a fishery. So much for the Salmon Festival!
 
searun said:
chinook opening Aug 22/23. Reallocated 2700 fish from the Recreational allocation to allow a fishery. So much for the Salmon Festival!
Click to expand...

This is what woke me up a couple/few years ago when they mopped up those Roberson springs without any good counts up the river:mad:.

My son and I did not enter the derby last year but did fish for 10 hours in the Sound with only 1 bite all day. We didn't see very many people catching fish around us either all day.
 
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Good thing Marika was here for the one and only weekend of fishing this summer. I bet WFN is proud to know they supported PA, and that their money is well spent.
 
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Too bad we could not get enough people on board for a blockade during the purposed opening in Aug. Plug the open areas in the inlet with about a thousand sport boats ,keep em from being able to set.

I know it is a ridiculous thought. Far from flawless or even possible,but I think it would be pretty cool to see and be a part of.

I do think it will take something more than getting pushed around at the so called meetings( my interpretation of what the end outcome of these meeting is, as I obviously have never been to one) to realize any change to what has been going on.
Just don't know what that "something more" is.
 
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I think it's time for the people in town to picket the DFO at 4877 ARGYLE St. Get a few bucks together and get a rush order at a print shop.Hand them out to whoever attends...Moms and Dads, their kids everyone!!Get the local paper and TV up to speed .....GETTING THE WORD OUT IS KEY!!!.. Come on PORT GET OFF YOUR butt........................wild west
 
agree with Jencourt

Hello.

For a few weeks now I have been thinking what Jencourt was brave enough to write; so here is my support.
Regular channels are absolutely not working in this issue. A stink needs to be made in the media.

I am not against people making a living and so don't want to be read as anti-commercial fishing.
HOWEVER, in the name of some semblance of fairness: how good a living is the owner of the restaurant at China Creek making this summer? You could easily come up with a list of people working at businesses that have been denied a decent wage this summer in Alberni as a direct result of the highly limited sport fishery in the inlet. I would hazard a guess that both the number of those people and the dollars they lost out on would outweigh the commercial take. In this case the ships in the commerce of fishing actually COST the economy money.
Did you know that it was so slow that guides were calling clients and cancelling bookings?

How about a peaceful 'sit in' of sorts.
It could happen like this: several hundred of us are unfortunate enough to hit the same patch of weed at the same time at any given narrowing of the inlet. We all are forced to turn our motors off until they cool down and the problem is investigated. In my case I would have to lift the motor up to clear the intake of weeds and so would be obviously disabled for a period of time.
I would truly feel badly for the crew of any ship setting a net in the area at the time.
Many of us could be videotaping the scene to discourage any aggressive acts by those ships.

The opportunities for my family to spend a day fishing with an attractive chance of success are things we look forward to each summer in the inlet. This summer that opportunity was denied us since as soon as school was out the fishing was effectively OVER!
My fishing has still been okay, but my wife is not a fan of the bigger waters in the Sound and so the inlet is her only assured fishing each year.
I know that we are not alone in this. Many of the smaller boats that fish near China Creek every year are never seen in the sound.

Sitting back while the gears grind away in the offices of the people in control of this is just not cutting it!

Smiley.
 
Thats an idea but I'd bet not many of us would have NERVES OF STEEL with a 75 footer bearing down on you...NOT ME....I would run like a chicken....Those seine skippers can handle their boats pretty good,they would run 10 feet from you at wideopen.Bad idea I think.
 
searun said:
Still going, took 30,000 this past week. Recent round table meeting - looks like DFO is considering a chinook opening Aug 22/23. Reallocated 2700 fish from the Recreational allocation to allow a fishery. So much for the Salmon Festival!
Click to expand...

Sad..
I really don't know what it is going to take to stop the rape and pillage in port..
What has happened there is going to happen other places as well.
I have heard they are starting to gillnet nootka this week too.
I think there may be no recreational opportunites in the next decade as there will be nothing left.
dfo has not figured out the fish in the hull of the net boats don't spawn!
 
I've been on the water and watched a commercial guy set his net around a sport boat in Alberni.
I'll give the sportie credit he wouldn't move, didn't budge for 45 minutes the guy on the siene boat went ballistic.
Still the guy wouldn't move.
Got out his knife cleaned some fish, brushed the side of his boat clean then moved on.
Was a great standoff.
I got blocked in at Mactush about 7-8 years ago the skiff had the net tied to the pilings in front of the ramp/fish cleaning station the skiff was between the pilings and the shore couldn't get through I asked the guy to move and was told to "F' off.
I moved him, hard.
They understood that.
Dan.
 
I was talking to Deb at El Pescadors resturant in Port this week not good.
The wife talked to Linda at The China Creek resturant a couple of days ago she said it was pretty slow.
I agree Port needs to get involved and start raising hell over this debacle.
Nothing will happen until there are noises.
Dan.
 
Perhaps it's time to take a stand. I like what Dan said "I moved him, hard.They understood that."
Will be fishing Nootka and I'm not moving out of the way.
GLG
 
I am sure i will get lambasted for this one, but i DO NOT blame the commercial fisherman for this. I f i were in there shoes i would be doing the same thing. They have had some tough years, and if they have a license to catch x amount of fish are some of you questioning or insinuating that they should police themselves and say enough is enough? If so give your head a shake. This is 100% the DFo's retardedness not the commie. He's just doing what he's told and trying to make the best living he can. IMO of course
 
re lorne

Hello, Lorne.

I have close connections with many commies and used to be involved myself.
As stated near the beginning of my post - do not read my post as an attack on them - they have every right to a living!

My thoughts are that one of our best options to get DFO to fix things is to cause a media stir.
A sure way to get media would be to have a peaceful 'sit in' on the water, especially if the media was given a heads up.

I still can't beleive that businesses in Port aren't raising a huge stink about what happened there in July.
From what I read something similar is about to happen with springs in the inlet!!!

Smiley.
 
from Bob Cole to Bill Shaw DFO aug. 07

"Hello Bill,
I have poled the rec fishers and Salmon Festival organizers and, to a one, they are opposed to any sort of commercial gill net fishery in the inlet prior to Labour Day.
A test fishery for information is unnecessary as there can not be any adjustment to the TAC no matter what you find and the age and sex composition will ultimately be determined at the hatchery.
If you require scale samples in season for whatever purpose, the rec fleet can provide them and anecdotal information on size and sex.
If we want to avoid further bad PR for DFO and at least try and save a portion of our once valuable recreational fishery, the only way to show it is to provide us unfettered opportunity.
The gill netters have other fisheries, other options and other species. We have one species for less than two weeks and nowhere else to go.
Please honour your word at the Wild Salmon policy meeting and at the round table meeting and not allow any commercial net fisheries in the inlet before the 6th of September at the earliest.
Bob"
 
Smiley said:
Hello, Lorne.

I have close connections with many commies and used to be involved myself.
As stated near the beginning of my post - do not read my post as an attack on them - they have every right to a living!

My thoughts are that one of our best options to get DFO to fix things is to cause a media stir.
A sure way to get media would be to have a peaceful 'sit in' on the water, especially if the media was given a heads up.

I still can't beleive that businesses in Port aren't raising a huge stink about what happened there in July.
From what I read something similar is about to happen with springs in the inlet!!!

Smiley.
Click to expand...

No worries sir! It wasnt direct at you, more so people trying to block commercial fisherman from doing their job. That is off side IMo and you are no different then chaining yourself to a tree to stop a logging company IMO. And for the record anyone that knows me knows i have 0 ties to commercial fishing.
 
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