chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
and for the record they arent golden eagles theyre juvenile bald eagles.
A REPORT ON THE TRAGIC HERRING FISHERY - Salish Sea
- Thread starter Andrew P
- Start date
Cuba Libre
Well-Known Member
yes-- the juvies do appear larger than the adults
chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
feathers are just more ruffled when theyre immature, making them appaear larger. common misconception. back to topic!
gearjammer
Member
Has anyone got an idea when we can expect some herring in the Nanaimo area, been checking Pipers, Neck Point, Brickyard etc and nada. Was told they were holding out off Pipers about 100 feet down, went out with the boat and prowled around with the sounder and didnt find anything. I need bait for the year and my son wants to try some smoked herring so would appreciate any info.
Maybe the commercials got Nanaimo's spawn before they got here.
GJ
Maybe the commercials got Nanaimo's spawn before they got here.
GJ
chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
yep we caught every single one. not a fish left for you.
chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
sure I guess there feathers being more ruffled make them twice the size then. so your telling me there is no way they were golden eagles? sorry to deviate from the topic but you did bring up the point chevy.
chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
its possible that there were golden eagles but not very likely. they are pretty rare in bc although there are a few on vancouver island. they are more commonly land hunters from what i understand, its the rabbits that are allowing them to sustain around here but if there was ever something to draw them to the water it would be the herring spawn. if you took a pic i think the best way to tell is their beak, goldens beaks match their feathers and balds have the traditonal creamy yellow beak. juvenile balds seems sooooo much more likely because there are literally thousands of them out here for the herring and with such a tiny golden population, seeing a bunch in one spot would be very rare.
also i remember something from when i was in high school, maybe 2001 or 2002, the government culled a bunch of golden eagles because they were feasting on the marmots in the reserve behind nanaimo lakes. interesting anyway.
also i remember something from when i was in high school, maybe 2001 or 2002, the government culled a bunch of golden eagles because they were feasting on the marmots in the reserve behind nanaimo lakes. interesting anyway.
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chevyshaulass
Well-Known Member
in the daily news from one of our boat owners:
In response to a couple of letters on the recent commercial herring fishery in our area, I would like to set the record straight with some actual facts. I have personally been fishing these specific herring stocks for 39 of the last 40 yearsin the area from Comox to Nanaimo. This years abundance ranked near the top of those 39 years for returns. these fish have helped to feed my family, and have sustained many other families on the Island through the rise and fall of many of the fisheries throughout the years. French Creek Seafoods in parksville has many employees that also rely on this fishery. The fishery only harvests 10-20% of the total biomass. think of the herring biomass as being a football field 100 feet deep in herring equalling 115,000 tons, with the fishery harvesting 15 feet equalling 13,000 tons, leaving 85 feet equalling 102,000 tons of herring, leaving this significant biomass to spawn and feed the seals, salmon, sea lions, eagles, brant geese and countless other marine species that rely on the herring and the spawn after the fishery is complete. This fishery is well managed and sustainable. Most countries harvest of to 50 percent of their pelagic fish. This is a model fishery with accurate catch reporting and good science. One of my family's main reasons for choosing qualicum beach as our home was due to sustainable fisheries such as this years herring fishery. Not only did we have an increased abundance this year, but the size of the herring was also significantly larger than past years. We look forward to healthy fisheries for all species for sport, native, and commercial fisherman in the future with what looks to be a very healthy marine environment in the straight of Georgia. Proud to be fishing for a living.
Paul Kershaw
Qualicum Beach
In response to a couple of letters on the recent commercial herring fishery in our area, I would like to set the record straight with some actual facts. I have personally been fishing these specific herring stocks for 39 of the last 40 yearsin the area from Comox to Nanaimo. This years abundance ranked near the top of those 39 years for returns. these fish have helped to feed my family, and have sustained many other families on the Island through the rise and fall of many of the fisheries throughout the years. French Creek Seafoods in parksville has many employees that also rely on this fishery. The fishery only harvests 10-20% of the total biomass. think of the herring biomass as being a football field 100 feet deep in herring equalling 115,000 tons, with the fishery harvesting 15 feet equalling 13,000 tons, leaving 85 feet equalling 102,000 tons of herring, leaving this significant biomass to spawn and feed the seals, salmon, sea lions, eagles, brant geese and countless other marine species that rely on the herring and the spawn after the fishery is complete. This fishery is well managed and sustainable. Most countries harvest of to 50 percent of their pelagic fish. This is a model fishery with accurate catch reporting and good science. One of my family's main reasons for choosing qualicum beach as our home was due to sustainable fisheries such as this years herring fishery. Not only did we have an increased abundance this year, but the size of the herring was also significantly larger than past years. We look forward to healthy fisheries for all species for sport, native, and commercial fisherman in the future with what looks to be a very healthy marine environment in the straight of Georgia. Proud to be fishing for a living.
Paul Kershaw
Qualicum Beach
Charter Tofino
Well-Known Member
For the record I haven't sent or shared elsewhere that draft letter I posted here earlier. I wanted to do more research myself, talk to a few commercial fisherman and biologists to be more certain with my position. As Chevy's post highlights this fishery is relied on financially by a number of people and that has to be respected. Sharing bad info or personal views in a manner that threatens others lively hoods without solid reasoning or facts is not to be taken lightly.
With that said I am still not convinced the herring fishery is efficient enough in the overall health of the marine ecosystem. This is not to be confused with sustainability which was used in the response. You can keep stocks sustained at low levels and call that sustainable. I wont argue all the points from that letter but do question his sight of "what looks to be a very healthy marine environment in the straight of Georgia". I'm sure most will agree that for a large number of reasons, the Strait of Georgia has become a shadow of what it once was.
With that said I am still not convinced the herring fishery is efficient enough in the overall health of the marine ecosystem. This is not to be confused with sustainability which was used in the response. You can keep stocks sustained at low levels and call that sustainable. I wont argue all the points from that letter but do question his sight of "what looks to be a very healthy marine environment in the straight of Georgia". I'm sure most will agree that for a large number of reasons, the Strait of Georgia has become a shadow of what it once was.
Hali killer
Member
They don't start spawning until they are two or three years old
Hali killer
Member
And no there is no different runs its one big hump party
Andrew P
Well-Known Member
Herring require 2-4 years to mature. They don't die after spawning and can producing increasing numbers of eggs up to 38,000 annually by their eighth year. If they were allowed to grow old they can live over 15 years.
The herring spawns up on the east side of Van Isle in recent weeks are likely 4 year old fish. There was a good return and spawn up there last year as well, but apparently the herring were not big enough to to have enough roe for economical harvest. Perhaps one of the commercial guys can confirm this about the size last year compared to this year. I am just basing my info on accounts that I was told and DFO info. That does make sense with the sizing and the bulk would have been 3 year old, initial or first time spawners. Hopefully enough of the 4 year olds were left to be even bigger and more productive next year.
The herring spawns up on the east side of Van Isle in recent weeks are likely 4 year old fish. There was a good return and spawn up there last year as well, but apparently the herring were not big enough to to have enough roe for economical harvest. Perhaps one of the commercial guys can confirm this about the size last year compared to this year. I am just basing my info on accounts that I was told and DFO info. That does make sense with the sizing and the bulk would have been 3 year old, initial or first time spawners. Hopefully enough of the 4 year olds were left to be even bigger and more productive next year.
wstcoaster
Member
i was a member of halibut advisory group for a few years it was composed of different commercial groups and many dfo officers plus bc govt boilogists but no sport fishery members; why not; herring can spawn at any age three and up;but most spawners are 4 or over; most of commercial catch is 5 years or older;at around 19 or 20 centimeters; older fish do not seen to gain much more size; in places where they are rarely fished a couple of more centimeters seens to be it; in years of fishing the largest pne i caught was 23 centimeters i sent in a scale sample and it was 16 years old; the herring on this coast are smaller than in the atlantic thus not many used for kippering; if you want to know about historical levels of fish in gulf of georgia buy a new book written by a fish buyer in vancouver harbour who was around in 1930s and40s; who watched the dissapearance of gulf herring and groundfish stocks; well written and a very interisting book i highly recomend it its called BLUEBACKS TO SILVERBRIGHTS and any large book sellers have or can get one author isNORMAN SAFARIC costs around 20 bucks but well worth it TR
David Ellis
New Member
Nice letter Kelly! I see a job for you, in the new, nicer, DFO! How about this:
Mr. Joe Planes, Fisheries at Sooke First Nations, says the herring are still around too, but not coming up to the bridge, anymore.The herring have not really returned, since the highway bridge was built. A good habitat project here, the remnant herring, will eventually return, if habitat is provided, although it could be a long wait. Helen Jones is a good contact at Port Renfrew, she notes some herring activity there (this year Helen?)
Better still, if DFO and the First Nations will agree to you towing in a cedar tree with lots herring eggs on it from Port Renfrew, Bamfield, Ucluelet, etc., that would help! Herring transplanting worked really well in Squamish. Herring transplantation, is well known, in the First Nations community (goggle "herring synthesis")
A South Vancouver Island/Gulf Islands "herring enhancement project", is long overdue, and DFO, to fund! That is just what, our tax dollars, are for!
Best
David
Mr. Joe Planes, Fisheries at Sooke First Nations, says the herring are still around too, but not coming up to the bridge, anymore.The herring have not really returned, since the highway bridge was built. A good habitat project here, the remnant herring, will eventually return, if habitat is provided, although it could be a long wait. Helen Jones is a good contact at Port Renfrew, she notes some herring activity there (this year Helen?)
Better still, if DFO and the First Nations will agree to you towing in a cedar tree with lots herring eggs on it from Port Renfrew, Bamfield, Ucluelet, etc., that would help! Herring transplanting worked really well in Squamish. Herring transplantation, is well known, in the First Nations community (goggle "herring synthesis")
A South Vancouver Island/Gulf Islands "herring enhancement project", is long overdue, and DFO, to fund! That is just what, our tax dollars, are for!
Best
David
David Ellis
New Member
Rockfish: you are sure right on the Pilchards, salmon grow fast on these as with herring, and the DFO has let the quota go much too high. Do you or can you attend the advisory meetings as the sport rep? Where are they fishing right now?
Best
David Ellis
Best
David Ellis
Englishman
Well-Known Member
Are Krill commercially fished locally? If so, then yes indeed that should stop. Attacking the foundation of a house is lunacy. Same goes for the ecosystem. And if the krill are not fished locally, then the herring fishery is the activity that is attacking the foundation. Please read the following and links therein:-
http://science.time.com/2011/07/21/...fish-out-the-bottom-of-the-marine-food-chain/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fishing_down_the_food_web
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