Bella Bella FN vs. DFO/Herring fleet

[agentaqua]

The way I feel about it - is that:

1/ DFO manages herring on a coast-wide TAC, verses more stock/area-specific quotas. By that I mean, DFO alleges that there are no mini-population area capacities. Most non-DFO people reject that argument, and point-out the inadequacies in DFOs program to determine meta-populations through their coarse DNA techniques. I think this area needs way more work. Work to answer the question about what levels of herring each area needs in order for proper ecosystem functioning - as WitW has pointed-out.
2/ If there are valid, defensible ecosystem goals with target levels triggering conservation restrictions - we should utilize these levels on an area-by-area basis, and have higher benchmarks for openings more destructive fisheries. If we do not already have this type of DFO management operational (and we do not - it's just what Gail wants at this stage) - then we have to go to more local area management licencing. This means more integration with local FN marine plans.
3/ If there are valid conservation reasons to have conservation benchmarks set at some appropriate level - then NOBODY (incl. FN) fishes if the stocks are below that conservation threshold. If you look at how fisheries allocations and conservation benchmarks trigger various management actions in other fisheries (e.g. salmon) - there are a number of steps along the way to a full commercial opening. Usually there are conservation levels set - below which nobody fishes - incl. FN FSC catch. Then, the next bar is FN FSC catch. Then a FN economic fishery. Then (often) - a FN commercial opening. Lastly there is a full commercial opening. The Fraser and the Nass operate yearly fishing plans like this. Herring - well out of sight - out of mind, apparently.

 

[richmake]

I often agree with your posts fish4all. This one - I cannot. The regular commercial fisheries executed by First Nations are subject to the same observing/reporting requirements as any other regular commercial fishery.

The FN commercial halibut fishery - as 1 example - utilizes Archipelago cameras and dockside monitoring to the tune of about ~$6-10k/boat/yr. The recreational fleet, and the lodges and the commercial recreational fleets do not have this requirement.

The FN commercial SoK fishery uses JO Thomas to the tune of about $3700/licence.

If you wish to verify these facts: J.O. Thomas phone # is: 1-800-663-3344; Archipelago's #: 1-250-383-4535

So what your saying is that the FN longliner fishing all last summer off the top end of Vancouver island for Halibut with no
Archipelago cameras and dockside monitoring was a food fishery?
Delivering thousands of pounds of unaccountable halibut each week.....
I guess it's classified as a food fishery? so why should it be screwtinized right ?
To me...that's a major issue with the system when the REC sector is being held accountable to stay within a measly TAC>

 

[agentaqua]

So what your saying is that the FN longliner fishing all last summer off the top end of Vancouver island for Halibut with no
Archipelago cameras and dockside monitoring was a food fishery?
Delivering thousands of pounds of unaccountable halibut each week.....
I guess it's classified as a food fishery? so why should it be screwtinized right ?
To me...that's a major issue with the system when the REC sector is being held accountable to stay within a measly TAC>

I can't speak to the particular vessel or your individual experience,rich. I do know that what I said above is true - and phone the numbers I gave for verification.

 

[fish4all]

I can't speak to the particular vessel or your individual experience,rich. I do know that what I said above is true - and phone the numbers I gave for verification.

No its not entirely true. I was doing the rok for years and years and was there when dfo hauled the observer off the ground. I was also there when they shoveled tons of kelp off the dock that had already been in brine and the eggs were dead.

richmake :That same boat delivered 19,000 lbs of food fish halibut last week and it was all sent to a processing plant. No camera, no offload observers, no accountability.

 

[agentaqua]

No its not entirely true. I was doing the rok for years and years and was there when dfo hauled the observer off the ground. I was also there when they shoveled tons of kelp off the dock that had already been in brine and the eggs were dead.

richmake :That same boat delivered 19,000 lbs of food fish halibut last week and it was all sent to a processing plant. No camera, no offload observers, no accountability.

If that boat is licensed commercially - what I said about cameras and observers holds true. POSSIBLY with the last Ahousat decision - the Ahousat have a different commercial verification process specific to their territory. I don't know about that.

I suspect that instead this boat is not licensed and/or fishing commercially. It could be instead fishing FSC. Most often - if it is a commercially licensed boat - it dual fishes and poundage over the allotted commercial TAC gets taken off the FN FSC allocation instead. All of this is supposed to be recorded by cameras and dockside monitoring, including FSC catch - if it is fishing commercially or licensed commercially.

if it is instead FSC only fishing - and is not a bona fide licensed commercial fishing boat - they are licensed by the FN in the area they are fishing and report their FSC catch back to the FN. Selling FSC catch is generally a no-no and generally illegal - although those rules have loosened-up for an "economic fishery" which is supposed to be separate from a FSC-directed fishery.

You can look-up the VRN # online and check to see what licences each commercially-registered boat has - and who the owners are. It would be interesting to do that to the boat you are familiar with and talking about.

 

[richmake]

All I know is the same group that I saw last summer...all summer...just applied for two fish farm licences...
so much for protecting the beloved territory...
this is all about evading any accountability and not paying a dime of tax....plain and simple...

 

[richmake]

No its not entirely true. I was doing the rok for years and years and was there when dfo hauled the observer off the ground. I was also there when they shoveled tons of kelp off the dock that had already been in brine and the eggs were dead.

richmake :That same boat delivered 19,000 lbs of food fish halibut last week and it was all sent to a processing plant. No camera, no offload observers, no accountability.

I'm hedging a guess that this boat along delivers 250,000lbs of un accountable halibut over 12 months....
And once again...were stuck in a hypothetical TAC....come on people....