Closures for salmon on west coast VI

[Knotty Seamen]

What does everyone think the chances of a salmon closure this year on the west coast of vancouver island are??? Thought i'd start a thread as a few friends and i have been talking about how they are doing it in the states already???? What u think??

 

[Sitkaspruce]

Mr DC Reid does not think so

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimes....html?id=85394969-6b1f-4baf-bdbe-c0b6ca2a7c8c

SS

 

[scott craven]

DFO works in weird & wonderful ? ways ...
i would not rule anything out as far as closures yet

 

[chris73]

From what I have heard (rumours and DFO staff opinions) there will be restrictions north of Barkley Sound but no complete closures...

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by Spooled Again

What does everyone think the chances of a salmon closure this year on the west coast of vancouver island are??? Thought i'd start a thread as a few friends and i have been talking about how they are doing it in the states already???? What u think??

I heard a RUMOUR yesterday that we may be cut back to 1 per day, and 2 possession on Chinook Salmon.

Nothing confirmed yet.

Maybe NOW, we can get some money put into hatchery programs and stream enhancement?

 

[bananas]

North of Barkley starting July 1 for a size retention,i heard.

 

[searun]

Nothing firm yet - latest word was the cut backs in Alaska are changing the outlook for WCVI. Over and above the 51% conservation reduction Alaska announced last week, they will have to cut back by 60,000 which they over-fished last year and must by the treaty agreement hand it back to Canada this year. So don't panic just yet as this will dramatically change the outlook and fishing plan. This could still mean reductions, but I heard it was more likely business as usual with spot closures, and further slot limits in certain areas.

 

[OldBlackDog]

quote:Originally posted by searun

Nothing firm yet - latest word was the cut backs in Alaska are changing the outlook for WCVI. Over and above the 51% conservation reduction Alaska announced last week, they will have to cut back by 60,000 which they over-fished last year and must by the treaty agreement hand it back to Canada this year. So don't panic just yet as this will dramatically change the outlook and fishing plan. This could still mean reductions, but I heard it was more likely business as usual with spot closures, and further slot limits in certain areas.

Wait for it, as DFO has not yet run the numbers.

 

[alley cat]

Bob Galluagher Chair of the SFAB Cowichan / Port Renfrew has it from the DFO guys that Areas 121 , 20 and 21 Salmon regs will be the same as last year for Chinook and Coho.
West of us and to the top of the Island Area 23 etc they are still looking at possibilities and the one over and one under size thing is being contemplated , wait for further news.

AL

 

[chris73]

Same info what I have right now.

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by chris73

Same info what I have right now.

For Area 25 - Nootka Island/Esperanza Inlet areas - UNofficial word is that things will remain the same as last year. - We are still waiting to hear the official word any minute now...

 

[tofinofish]

"The Word" will not be out until after we meet for the next Chinook/Coho working group meeting, and the meeting date has not yet been set. It was for the 14th, but delayed until further data....

Rumours will always be there, but most talk is only speculative at this point.

Jay

 

[OldBlackDog]

quote:Originally posted by tofinofish

"The Word" will not be out until after we meet for the next Chinook/Coho working group meeting, and the meeting date has not yet been set. It was for the 14th, but delayed until further data....

Rumours will always be there, but most talk is only speculative at this point.

Jay

That is the correct answer. There is a need for real science and numbers at this meeting.

 

[tofinofish]

Meeting is set for Thursday to finalize WCVI Chinook plan.

Stay posted for "The Word"

Jay

 

[Sushihunter]

quote:Originally posted by tofinofish

Meeting is set for Thursday to finalize WCVI Chinook plan.

Stay posted for "The Word"

Jay

Jay: Where and when is the meeting being held? Perhaps we should get as many people out to it as possible, even if only to witness the meeting. Never hurts to have a show of people interested in the results.

 

[Island Fish Lifter]

Hey Tofino Fish, Is that you freeman?

 

[Bish]

It's official in the US now:

All salmon fishing banned on West Coast
Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, May 2, 2008

Salmon fishing was banned along the West Coast for the first time in 160 years Thursday, a decision that is expected to have a devastating economic impact on fishermen, dozens of businesses, tourism and boating.

Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez immediately declared a commercial fishery disaster, opening the door for Congress to appropriate money for anyone who will be economically harmed.

The closure of commercial and recreational fishing for chinook salmon in the ocean off California and most of Oregon was announced by the National Marine Fishery Service.

It followed the recommendation last month of the Pacific Fishery Management Council after the catastrophic disappearance of California's fabled fall run of the pink fish popularly known as king salmon.

It is the first total closure since commercial fishing started in the Bay Area in 1848.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency last month and sent a letter to President Bush asking for his help in obtaining federal disaster assistance. Schwarzenegger plans to appropriate about $5.3 million for coastal salmon and steelhead fishery restoration projects.

The disaster declaration allows state officials to work with Congress on obtaining appropriations for businesses and fishermen and women, some of whom will lose as much as 80 percent of their annual income.

Although salmon spawning has been in decline all up and down the coast, the biggest problem is in the Sacramento River and its tributaries. So few salmon returned last fall that the fishery council was required under its management plan to halt fishing throughout the salmon habitat, which is all along the California and Oregon coasts.

The commercial salmon season off California and Oregon typically runs from May 1 to Oct. 31. The recreational season was to have begun April 5.

E-mail Peter Fimrite at pfimrite@sfchronicle.com

 

[tofinofish]

quote:Originally posted by Island Fish Lifter

Hey Tofino Fish, Is that you freeman?

No,

Jay Mohl

Clayoquot Ventures

www.tofinofishing.com

 

[tofinofish]

quote:Originally posted by Sushihunter

quote:Originally posted by tofinofish

Meeting is set for Thursday to finalize WCVI Chinook plan.

Stay posted for "The Word"

Jay

Jay: Where and when is the meeting being held? Perhaps we should get as many people out to it as possible, even if only to witness the meeting. Never hurts to have a show of people interested in the results.

Jim,

This was not an open meeting for concerned members to be present. It is a sub-committee of the Sport Fish Advisory Process called the Chinook/Coho Working Group.
As you know, Cathy is your rep for the Tahsis area but was unable to attend. Tim Cyr was there to stand in and rep your interests.

The meeting went well, considering we are still able to fish most areas of the WCVI coastine and offshore as usual, compared to our neighbors to the South.......
There is another multi-sectoral meeting now (Today), and we will be able to expose time and area plans after this weekend. Remember that overall, it is positive considering that we are still fishing, and the Recreational DFO people were helpful and accommodating.

I will be posting a brief on the new plans under a new post hopefully by Monday, and you should all see a Department posting or e-mail soon after with specifics to the revised regs.

We can't stress enough how important it is to get wild Chinook spawners back to their streams this fall....

For those that want a direct outline when it is ready, you can e-mail me jay@tofinofishing.com and I will put you on a special list to reply when I am able.


Stay Posted.

Jay

 

[Fish Frontiers]

Just got this from Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game regarding the latest changes. Things are getting even more restrictive in SE Alaska this summer. Hopefully we can get fish back to the BC and US rivers this summer:

SOUTHEAST ALASKA KING SALMON SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS FOR 2008 HAVE BEEN REVISED

Juneau- On Monday April 28, 2008 the Alaska Board of Fisheries met by teleconference to consider emergency regulations for modifying provisions within the Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan. The Board established emergency regulations that modified the restrictions in the department’s emergency order issued earlier in April, 2008. The new regulations are:

Ø The resident bag and possession limit for king salmon is 1 fish 28 inches or greater in length.

Ø The nonresident bag and possession limit is:

May 1 through July 15, one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;
July 16 through September 30, one king salmon 48 inches or greater in length;
October 1 through December 31, one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length.
Ø Nonresident harvest limit:

o From January 1 through June 30, a nonresident’s harvest limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;

- From July 1 through July 15, a nonresident’s harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish harvest limit;

- From July 16 through September 30, a nonresident’s harvest limit is one king salmon, 48 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through July 15 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit;

- From October 1 through December 31, a nonresident’s harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon 28 inches or greater in length harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through September 30 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit;

- Nonresident anglers must record all king salmon harvested, immediately, in ink, either on the back of their sport fishing license, or on a nontransferable harvest record immediately.

- The maximum number of lines that may be fished from a charter vessel engaged in sport fishing charter activities is six lines or equal to the number of clients onboard the vessel, whichever is less.


Rob Endsley
www.fishfrontiers.com