FN0156-RECREATIONAL - Salmon: Fraser River Chinook - Areas 19 and 20 -

[Governor]

As you can read by the release of DFO's management measures for Victoria area (19 and 20) Chinook fishing in June and July, yet further evidence the health and social importance of our fishery on South Vancouver Island appears to carry little or no importance in their decision making. As your SFAB rep I was informed early in the new year the regulations for 2013 Southern BC Chinook would be the same as in 2012. However, as you can see below we now learn that DFO will NOT manage Victoria the same as 2012. These additional restrictions will be devasting to our fishery. While DFO's 1-2-3 zonal management approach remains constant, they have made significant changes to Fraser Chinook escapement requirements and benchmark increases to the Albion Test fishery.

Please know that ALL your SFAB representatives have made it perfectly clear to DFO that the measures for 2013 are unacceptable. We are not against conservation by any means, because the Chinook restrictions introduced in 2011 met or exceeded the fishing impact reduction targets DFO were seeking. We reduced our minimal impact by greater than 50%. The SFAB Main Board passed a clear motion last year to DFO that no further measures should be introduced.

It is my opinion that Victoria Chinook anglers are being unfairly punished. There is no formal Chinook stock-of-concern recovery or enhancement program in place. DFO don't even have a CWT stock to properly manage Fraser 4-2s. This is a terrible shame for your important Chinook fishery and all the individuals and businesses who provide services to the angling community. And further it impacts the environment, the Southern Resident Killer Whales, the First Nations FSC fisheries and the commercial fishery who rely on Chinook.

If you are as disappointed as I am by this announcement, I strongly recommend you do everything possible to influence politicians and organize as an angling community. As I see it the SFAB advice on Fraser Chinook is for all intense and purpose being ignored.

Gov



Category(s): RECREATIONAL - Salmon

Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans CanadaSubject: FN0156-RECREATIONAL - Salmon: Fraser River Chinook - Areas 19 and 20 - Update to Recreational Fishery Management Actions (Fishery Notice 0059)

This notice is an amendment to FN 0059 – the current regulations remain in effect however, the end date has been adjusted to avoid changes during the weekend.

Management actions that will be in place beginning on June 15, 2013 are also included.Effective now through to 23:59 hours June 14, 2013 in Subareas 19-1 to 19-4 and Subarea 20-5 (those waters near Victoria between Cadboro Point to Sheringham Point), the daily limit is two (2) chinook salmon per day which may be wild or hatchery marked between 45 cm and 67 cm or hatchery marked greater than 67 cm in length.

Management measures as noted below are intended to protect Fraser River Spring 4-2 and Fraser River Spring and Summer 5-2 Chinook stocks of concern.

Effective June 15 to July 19, 2013: Effective 00:01 hours June 15, 2013 until 23:59 hours July 19, 2013 in Subareas 19-1 to 19-4 and Subarea 20-5 (those waters near Victoria between Cadboro Point to Sheringham Point), the daily limit is two (2) chinook salmon per day which may be wild or hatchery marked less than 85 cm or hatchery marked greater than 85 cm in length.

The Department will monitor returns of Fraser River Spring and Summer 5-2 chinook to the Fraser River using the Albion test fishery and updates will take place beginning late May with a final update on June 17, 2013.

In the event that Fraser River Spring and Summer 5-2 chinook returns are greater than expected, a fishery notice announcing alternative management measures will be released.For further details on the management measures to protect and conserve Fraser River Spring 4-2, Spring and Summer 5-2 Chinook stocks of concern please refer to Appendix 6 of the 2012/13 Southern BC Salmon Integrated Fishery Management Plan.Variation Order Number: 2013-102

Notes:

Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia.

Anglers are requested to release any hatchery marked sockeye. These fish are hatchery raised sockeye and part of a recovery program designed to increase the numbers of Cultus Lake sockeye.

The term "hatchery marked" means a fish that has a healed scar in place of the adipose fin.

Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the voluntary Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped chinook and coho salmon. Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for coast-wide stock assessment. Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program at (866) 483-9994 for further information.

Rockfish Conservation Areas are currently in effect and are closed to all fin fishing. Descriptions of these closures, and other recreational fishing information, can be found on the Internet at:www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/recfish

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation? If so, please call the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line at (800) 465-4336.For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at 1-(866)431-FISH (3474).

For more information contact Brad Beaith (250) 756-7190.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada Operations Center - FN0156
Sent March 13, 2013 at 09:00

 

[Lipripper]

Disappointing, yes...

 

[GDW]

How big is an 85cm chinook? About 15 pounds? Hehe Juan de fuca derby organizers and entrants are going to be pissed.

I'm for a coast wide slot restriction on BIG fish (say over 25 pounds?) because i know if we continue to take them there will be none left. It should be for all sectors and all areas though not just one sector in one area that the fish arent even returning to. Tossing back great eating teenagers sucks though. I guess South Island guys should start fishing ECVI again you can catch and keep the same fish you'll have to release in Sooke.

 

[trendsetter]

How big is an 85cm chinook? About 15 pounds? Hehe Juan de fuca derby organizers and entrants are going to be pissed.

I'm for a coast wide slot restriction on BIG fish (say over 25 pounds?) because i know if we continue to take them there will be none left. It should be for all sectors and all areas though not just one sector in one area that the fish arent even returning to. Tossing back great eating teenagers sucks though. I guess South Island guys should start fishing ECVI again you can catch and keep the same fish you'll have to release in Sooke.

Better yet, ask the FN on the Fraser to stop gillnetting until all the 4-2 and 5-2 chinook have made it to their spawning grounds. That might actually have a significant effect on the stocks.

 

[Last Chance]

Better yet, ask the FN on the Fraser to stop gillnetting until all the 4-2 and 5-2 chinook have made it to their spawning grounds. That might actually have a significant effect on the stocks.

A few months ago I would have agreed with you. However, they are already on notice that if the Orca's make the SARA list, they are off the water. SVIAC has met with some Fraser band members, and they are amicable to working with us to provide a united voice to DFO to MAKE MORE FISH FOR ALL OF US. That means enhancement and hatcheries. Stay tuned, it's going to get interesting. Back to the thread.

 

[GDW]

That's already been done. FN response is if we are asked to take less rec is asked to take less hence these slot limits for area 19. DFO put it in place to show the FN fishers they are not the only ones making sacrifice. Remember FN have the god given right to net everything that goes up that river.

 

[wolf]

DIDNT you know they (FN) are not the cause..... they take 38 -+ % and the sportfishing of sherinham to cadboro pt take +- 6 % and the fish only travel WEST they dont go down the east side at all SIMPLY f#$%^n amazing once again area 19/20 gets screwed THANK YOU VERY MUCH and you wonder why we don't need a coalition........

 

[Last Chance]

See the new thread in Conservation..

 

[trendsetter]

That's already been done. FN response is if we are asked to take less rec is asked to take less hence these slot limits for area 19. DFO put it in place to show the FN fishers they are not the only ones making sacrifice. Remember FN have the god given right to net everything that goes up that river.

You can't "ask them to take less" the gill-nets and drift nets are not discriminating between species. If the mesh can catch a 10lb sockeye it can catch a 10lb chinook or coho. It has to be either all nets off until the 4-2 and 5-2 have made it through or no nets at all. Maybe a specific amount of salmon can be determined to meet there needs and DFO can buy it from Alaska for 4 years. I bet you would see an immediate massive turnaround in numbers of all species coming out of the fraser.

Or we could go the hatchery route...

 

[GDW]

I agree trendsetter I just don't see the FN doing it. Our government is too scared to butt heads with them, so is DFO, so is joe public. so it would be up to the FN to pull themselves off the river and they will never do that unless all sport fishing and commercial fishing is shut down.

It's sad but true we all know the fish will come back if given the chance. I don't think letting ET Fraser fish through then increasing the catch on the later run is the answer anyways that will just result in more early fish and less late fish. The solution is no nets on any river period... But it will never happen Supreme Court of Canada ruled they can fish however they want. They could probably dynamite fish if they want to.

 

[trendsetter]

I hear ya, it's just a bit of a sore spot for me as a rec fisherman. I've spent a lot of hours on the lower fraser these past view years and witnessed all kinds of abuse of the fish stocks. Ghost nets, nets left unattended overnight full of dead sockeye, chinook and sturgeon, dumping of garbage and freezer burnt "excess" fish off the bands docks.

They're not all doing it but when you are allowed to fish with multiple gillnets the capacity for damage is far greater than a couple lines towed behind the boat off victoria / sooke.

 

[scott craven]

Not sure why they don't call it a hatchery only Chinook fishery until the stocks rebound.
This measuring thing is B.S. there's more fish damaged because of it.