MultiSectoral Prawn Meetings

[Fishing Guide]

Cheers Coho17,


The three month closure has been a significant obstacle for many of our locals who do not have the vessels to pound out to the open areas. It is also a concern as in the winter we have inclement weather and I have witnessed too many vessels heading to open areas that their vessels were not meant to travel.

I recognize that the three month closure is during the breeding time for prawns. Howver, the question I continue to ask is if the commercial had caught only 3,000 tons of prawns, instead of 3,500 tons of prawns last summer, would this fishery be open? If that is the case then the closure is NOT conservation but allocation. I honestly believe that this is the case and one of the major points of my call for 50/50.

I can appreciate and even accept that a certain class - in this case 2010 class - are simply naturally weak but had DFO adjusted for perceived weakness and curtailed the exceptionally large commercial catch, I would have less problems than I do to allow the huge haul and then hold the recreational fishermen holding the bag. I can even expect that they will occasionally simply lose a year to bad judgement as, since I am not perfect, one cannot hold others to a higher standard.

I do support shortening the commercial season so that the commercial season harvests 50% of the TAC. However, I do NOT support recreational fishermen catching berried prawns at all. I believe the regulations should be changed so that the same regulations that require commercials to immediately release all berried prawns are extended to include all recreational fishermen too. No exceptions regardless of weather or time of the year.

If the commercials were relugated to areas 30 miles outside of any city with more than 35,000 I would not care when they fished. However, since they are on the water near those cities, then I like the shortened season to keep the conflict between the two factions to a minimum. I am not an agressive person and the conflict on the water bothers me greatly. The aggressive nature of the commercials as well as their tactics leave me quite sad and that is most disconcerting as I really enjoy this lifestyle.

Sincerely...

Fishing Guide
www.invictuscharters.com
BC Outdoors Pro Staff
www.fishingvancouverisland.org

 

[IronNoggin]

quote:Originally posted by holmes

this is one tiring thread....[|)]....

Not nearly as tiring as the constant APATHY and general MALAISE amongst our sector when it comes to terms of standing up for ourselves! The various management authorities are so aware of this problem they often COUNT</u> on it. Sad Commentary there...

Thankfully there are a handful of Folks who do have both the cajones, foresight and willingness to take it to them when that is required. Unfortunately many who do so are often left wondering just why they keep banging their head against that wall in light of so little support! Certainly couldn't help for the silent majority of us to lend a hand from time to time, rather than expecting others to carry the day for them... [V]

UNKNOWN: I do understand where you are coming from, and I very much understand that substantial change as you term it is very much required. That unfortunately is a MUCH</u> larger task that will involve a LOT of time and leverage to eventually realize. For now, we should pay attention to the battles where we CAN make an immediate difference, and do what we can to address them. In the larger overall picture, it is fine to keep the overall goal in mind. But we must also recognize that within the overall war, there are indeed battles that must be fought on a timely basis.

There has been some suggestion that our efforts are making some progress, and garnering attention at DFO. Good. This is necessary. And while DFO may once again simply be playing "lip-service" to the squeaky wheel, enough of us climb on-board and send off our thoughts and concerns, at the end of the day, they will have to answer in some form or another. One can hope that it is for the better of the resource, and to ensure our continued fair and equitable access to that in times of abundance.

Cheers,
Nog

 

[IronNoggin]

quote:Originally posted by holmes

this is one tiring thread....[|)]....

Not nearly as tiring as the constant APATHY and general MALAISE amongst our sector when it comes to terms of standing up for ourselves! The various management authorities are so aware of this problem they often COUNT</u> on it. Sad Commentary there...

Thankfully there are a handful of Folks who do have both the cajones, foresight and willingness to take it to them when that is required. Unfortunately many who do so are often left wondering just why they keep banging their head against that wall in light of so little support! Certainly couldn't help for the silent majority of us to lend a hand from time to time, rather than expecting others to carry the day for them... [V]

UNKNOWN: I do understand where you are coming from, and I very much understand that substantial change as you term it is very much required. That unfortunately is a MUCH</u> larger task that will involve a LOT of time and leverage to eventually realize. For now, we should pay attention to the battles where we CAN make an immediate difference, and do what we can to address them. In the larger overall picture, it is fine to keep the overall goal in mind. But we must also recognize that within the overall war, there are indeed battles that must be fought on a timely basis.

There has been some suggestion that our efforts are making some progress, and garnering attention at DFO. Good. This is necessary. And while DFO may once again simply be playing "lip-service" to the squeaky wheel, enough of us climb on-board and send off our thoughts and concerns, at the end of the day, they will have to answer in some form or another. One can hope that it is for the better of the resource, and to ensure our continued fair and equitable access to that in times of abundance.

Cheers,
Nog

 

[JuandeOne]

quote:Originally posted by UNKNOWN

Hi Nog,

As stated, the focus in this thread has been and is skewed and leaning on one managed sector who, like the sport and native sectors are too, dictated by DFO. DFO being the manager and total facilitator of all fisheries opportunities over our common property for all sectors, they are the target. Meaning each small battle should be directed and focused on DFO and not toward individual sectors - as all that it creates is an endless loop of animosity based on thoughts, passions, and high energy emotions...in the end of it all sectors will be mentally exhausted and worn down too far when comes time for the real battle for substantial change in the way that DFO manages every Canadians common property resource that is related to fish species.

Find your focus - find the remedy...our battle is not amongst our fellow Canadians of whom belong to the various sectors, it is in fact with DFO.

R.

May sound all nice and sensible on the surface but when the fact remains that the commercial sector has been in bed with the DFO for so many years, and as a result, access to a common resource has been so perversely and inequitably skewed in one direction. Hard not to hold the commercial lobby and greed somewhat responsible.

 

[JuandeOne]

quote:Originally posted by UNKNOWN

Hi Nog,

As stated, the focus in this thread has been and is skewed and leaning on one managed sector who, like the sport and native sectors are too, dictated by DFO. DFO being the manager and total facilitator of all fisheries opportunities over our common property for all sectors, they are the target. Meaning each small battle should be directed and focused on DFO and not toward individual sectors - as all that it creates is an endless loop of animosity based on thoughts, passions, and high energy emotions...in the end of it all sectors will be mentally exhausted and worn down too far when comes time for the real battle for substantial change in the way that DFO manages every Canadians common property resource that is related to fish species.

Find your focus - find the remedy...our battle is not amongst our fellow Canadians of whom belong to the various sectors, it is in fact with DFO.

R.

May sound all nice and sensible on the surface but when the fact remains that the commercial sector has been in bed with the DFO for so many years, and as a result, access to a common resource has been so perversely and inequitably skewed in one direction. Hard not to hold the commercial lobby and greed somewhat responsible.

 

[Mi Chica]

While I am appalled at so many decisions by DFO mandarins and the blatant political mismanagement encouraged and influenced by their elected leaders, the problem with this fishery is compounded by the failure to measure abundance. Prawn Index alone simply provides an indicator of the proportion of berried females compared to males and dry females. It is past time to ensure equity of opportunity for all sectors based on abundance. No sector should be favoured over another sector,or be given repeated opportunity to deplete the resource while other sectors are forced to sit on the sidelines. Science not politics, fairness and not strident bullying. The recreational sector has been punished too long to compensate for the failures and interference of the politicos and their senior mandarins.

To much water, too little time

 

[coho17]

False. Spawner index has nothing to do with berried prawns. Its a ratio of mature prawns to juvenille prawns. Male to female.

True. It is difficult to measure abundance of this species due to its nature. A cautionary 3 month winter closure during the berried period in high use areas only was decided on by DFO.

False. The recource has never been depleted, it is thriving.

The rec sector, in some areas, joined the commercial sector on the sidlines for 3 months during berried periods. The commercial sector spends 10 months a year on the sideline. The rec sector will come off the sidelines and fish a month before the commercial sector does.

How is the rec sector being punished by this?

 

[fisher69]

quote:Originally posted by Mi Chica

While I am appalled at so many decisions by DFO mandarins and the blatant political mismanagement encouraged and influenced by their elected leaders, the problem with this fishery is compounded by the failure to measure abundance. Prawn Index alone simply provides an indicator of the proportion of berried females compared to males and dry females. It is past time to ensure equity of opportunity for all sectors based on abundance. No sector should be favoured over another sector,or be given repeated opportunity to deplete the resource while other sectors are forced to sit on the sidelines. Science not politics, fairness and not strident bullying. The recreational sector has been punished too long to compensate for the failures and interference of the politicos and their senior mandarins.

To much water, too little time

Your absolutly right here. Time to reverse the priority access on springs before they are all gone.

 

[Mi Chica]

Coho17, you are of course correct that spawner index counts mature/juvenile. I tried to keep it brief and subbed berried for mature. however, in this area</u>after a very successful commercial season, there was no question that the resource was (temporarily?)depleted, then closed. While the rec sector has seen very limited opportunity, DFO has been preparing to have another commercial season. Is this to be followed by another rec closure? It is certainly reasonable to state that while the commercial fleet is prawning, it is advisable for rec prawners to refrain from dropping. It is also fair to point out that the commercial catch has increased exponentially over the years, while the rec catch has been miniscule by comparison. Therefore, I must stand by the intent of my comments, and believe that a more equitable and sustainable fishery is essential.
Cheers

To much water, too little time