SEAL ISSUES NANAIMO...on TV News

[RVP]

...
HEY Guys, did anybody see the documentary last night on TV - Check 6 News really made it sound bleek for Nanaimo and outlining areas...I'd really like to know what other folks feelings are about this issue. We have been fishing out here all season long, and we really have had no encounters with seals this past year. We hear about the odd angler that complains off and on again about the seals, however so far this year - from Jan until today, we have only talked to two anglers out of hundreds, that have complained about losing fish to local seals.

I know from personal experience, that fishing in the Nanaimo area, we have in the past had many years, where the seals were a huge nuisance to anglers. This season has been opposite to the previous years past...where seals have been involved in chowing down on your catch...I wish the News crew and interviewers would have come down to the local tackle shops or local fisherman to ask their opinions.

It is disapointing to see that they chose to interview only the people that they did. In the past four days, we have got pictures of fish caught in the range as follows: 1 x 8lbs and the additional eleven other fish between 12 and 25lbs. Not one of these proficient anglers were harrassed by a local seals, even though they had seen some seals in the area.

RVP = "Big Kahuna"
http://www,screamingfishfly.com

 

[Degree of Freedom]

I have heard its been better this year. I've only been out in the Nanaimo area once this year...about 4 weeks ago off the waterfall. We lost one to a seal and another boat said he lost 3...maybe, maybe not...but we definitely saw him lose one.

From the sounds of the reports (both from you guys and Silver Blue on Gabriola), there's been good numbers of fish around. Perhaps that's why there's been less harassment.

I've got to be honest, based on my one day out there, if they'd interviewed my I probably wouldn't have had much good to say about our fury friends.

Hoping to get out this weekend, hopefully some better sucess will change my tune[8D].

 

[Degree of Freedom]

Looks like the weather forecast for this weekend has taken a 360. Still hoping to hit the 2:48 low slack on Sunday, if I do I'll stop by and grab some chovies off you. Is the best bet still Whalebone/Grande/Thrasher?
Thanks
Dan

 

[Kisinana]

If RVP reports are true, who minds a little hype for their business. I have dealt with one place that no matter what the conditions they always have fish caught by unknown boaters in areas even though the locals and charters are not seeing any. One time even had a report listed that a buddy of mine was supposed have caught, unfortunately he was in Ontario for 2 weeks. When he asked they said someone must have used his name.

 

[1stLite]

Well I think the fishing has been descent this year out of nanaimo.Some days better than others. It would be nice to get a day where the wind would not blow you off the water though.Seems every day I get out the wind only stops blowing long enough to change directionAs for the seals they are better this year but the problem is far from over.There is only one sure solution that will work and we all know what it is.

 

[Intrepid]

RVP, your comment looks like a back-handed shot aimed at me, since I was the guy who took the reporters out and was one of the ones interviewed on TV.

You will recall that I came into the tackle shop where you work after I took the reporters out, and I discussed with you everything that I told them. I cannot be held liable for how they edit their footage, who else they talk to, and how they portray the fishing off Nanaimo. I did suggest that they come to the Screamin' Fish & Fly and talk to the staff there. I might be mistaken, but I thought we were on the same page when it came to what needs to be done to revive the salmon fishing industry off Nanaimo... Don't forget the "sport fishing industry", such as it is, is in direct oposition to the many Nanaimo dive businesses where seals are concerned, as they openly advertise diving / snorkeling with the seals. They are also faster off the mark in the public relations game - I am sure you will remember the reward that was quickly put together by one of the dive shops for information on the identity of someone who had shot a seal a year or two ago.

Although I am sure there are fish going to be brought in off the East coast of the Island, especially this time of year, no one can deny that the seals have been, are, and will be a problem. Perhaps we are seeing slightly more fish and fewer seals in the area right now, but anyone who thinks that there are no issues as far as fishing from Nananimo is concerned has his head in the sand. The message that I wanted the CH 6 news reporters to hoist aboard was that the seals taking fish off lines is only a symptom of a much larger, underlying and very complex issue, and that action needs to be taken. We have the potential here, especially with the new Nanaimo Conference centre going ahead, to have a lot of tourism/sports fishing business down the road. My fear is that a few years from now we will be wondering where all the fish are, and how it happened. None of the local politicians seem concerned. One only has to look at the 2007 Tourism Nanaimo booklet to get a sense of what is happening - while there are lots of ads for scuba diving, whale watching, kayaking... try to find one on fishing in the Nanaimo region.

I raised the seal/scarcity of salmon issue in 2005 with a Letter to the Editor of the Nanaimo Daily News, as well as to Mayor Korpan. I had been out fishing with a doctor from Winnipeg on 16 May; we hooked into five salmon and lost four of them to seals. Korpan never responded to my letter, even after being cornered at a social function later in the year by me. My suggestion to him at that time was that a coordinated approach, between federal, provincial and municipal politicans might be a good idea and would allow a proper, focussed study to take place. I have copies of both my letter to the mayor and letter to the editor if you or anyone else would like to see them.

Perhaps what speaks volumes about the problem is that on that particlar long weekend day in 2005, which was calm and sunny according to my log, I counted only six other boats out on the water. That has to say something, and maybe ties into your post on 05/03/2007:23:05:02 about not enough anglers getting out in local waters. On my last four trips out Departure Bay this year, I have had three fish hooked, and only successful in getting one to the boat before a seal go to it. Now, to be fair and give an accurate picture, I have been fishing primarily in the Fingers area, as I usually have prawn traps down there. But even three miles farther out into the chuck the seals usually establish a presence behind the boat.

With luck, maybe the TV news segment will generate some thinking on the issue by those who can influence something to be done. I don't believe this is a problem that is going to solve itself.

 

[RobTufnail]

i hate seals as much as the next guy and believe theres way too many, but i fish locally almost every weekendand i catch fish and am yet to have any real issues with seals. It does help if you turn off the clickers on your reels, they know the noise of a free dinner very well.

Aswell the herring this year that spawned around pylades/stuart channels were about 2 weeks late of the commercial opening and since then i've seen a large increase in feed, perhaps the seals are just too full of herring?

my two cents like it or not

 

[Reel Knotty]

I personally applaud Intrepid for taking some initiative here in bringing attention to the problems of fishing the BC Pacific.

While it is no secret that declining salmon stocks, global warming, pollution and a plethora of other influences are strongly affecting the hobby we as sportsmen enjoy; the fact remains, that until the voting public is exposed to it enough to care, (read: jam it down their throat) things will continue to go downhill until we reach the point of no return.

The "thieving seals" are just a symptom of a greater imbalance in our waters. Sure the seal population is thriving and back to pre cul numbers, but the salmon population isn't even in the same ballpark as they were in that time period. Not to mention, killer whale sitings are way down from the same period. The Cowichan River stock is almost wiped out and they run through our waters. With a 2 chinook limit and anglers loosing as many as 80% of their fish to seals during peak season before catching their limit, how long until we loose this resource??

When our recent ancestors first dropped a hook or net into these waters, we became the stewards of this ecosystem. There are those who may say, let it be, it will return to what it was. But the fact is, what was, will never be again. We must strike an acceptable and sustainable balance if we have any future fishing our waters.

My personal fishing diary tells me, that up to the Mothers Day weekend fishing improves dramatically, but as the season goes on, the seals get worse and worse until burning gas, becomes just that, just burning gas and feeding seals. Not to mention loosing gear often. At least that boosts tackle sales for local industry.

The seals won't go away, they are not "not bad this year."
I fear for the salmon of The Georgia Strait and am hesitant even to fish these waters now.

I realize businesses and the families of the employees, rely on the revenue of tourists and local anglers, and not acknowledge the problem. But should we endorse this to the point of wiping out our waters??

Perhaps we need to find a balance as a community, before we can find a balance in our waters.