Searun, from March to July 15th we here in 19/20 must release all Chinook over 67cm if they are wild. So in May June and the first half of July 99% of the Chinook over about 10 pounds we cannot retain. Fishing trips by all during this time has dropped off the map and businesses are needlessly suffering. WHY? DFO asked the lower Fraser bands to restrict their take of early timed Chinook so that more fish heading upstream would make the spawning grounds. They got a "FY" unless you shut down the rec fishery in 19/20. DFO showed them the science....we take 1-2% of the fish of concern...they take 20% plus. They don't accept those numbers and persisted that in order for them to even consider taking less we had to be shut down. That is called blackmail!!! So we suffer and they still fish. I release fish to improve everyones situation longterm, but that fish gets caught behind me anyway. BTW, this year from May to July 15th was my worst for chartering during that period in 25 years. It was worse than my very first year in business!!
Good day, profisher just to clarify your statement, Perhaps DFO wants to take the credit for it but it was not them who asked the lower river or marine FN to restrict their fishing during the migration of the Early timed Chinook (aka 4 sub 2) it was the FN’s from Kamloops and Nicola asked this of the lower FN. Why? Because this is the spawning grounds for these Chinook and because the brood year only produced the following in 2007:
Coldwater River: 107 spawners
Spius Creek: 64
Nicola River: 942
Deadman River: 301
Louis Creek: 31
Bessett creek: 5
Bonaparte River: 1046 (DFO started to include this stock in the 90”s)
DFO last 4 year average recruites/spawner was only .62 which means that the stocks are not replacing themselves one to one. Let’s do the math for Bessett: 5 spawners X .62= 3.1 returning spawners for 2011…WE ALL HOPE.
If we all continue on the management path of DFO, these stocks are predicted to be extinct in 16 years. Those Fishing trips you spoke of…I don’t know, maybe they can start sunset watching, because there will be no early Chinook returning to the Thompson system.
Searun; good on you for trying to think outside of the box, not all FN are greedy and uncaring on the plight of the salmon or the local mom and pop businesses just like not all Recreational fishermen are racist jerks (although reading this forum I have to think about that one). I think that if you continue to get poked by the dirty end of the stick you may tend to lash out at everyone. But you are right, all sectors need to talk to each other, including marine and interior (south and north), perhaps a better understanding of each other’s needs and wants will help with future management plans that will have all sectors input. BUT DFO has to be out of the room and not influencing and doing their divide and conquer tacit between the sectors. …ok, I will take their money to get me to a meeting like this…but at the end of the day, we all have to be on the same page on what we want for the future of our resource. Coho have been on the list for twenty years when is DFO management going to rebuild this stock so everyone can benefit? Now, early Chinook, Steelhead (trout), sockeye next? Chum?
Who do we blame? The lodges? Recreation mom and pop’s? the First Nations? the Orca’s? or DFO?
..............yes gill nets have to go, makes you shake your head. Weir fishing sounds interesting.....I see there could be a problem with the quality of the fish though but I don't know enough about it. Throwing around thoughts and ideas is where it all starts. I agree 100% with the following:
