Special use Fishing - this past Weekend ??

[the fog ducker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAqMZ_ZygkA&feature=player_embedded


See the attached video. It was shot on Tuesday morning at Paper Mill Dam.

The Tsu-mass fisheries is conducting a beach seine 3 days this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and including tomorrow morning, Thursday, from 8 a.m. until noon.

The purpose of these fisheries are to catch Sockeye to be sold to commercial buyers and the funds to go into a “Special Use” account managed by West Coast Aquatic for local enhancement projects. Such projects will be determined and directed by the Area 23 Harvest committee members which include gillnet and seine reps, first nations, fish and game reps and recreational fishers (Paul Dore and myself).

It would be great to have a few more rec fishers show up to help out. It’s wet, it’s fun and it is educational.

If anyone is interested in having some fun while doing some good work. Please drop in to the West side Tseshaht park area a quarter mile up Hector Road at the bottom of Watty’s Hill, just past the McCoy Lake Road turnoff of Highway 4 West.

If you bring something to contribute, there will be a potluck lunch at noon, at the end of fishing.

They have had reasonable success the last two mornings.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAqMZ_ZygkA&feature=player_embedded ( same video )



My Family and I had a very positive experence with the Special use fishery . If you would like to check out the drag seine at the Paper Mill Dam then click on the link above. Video by Katie Kershaw.



Paul Kershaw




Subject: special use fishing Scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday July 31-Aug 2, 2012



I wanted to welcome everyone to participate in a special use fishing event happening Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Papermill Dam. We will be getting started at 8 and fishing until noon.



This is an opportunity to get wet and work together to enhance Somass fisheries. First Nation, recreational, commercial, charter, and general salmon fans are all welcome to participate.



Please bring clothes you can get wet or waders, you’ll need a positive attitude and a willingness to laugh and have fun too.



If enough people are interested we can plan for a salmon potluck on Thursday and have the roundtable meeting at the park.





Please send me an email if you have any questions or want to participate. I’m hoping to have an head count before we get started.



Thanks and see you all tomorrow,



Andy



Andrew Olson

Fisheries Manager/Biologist

Tseshaht First Nation

Phone: 250-724-1225

Fax: 250-724-4385
Cell: 250-720-6004

Address: 5091 Tsuma-as Drive
Port Alberni, BC
V9Y 8X9

Website: http://www.tseshaht.com

 

[Islandgirl]

I would support this IF the required escapement was not 39 000+ fish short of their target set by the brains at DFO
Daily escapement for both lakes from the week of July 22-29 was 800-2650

"Daily escapement counts over the
previous week ranged between about 250 and 600 adults through the Great Central dam, and
between about 550 and 2,150 adults through the Sproat fishway."

Every week escapement will be less, and with the warm weather that is starting and lower water levels in the river there will possibly be much lower escapement.

I cannot possibly see how the target escapement can be reach BUT I hope I am wrong.

 

[River Rat]

I hear you Islandgirl.....they haven't reached their escapement, but they want to net the river more? I'm all for a fun fishery that helps the resource,...but make sure we have enough of our resource left spawn, so that our resource will be around for other generations to enjoy...or there won't be any fishery at all....beware DFO...you've screwed up royally in the past..learn from your mistakes!...

just saying!

 

[gamechanger]

You guys gotta realize that there's still 50k plus coming through and really no fishing...we've already met our minimum escapement goal and there's no problem. Get the fact straight and stop the propaganda...its killing this forum.

 

[lorneparker1]

WHat happened to the catch data app for 2012 BRad?

Just curious as i thought it was the best theing coming out of the DFO ever IMO.

Lorne

 

[IronNoggin]

You guys gotta realize that there's still 50k plus coming through and really no fishing...

Likely True that...

If all follows as it usually does (and there is NO indication it will be otherwise) there will most likely be In Excess of 50K sockeye run through the counters between now and when they are pulled. Right now there is a large body of sockeye in Imperial Eagle Channel, and the late run fish are yet to even arrive. And there is extremely little effort from any quarter to fish them at this point. In most likelihood, we will actually exceed the "optimum escapement numbers" this season.

The fishery in question was designed explicitly to bolster (at times sadly lacking) local fisheries enhancement projects. It was completely endorsed and signed off by the entire Harvest Committee here which is comprised of FN's, Commercial and Recreational Members in conjunction with DFO. In fact, this is a Win-Win for the fish, and a good example of cooperation amongst these varying sectors. And in addition provided a great way to have a LOT of FUN, while members from each of those Sectors cooperated with Smiles to make it so.

Nothing at all nefarious here folks...

Cheers,
Nog

 

[River Rat]

You guys gotta realize that there's still 50k plus coming through and really no fishing...we've already met our minimum escapement goal and there's no problem. Get the fact straight and stop the propaganda...its killing this forum.

What kills forums is people being slammed for voicing an opinion. My opinion is that the escapement should be met first, that is the important thing. I hope there are still 50k fish coming, but I don't know that for "fact.". Please forgive me for being leery of dfo's "estimates" given some of their past history. Please forgive me for having an opinion and voicing it on a public forum.

 

[Islandgirl]

You guys gotta realize that there's still 50k plus coming through and really no fishing...we've already met our minimum escapement goal and there's no problem. Get the fact straight and stop the propaganda...its killing this forum.

If you do the math on DFO's own numbers they are still 39 267 fish short of their own target escapement.
Thats alot of fish to be short and they will be not getting the same escapement per day in mid August as they did in the week of July 22- July 29

Somass River Escapement Bulletin
Observations to July 29, 2012
IN-SEASON OBSERVATIONS:
Through July 29, total sockeye escapement to Great Central Lake is estimated to be about
142,550 adults, and total sockeye escapement to Sproat Lake is estimated to be about 184,850
adults (total escapement approximately 327,400 adults). Daily escapement counts over the
previous week ranged between about 250 and 600 adults through the Great Central dam, and
between about 550 and 2,150 adults through the Sproat fishway.
River temperatures are relatively high (20oC) at the Sproat River fishway, and are moderate
(18oC) at the Great Central dam. Flow throughout the Somass system remains high for this
time of year, and migration does not appear impeded.
Based on current catch, escapement, and abundance estimates in the Alberni Inlet and Somass
River, the forecast was reduced to 800,000 adult sockeye on July 26. The escapement target
for this run size is 366,667, giving an expected surplus of 433,333 sockeye (i.e., about 54%)
available for catch.

 

[Islandgirl]

So here we go...
30 000 fish short of the escapement goal and DFO approved this FN commie fishery.

There is no chance that the escapement will be met for the SSS sockeye..

This happens year after year in PA and NO one is held accountable....

Somass River Escapement Bulletin
Observations to August 11, 2012
IN-SEASON OBSERVATIONS:
Through August 11, cumulative sockeye escapement to Great Central Lake is estimated to be
about 145,850 adults, and cumulative sockeye escapement to Sproat Lake is estimated to be
about 189,700 adults (total cumulative escapement about 335,550 adults). Daily escapement
counts since the previous bulletin ranged between about 100 and 350 adults through the Great
Central dam, and between about 100 and 200 adults through the Sproat fishway.
River temperatures are relatively high at the Great Central dam and the Sproat River fishway
(21oC and 23oC, respectively). Flow throughout the Somass system remains high for this time
of year, and migration does not appear to be impeded.
The revised forecast (July 26) of 800,000 adult sockeye has been maintained. The escapement
target for this run size is 366,667, giving an expected surplus of 433,333 sockeye (i.e., about
54%) available for catch.