Did anyone else listen to the broadcast ? For someone that knows the issues with Thompson steelhead, Bob at least exposed the number 1 elephant in the room.....FN Fraser River gillnet fisheries. But I am sure it went over the heads of big city listeners who have no idea what the Thompson steelies meant to local and visiting anglers. And there was NO description of what has actually happened (numbers) to the stocks of Interior steelhead and coho with DFO allowing the deliberate gillnet fisheries when the "bycatch" was in deep trouble. I hope Bob gets another opportunity to fill in the gaps in this short broadcast.
Here's the link. Good interview. Bob describes the challenges with mixed stock gill net fisheries, and squarely calls out both the Department and FN's leadership to be accountable to change their approach to the fishery. Plain english and simple message. He suggests at the end of the interview that FN's should target Chum in the tributaries and stay out of the main-stem Fraser. That would be nice, but honestly don't ever see all those different FN's communities striking some kind of agreement to fish communally and divide up the benefits equally. FN's communities traditionally have not worked cooperatively in this fashion, not to mention we have basic human nature and competition...would we fish recreationally in the way Bob suggests - never. To expect FN's communities to do the same...well, at best it is a long shot.
Perhaps the best solution that takes into account how FN's communities have traditionally fished would be to simply require selective fishing methodology as the entry point to fishing...ban gill nets by all fishers (commercial and FN).
Guys I grew up with Jill she comes from a commercial fishing family on West Ham island and watched as the commercial fleet went through the realocation of allocation 30 years ago. I'm sure she could be a friend to our and the commercial cause if we give her factual information to go after dfo and the ministry on these issues
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