I disagree. If anyone were to actually spend some time investigating the slide, they would soon recognize that this event has a huge potential impact on sustainability of upper Fraser stocks. The cautionary process and implementation is paramount to the success in keeping these vital stocks as abundant as possible via safe passage. If SARA were to be implemented on the Fraser for either chinook or steelhead, you can say good-bye to all approach fishing coast wide. INDIANS are not your issue here. All fisheries are the issue period when it comes down to total impacts. The time has come to ignite the implementation and formation of sustainable fisheries via mutual respect, trust and mutually beneficial partnerships that help consummate the longevity and succession of such a valuable resource.
Divisiveness is not our answer. At All!
If DFO, or anyone else for that matter, were concerned with the Interior Chinook, Coho or steelhead stocks upstream of the slide then tell me: what had DFO done in response to the building drought conditions prior to and during the first weeks after the slide (fish getting past, whether few or many, need water to spawn and rear)? Once the rain started falling and continued to fall causing slides and flooding and then landowners, municipalities and prov govt started responding with dredging and rock dumping and other destructive works, where was/is DFO as this continues? What about Wilkinson’s announcement about the key factors affecting these stocks future, which included water and watershed/ecosystem scale habitat destruction (exactly the issues that were stacking up, and continue to, with the developing drought and now the flooding mayhem throughout the Chilcotin), did DFO develop and start implementing a plan or impose moratoriums on water extraction and watershed clearing for the Ag and forestry sectors, similar to the closures for fishing sectors?
The answer to all of those questions is NO, they’ve done Sweet **** All!!!! So tell me again how the response is about anything other than the Fraser sockeye fishery, which trumps everything else for DFO??!!
Of course the slide will be impactful to these weak stocks but, Chinook and steelhead have a much better chance passing this incomplete blockage than sockeye do. Once past, sockeye have their big cold lakes to wait in until there are sufficient flows on their spawning gravels and then to rear in, but what about the stocks that hold, spawn and rear in the small systems? Given DFOs lack of meaningful action on the multitude of factors affecting those stocks (Chinook, coho and steelhead) no one can pass the red face test and pretend DFO really cares about them.
If they did care, all these endangered stocks would already be SARA listed. INterior Fraser steelhead were just rejected, same excuses and “plans” will be used to reject listing Interior Chinook and coho (will be the second time interior coho listing is rejected). Listing would legally force all levels of govt to make the tough decisions on all fronts to protect these stocks (not just closing rec/commie fishing), not listing means protections are optional and we all know how that goes for things like telling ranchers they can’t pump the smaller rivers and creeks dry or that loggers have to stop logging watersheds once reasonable ECAs (clear cut area) have been reached or that gill netting is no longer an acceptable in-river harvest practice when there are weak stocks migrating, etc, etc, etc. The fish always lose out to $$$$ and the associated lobbying.
Again, I’m not saying this slide isn’t an issue for all upstream stocks Trooper, but don’t be fooled by the noise it’s causing to think that DFO actually cares about these weak stocks or is going to take the steps necessary to conserve them.
Cheers!
Ukee
