browningmirage
Active Member
Wow!!! This is a serious situation that needs a well thought out response and fast!
IMO this has less to do with FSC rights and access then it does with testing the waters to see how far FN's can go with DFO. FN's can obviously can catch all the FSC fish they need in the river using gill nets or what ever means they want to. This is more about political power then trying to catch fish to meet FSC needs/wants. In the process of exercising their access rights FN's along with DFO's spineless incompetence could seriously damage or wipe out this fishery if this isn't stopped!
If they can virtually shut down the historical Tyee Pool fishery and get away with it, then they can shut down the public fishery anywhere on the coast for any FSC or FN commercial reason. This is a big shot across the bow for the public fishery access rights! There needs to be a well thought out and coordinated response/push back from the SFAB and also from lobbying groups like SFI, BCWF, Public Fishery Alliance, SVIAC, BC Drift Fishers, West Coast Guides, etc...
NOW is the time for these groups to end any petty differences and work together to stop this! If they don't start working together to improve things for the public fishery then what is their purpose?
I and many others look forward to hear what they are planning to do in regards to this....
Shut down the historical tyee pool...Its been a fishery for 100 years...I like coming out to watch the rowers, and I love reading Dave's stories every day the fishery is active.
But we literally shut down their historical fisheries too. Forcibly destroyed fish traps. Made it illegal to Dip net...and otherwise wreaked havoc on established practices that were ongoing for a lot longer than 100 years.
Again...there's a way to share the sandbox. But the attitudes here are showing why that is impossible.