cohochinook
Well-Known Member
Season’s Greetings!
Where did 2019... the decade go?...
As we wind up an eventful year there are many things developing for the public fishery in BC in 2020. But, most of all and regardless of what is happening around us, we will start and finish this note with best wishes to you and yours for the holidays and a Happy New Year!
Big Splash and Conference
The 2019 Big Splash and Conference came and went, and many positive actions and outcomes resulted from discussion and presentations on the day. Many of the presentations are posted on our website. Among other interesting speakers on the day, we had David Stormer of Washington State Fish and Game speak about that State's experience with Mark Selective Fisheries, the benefits of hatchery production to fishery opportunities and to aiding recovery of Chinook stocks of concern. There are many similarities and lessons that can be learned from Washington State's experience.
Mark Selective Fisheries for 2020 and beyond
We will be making materials widely available to make clear the suitability of mark selective fisheries and avoidance strategies, and the applicability of strategies employed and lessons learned south of the border.
Mark Selective Fisheries allow marked hatchery salmon to be retained by anglers while unmarked salmon must be released. The SFI considers this approach, which as noted above has been successfully implemented in the USA to protect ESA listed stocks, as the only management approach which will allow the salmon fishery to survive while at the same time offering almost complete protection to endangered and threatened unmarked stocks.
Big Bar Slide – Fraser River
The slide and the state of the river at the site is a critical issue that must be addressed as quickly and completely as possible. It is understood that the Federal, Provincial and First Nation governments have spent a tremendous amount of time and resources to work on a solution or an interim fix in time for the returning salmon in the spring of 2020. We are hoping to see full details of the action plans in the coming weeks and to see direct work on the problem begin as soon as possible.
The Fraser River is one of the most important and productive salmon producing rivers in the world. As many are familiar now, during the winter of 2018 a massive landslide in a remote area upstream of Big Bar resulted in a partial blockage of the river, which stopped the upstream migration of potentially millions of sockeye, coho, chum and chinook salmon. Most impacted runs will face extirpation unless the problem is fully, and completely addressed and upstream passage is restored. The river will return to spring freshet in March of 2020.
For more information about the slide and reiterating the urgency please visit this link recently posted by the Pacific Salmon Foundation.
SFI Membership Renewal - 2020
January is membership renewal month. We will be sending out renewals and 2019 CTAG and SFI materials in January and February.
SFI Membership is available anytime!
Fishing BC Co-op program - 2020
A reminder that it is not too late to participate in or take advantage of the Fishing BC co-op consumer trade show and digital marketing programs. Fishing BC, a program partnering the SFI, with Destination BC, the BC Fishing Resorts and Outfitters Association and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, markets and promotes fishing in BC to out of province visitors and local anglers. Please be in touch with our office at (604) 946-0734 or by emailing info@sportfishing.bc.ca with questions or for more information as soon as possible.
As mentioned, and as you know, there are many issues developing as 2019 ends and 2020 gets underway. We will be back in touch early in the New Year with news we learn and gather about salmon planning, expectations for halibut, yelloweye and for the continued development of the Fishing BC app as a catch data tool and an information resource for anglers.
Once again and on behalf of the SFI board and team at the SFI, we wish you Happy Holidays, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tight Lines,
The SFI Team
Where did 2019... the decade go?...
As we wind up an eventful year there are many things developing for the public fishery in BC in 2020. But, most of all and regardless of what is happening around us, we will start and finish this note with best wishes to you and yours for the holidays and a Happy New Year!
Big Splash and Conference
The 2019 Big Splash and Conference came and went, and many positive actions and outcomes resulted from discussion and presentations on the day. Many of the presentations are posted on our website. Among other interesting speakers on the day, we had David Stormer of Washington State Fish and Game speak about that State's experience with Mark Selective Fisheries, the benefits of hatchery production to fishery opportunities and to aiding recovery of Chinook stocks of concern. There are many similarities and lessons that can be learned from Washington State's experience.
Mark Selective Fisheries for 2020 and beyond
We will be making materials widely available to make clear the suitability of mark selective fisheries and avoidance strategies, and the applicability of strategies employed and lessons learned south of the border.
Mark Selective Fisheries allow marked hatchery salmon to be retained by anglers while unmarked salmon must be released. The SFI considers this approach, which as noted above has been successfully implemented in the USA to protect ESA listed stocks, as the only management approach which will allow the salmon fishery to survive while at the same time offering almost complete protection to endangered and threatened unmarked stocks.
Big Bar Slide – Fraser River
The slide and the state of the river at the site is a critical issue that must be addressed as quickly and completely as possible. It is understood that the Federal, Provincial and First Nation governments have spent a tremendous amount of time and resources to work on a solution or an interim fix in time for the returning salmon in the spring of 2020. We are hoping to see full details of the action plans in the coming weeks and to see direct work on the problem begin as soon as possible.
The Fraser River is one of the most important and productive salmon producing rivers in the world. As many are familiar now, during the winter of 2018 a massive landslide in a remote area upstream of Big Bar resulted in a partial blockage of the river, which stopped the upstream migration of potentially millions of sockeye, coho, chum and chinook salmon. Most impacted runs will face extirpation unless the problem is fully, and completely addressed and upstream passage is restored. The river will return to spring freshet in March of 2020.
For more information about the slide and reiterating the urgency please visit this link recently posted by the Pacific Salmon Foundation.
SFI Membership Renewal - 2020
January is membership renewal month. We will be sending out renewals and 2019 CTAG and SFI materials in January and February.
SFI Membership is available anytime!
Fishing BC Co-op program - 2020
A reminder that it is not too late to participate in or take advantage of the Fishing BC co-op consumer trade show and digital marketing programs. Fishing BC, a program partnering the SFI, with Destination BC, the BC Fishing Resorts and Outfitters Association and the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC, markets and promotes fishing in BC to out of province visitors and local anglers. Please be in touch with our office at (604) 946-0734 or by emailing info@sportfishing.bc.ca with questions or for more information as soon as possible.
As mentioned, and as you know, there are many issues developing as 2019 ends and 2020 gets underway. We will be back in touch early in the New Year with news we learn and gather about salmon planning, expectations for halibut, yelloweye and for the continued development of the Fishing BC app as a catch data tool and an information resource for anglers.
Once again and on behalf of the SFI board and team at the SFI, we wish you Happy Holidays, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Tight Lines,
The SFI Team
