Urgent Need to Send Ltr. Re DFO Fraser Chinook Plans
- Thread starter Whole in the Water
- Start date
cohochinook
Well-Known Member
Thanks for writing! The entire idea of accountability revolves around letters, so let's hope you're right and we got a few thousand.
Keep the pressure up and the letters coming. Just over 24 hours to go to get your letter in!
cohochinook
Well-Known Member
SerengetiGuide
Well-Known Member
Sent couple more
littlechucky
Crew Member
Sent.
I cut to the chase and stated, in bold:
I strongly believe there is absolutely no basis whatsoever to implement such broad based closures for Chinook Salmon in the Straight of Georgia / Southern Vancouver Island.
Then I got on with the rest of my perspective...just in case they can't be bothered to read the whole thing.
I cut to the chase and stated, in bold:
I strongly believe there is absolutely no basis whatsoever to implement such broad based closures for Chinook Salmon in the Straight of Georgia / Southern Vancouver Island.
Then I got on with the rest of my perspective...just in case they can't be bothered to read the whole thing.
Cut Plug
Well-Known Member
Bump. Keep the letters coming. There is no deadline for this and all the support we can get actually does make a difference. This is how you can actually help as an individual. Please support our fishery by making your thoughts part of the input DFO receives.
Don’t forget to cc the SFI on those letters.
Thanks to those who have already done so.
CP.
Don’t forget to cc the SFI on those letters.
Thanks to those who have already done so.
CP.
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
Sent my letter in - not to late to send in yours if you haven't yet. Every bit of political pressure we can raise is important. No excuses - just do it!
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
Anyone else receive a response today from the Conservative shadow minister?
Derby
Crew Member
Thank you for writing me to provide your concerns regarding the future of public fisheries in British Columbia, the Chinook fishery in particular.
Fishing has played an important role in the history of British Columbia and has sustained families and economies in our coastal communities for hundreds of years. I believe strong policies implementing effective conservation and rebuilding actions must be enacted to ensure our fisheries are able to continue to sustain Canadians in perpetuity.
These outcomes cannot be achieved by governments alone; they require the support and cooperation of Canadian citizens, especially the fishers who are on the frontline of conservation actions. As a lifelong angler and conservationist, I know first-hand the essential value of contributions made by fishermen to conserving our fisheries for the benefit of future generations.
The Government of Canada’s harvest restrictions for Chinook in British Columbia’s waters announced in April of 2019 inflicted unnecessary harm on our Pacific public fishery and the Canadians, coastal communities and businesses that depend on the fishery. Moreover, the 2019 measures ignored the input and conservation proposals provided to the federal government during consultations performed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
In May 2019, Conservatives proposed that the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) study the economic impacts on BC communities caused by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ restriction announced for Pacific chinook. Despite strong representations by my Conservative colleagues and I stating the restrictions would have a devastating impact on BC anglers, guides, coastal communities and others, the Liberal members of the committee killed the study proposal.
After the Trudeau Liberals were reduced to a minority government in the 2019 election, Conservatives were able to successfully pass a motion mandating that FOPO study the economic impacts that the Chinook harvest restrictions announced by the Trudeau Liberals have inflicted on British Columbians and those who travel to BC to experience our world-class fishing.
On March 19, 2020, I sent a letter to the fisheries minister calling on the Government of Canada to allow a marked selective fishery for Chinook in British Columbia in the 2020. To date, the Minister has failed to respond.
I have since raised the issue of a marked selective fishery directly with Minister Jordan and her staff on a conference call on March 28th. Her response was that because of the COVID 19 situation it was not a high priority for her department at that time.
The Government of Canada must work with fisheries and oceans stakeholders in good faith and give fair consideration to reasonable proposals such as the Sport Fishing Advisory Board’s 2020-2021 Chinook retention proposal.
I share your frustration and will continue to fight for the right of British Columbians to access what is perhaps our greatest shared resource- our fisheries.
Sincerely Yours,
Mel Arnold
Member of Parliament for North Okanagan- Shuswap
Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Fishing has played an important role in the history of British Columbia and has sustained families and economies in our coastal communities for hundreds of years. I believe strong policies implementing effective conservation and rebuilding actions must be enacted to ensure our fisheries are able to continue to sustain Canadians in perpetuity.
These outcomes cannot be achieved by governments alone; they require the support and cooperation of Canadian citizens, especially the fishers who are on the frontline of conservation actions. As a lifelong angler and conservationist, I know first-hand the essential value of contributions made by fishermen to conserving our fisheries for the benefit of future generations.
The Government of Canada’s harvest restrictions for Chinook in British Columbia’s waters announced in April of 2019 inflicted unnecessary harm on our Pacific public fishery and the Canadians, coastal communities and businesses that depend on the fishery. Moreover, the 2019 measures ignored the input and conservation proposals provided to the federal government during consultations performed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
In May 2019, Conservatives proposed that the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans (FOPO) study the economic impacts on BC communities caused by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ restriction announced for Pacific chinook. Despite strong representations by my Conservative colleagues and I stating the restrictions would have a devastating impact on BC anglers, guides, coastal communities and others, the Liberal members of the committee killed the study proposal.
After the Trudeau Liberals were reduced to a minority government in the 2019 election, Conservatives were able to successfully pass a motion mandating that FOPO study the economic impacts that the Chinook harvest restrictions announced by the Trudeau Liberals have inflicted on British Columbians and those who travel to BC to experience our world-class fishing.
On March 19, 2020, I sent a letter to the fisheries minister calling on the Government of Canada to allow a marked selective fishery for Chinook in British Columbia in the 2020. To date, the Minister has failed to respond.
I have since raised the issue of a marked selective fishery directly with Minister Jordan and her staff on a conference call on March 28th. Her response was that because of the COVID 19 situation it was not a high priority for her department at that time.
The Government of Canada must work with fisheries and oceans stakeholders in good faith and give fair consideration to reasonable proposals such as the Sport Fishing Advisory Board’s 2020-2021 Chinook retention proposal.
I share your frustration and will continue to fight for the right of British Columbians to access what is perhaps our greatest shared resource- our fisheries.
Sincerely Yours,
Mel Arnold
Member of Parliament for North Okanagan- Shuswap
Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
searun
Well-Known Member
Wow, Fisheries Minister who states that the Public Fishery in BC isn't a "high priority" given concerns over Covid-19. She's missing the greatest single low cost opportunity a Fisheries Minister can bring to Canada's economic recovery post Covid-19....open up the public fishery to hatchery chinook retention.
Chinook are the engine that drives $1.1 Billion in annual revenues (Stats BC); $389 million in annual real GDP; 9,000 jobs - and all in small coastal communities in BC. I guess if you are from Eastern Canada, lobster fisheries are far more important. Flush small communities like Port Renfrew, Bamfield, Ucluelet etc. down the toilet. If this Minister wants to do something constructive and NO COST - allow hatchery Chinook retention fisheries - after all, hatchery fish were produced to help drive social and economic opportunity - time to make those investments pay. Invest in serious actions to help create a return to abundance - invest in Habitat improvement; hatchery production to increase recruitment; water quality improvement; predator control.
We know that fishing restrictions are a FAILED policy response - just look at what happened with Thompson Steelhead, Interior Thompson Coho, and now Stream-Type Chinook....all out-migrate as really large smolts...perfect prey for an out of control population of harbour seals. Steelhead have no real marine fishery impacts....and what they have in common with Interior Thompson Coho, and now Stream-Type Chinook is they go out to sea as really large smolts and they all require really pristine cold water habitats....wake up Fisheries Minister and invest in solving the real problems.
And, spark economic and social recovery from Covid by allowing hatchery retention. Let's get people back on the water fishing and spending tourism dollars.
Chinook are the engine that drives $1.1 Billion in annual revenues (Stats BC); $389 million in annual real GDP; 9,000 jobs - and all in small coastal communities in BC. I guess if you are from Eastern Canada, lobster fisheries are far more important. Flush small communities like Port Renfrew, Bamfield, Ucluelet etc. down the toilet. If this Minister wants to do something constructive and NO COST - allow hatchery Chinook retention fisheries - after all, hatchery fish were produced to help drive social and economic opportunity - time to make those investments pay. Invest in serious actions to help create a return to abundance - invest in Habitat improvement; hatchery production to increase recruitment; water quality improvement; predator control.
We know that fishing restrictions are a FAILED policy response - just look at what happened with Thompson Steelhead, Interior Thompson Coho, and now Stream-Type Chinook....all out-migrate as really large smolts...perfect prey for an out of control population of harbour seals. Steelhead have no real marine fishery impacts....and what they have in common with Interior Thompson Coho, and now Stream-Type Chinook is they go out to sea as really large smolts and they all require really pristine cold water habitats....wake up Fisheries Minister and invest in solving the real problems.
And, spark economic and social recovery from Covid by allowing hatchery retention. Let's get people back on the water fishing and spending tourism dollars.
wildmanyeah
Crew Member
She is just repeating what was very obviously for anyone who cared to pay attention.
I just hope all the sports fishermen choosing to sit on the sidelines have more important things to do then fish.
Because it won’t be long before before there is no season left and no access available.
There is no area or time that’s safe and there is no access that cannot be taken away.
Tell me where is sports-fishing even mentioned in her briefing binders for managing fisheries.
Ministerial decisions for fisheries management
Decisions must adhere to the following principles:
I just hope all the sports fishermen choosing to sit on the sidelines have more important things to do then fish.
Because it won’t be long before before there is no season left and no access available.
There is no area or time that’s safe and there is no access that cannot be taken away.
Tell me where is sports-fishing even mentioned in her briefing binders for managing fisheries.
Ministerial decisions for fisheries management
Decisions must adhere to the following principles:
- Conservation
- Legally-binding agreements
- Indigenous and Treaty Rights
- Orderly Management
- New fishing licences
- New or deviation from existing policy
- Discrepancy in science advice and TAC recommendation
- Multi-regional fishery
- Land Claims Management Board decisions/recommendations
- Objectives for key international fisheries negotiations
cohochinook
Well-Known Member
I have a meeting set up for next Tuesday with my MP to discuss the SFAB Chinook proposal. I would encourage others to write their MP in support of it or even better ask for a meeting. We need more BC MP's to get behind supporting the proposal!
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