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[The Gilly]

Looks like the message is getting through.  Hopefully something will finally get done.

Scott Simpson
Vancouver Sun

Friday, February 25, 2005


Former B.C. Supreme Court Justice Bryan Williams expressed outrage Thursday when informed by fisheries officers at the missing sockeye inquiry that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has no demonstrable interest in tracking the volume of poaching of Fraser River salmon.

DFO agreed to hold the inquiry following widespread public alarm about the apparent failure of an estimated 1.3 million sockeye to reach spawning grounds in the upper Fraser River in 2004.

The inquiry wraps up today in Richmond.

Fisheries officers told Williams there is virtually no money to step up patrols during peak fishing periods by sport and aboriginal fishermen in the Fraser system, particularly in the 559,000 square kilometre upper Fraser Basin region, where nearly all the fish spawn.

Officer Randy Nelson said he warned his superiors in 2003 that conservation concerns could emerge in the 2004 season due to government cuts, but he received no response.

He cited one incident in a previous year in which a group of aboriginal fishermen at a camp along the Fraser declared a catch of 25 fish, but were found to have 275 in their possession.

Moreover, he said officers were instructed to make no effort to police illegal salmon sales in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

The annual overtime budget, per officer, is $400 -- enough for one night's extra work and officers testified they often work unpaid overtime out of concern for the resource.

Williams was told most patrol vehicles are in poor mechanical shape and the 26-member patrol section is so underfunded it does not have money to stage flyovers of the river in order to monitor fisheries.

By contrast, Williams heard earlier this week that the Fisheries Department provides a sufficient budget to the Aboriginal Fisheries Commission to allow it to spend money on helicopter time to monitor their own fisheries.

Williams said he was particularly surprised to learn that when fisheries officers report illegal catches, the department has no apparent process for collecting that information, despite its assertion that there is a need for accurate population counts.

"Numbers of fish caught during a closed time can be significant," fisheries officer Kirsty Waldi said. "Right now there is no formal process or mechanism to account for these fish caught during closed times."

"I have to say that I find it absolutely shocking," Williams said. "It almost sounds as though someone is afraid to publish the fact that we have some legally and illegally caught fish. It's just outrageous that a system would exist that doesn't permit the inclusion of illegally caught fish to tell us how many fish have actually been caught."

DFO manager Les Jantz told Williams the department does track illegal catches in its database, but acknowledged those numbers are not a factor in determining the timing of fisheries.

Interior fisheries officer Randy Nelson also told Williams that the legal catch numbers relied upon by DFO may not be accurate.

He said the Fisheries Department relies solely on estimates of legal catch numbers when it is making potential life-or-death decisions about whether to keep a fishery open or close it down to maintain a spawning population large enough to perpetuate the species.
© The Vancouver Sun 2005

[chris gadsden]

The SDA has been telling them this for a long time. Hopefully the government will finally pay heed and do something this summer to protect our fish stocks as they should not be able to avoid the facts any longer.

Thanks Gilly for posting the article.

[Fish Assassin]

Says it all doesn't it ?

[Athezone]

A member of FWR is currently at this meeting in Richmond (Fattey Magrattey) and he phoned me a minute ago saying that the first part covered some activities of aboriginal illegal netting practices, ( Uhh, you figure  ) and that he would post a report to FWR later. I myself don't want to comment on what he told me as it's better to get information straight from the source. I must add though that what he told me did'nt surprise me one bit. We all remember the sockeye season and I, myself could'nt believe how many small sockeye I caught with net marks on them. A real shame. Hopefully their is a solution and when Mr. Magrattey reports hopefully it's good news.

[Rodney]

There is an enquiry session today??? I wasn't aware of that... What time does it go until and where?

[Athezone]

Rodney I am just speaking to Magrattey right now and he left the meeting in Richmond at 12 noon and the second meeting has just begun at 2PM. It goes from 2 to 5PM. It's at the Richmond Hotel at 7551 Westminster Hwy. I thought everyone knew about this fisheries enquiry meeting so myself or Magrattey didnt see any need to inform. I suppose we should have as it certainly would'nt of hurt. Anyway's I hope that helps and Fattey said he's going to post a report in just a little while.

[chris gadsden]

I believe they set up a couple of extra sessions that may not have been advertized that well.

[Fatty Magratty]

        
       2004 SOUTHERN SALMON FISHERY POST SEASON REVIEW


   Well just got back.  i was there from 10 -12  but there wasnt much of a public appearance like i thought there would be. once i got settled one of the10 panel members asking questions made apoint on enforcement he said in 12 years going out once a week i saw one fisheries officer in that time. that definetely unexceptable , Then the human resoursesminister started in on how the money is dolled out (budget 1.5 billion) federally(canada) stuff we already know so most of the meeting was listening to these federal managers go on about how ther resourses are tight and how they have shift money around to stay within thier budgets and saying how enforcement is not the solution they also think catch monitoring and assesment is a way elliviate the enforcement.when we know everyone isnt following the rules. their in some dream world . they only spent 60,000 on flyovers, by the way the budget for for the pacific region is 125 million increase of 7 million.  I think its peanuts for what what we stand to lose so Ottawa better wake up. the panel members think that the reasons were not being listened to well enough is lots of mangers are not from fishing backgrounds as when asked by member who of you fish,as i thought no hands went up just i figure they have no idea they just work numbers (PAYDAY) . so sad to say the future doesnt sound to good unless the federal beauracracts wake up to the problems were facing including the economic loses.  Since 97 they have cut stock programs and still doing so. the numbers from what John Cummins had said that last year there was 23% reduction in the feild 60% reduction  in violations that could be no enforcement and 40% stock reduction . Fisheries found nets left for days in the upper fraser canyon so panel members want more fly bys..as areas are unrechable by truck and foot..   well thats about all i know any questions i be glad to answer..dontlet are beloved salmon parish like this so do your part little or big to voice your ideas and concerns .  thanks and good fishing


                                                                          FATTY MAGRATTY
                                                               T
                                                                

[Athezone]

Good job Fattey, it's at least it's good to see that they're talking even if it is mostly baffle-gab. Hopefully some progress will be made
because if we suffer to many more sockeye summers like last year it'll all be over. As it is there most likely won't even be a sockeye opening this year for recreational fishers, so if you thought there would be., keep guessing.   Thank's Magrattey for the info, much appreciated.

[Gooey]

Athezone...what do you know that no one else does? "There most likely wont be a recreational opening this year"?!?  How could you possibly be saying that. 

My record indicate that this is a peak year.  I assume that the water will be low and warm again due to a relatively warm winter and light snow packs...but if the stocks are strong then there should be a sport fishery opening.  If anything, the return in 4 years time will need protecting, fishing activities this summer will not change/impact what happened to the the stocks last summer.

How can you be forecasting no recreational sockeye fishing now!  This issue is contencious enough with out people stirring the pot with unfounded statements.

[Rodney]

Relax Gooey, it's only February. I think Athezone just wants the entire Peg Leg to himeself, that's all.

Thanks for the report Fatty...

I wasn't aware this session was scheduled, I thought the last one was one February 22nd. Oh well.

It seems like progress is being made though. Like I said earlier in a different post, it'll be an interesting summer.

[The Gilly]

Thanks for the report Fatty.  Perhaps there was no public there because they didn't advertise it.  A good way of telling their bosses that the public doesn't seem interested.

[Athezone]

Hi there Gooey, Rod is right. I want old Pegasaurus all to myself so listen closely everyone. Until further notice (to come in 2006) the sockeye season is offically closed . No really tho Gooey, you're right. I was merely stating that if things don't change for the better, who knows. I mean it would'nt take much for the fisheries and the powers that be to just say, sorry, not this year for blah, blah, blah reasons. I personally hope and think that there will be a sockeye opening this year but for future years let's fish right and keep our fingers crossed.

[grandpa]

I would suggest maybe that the problem with lack of enforcement - staff , dollars etc etc can be traced back to empire building in Ottawa and the various DFO Regional offices . In one province there was a major reorginization and many position were to be made redundant . Those in the Main Office who came into that area right from school were concerned ( after all they had very little field experience and those who had traditionally filled these positions would have been people with lots of field- real life experience  would not move because of major center costs for housing etc etc . )that some of them might lose their jobs so they convinced the powers that be --- Politicains and very senoior civil servants  --- that the number of field positions could be cut dramaticaly as they could monitor compliance from their central positions . After all , forestry companies , commercial fishermen , natives , fish buyers etc etc had to send in returns and since these were compulsory and had to be accurate so the field enforcement/ checks were unnecessary and it is easier to let someone go who you do not know than someone you know well. At the same time they kept trying to empire build and of course their pet project required all possible funding so the field funding was the loser . It got so bad that if someone reported an infraction after the first 10 days of the month a Conservation Officer or Forestry Trch had to ask the complainent to take them to the site as there was no money to put gas in the vehicles .I am not saying that this is the problem with DFO but it could very well be .Keep smiling and things may well get better if the report from this expert jurist contains the proper information and gets the attention it it deserves .

[Terry Bodman]

Thanks for the report, Fatty Magratty. I was wondering how things were going at the Inquiry. There was one sessiion scheduled for a report on the scientific finds of what affect, if any, the warm water had on fish stock deletion. Did you happen to hear that part?