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[RalphH]

Hatch Magazine article on a study by Akira Terui, a biology professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, that found efforts to boost fish populations by introducing captive-bred fish of the same species into the wild has a negative effect on the native fish population.

https://www.hatchmag.com/articles/more-evidence-releasing-hatchery-reared-native

Boy I hope there isn't another overt reference to climate change in there!

[clarki]

Interesting.

I wonder what would happen if DFO ended the hatchery coho program on the C/V and angler retention limits were reduced (from the current, very generous, limit of four daily with an unlimited annual bag limit) to no retention of wild fish, or just one daily, and/or a limited annual bag.

Would the angling public get it? Or would there be an uproar?

It would be an interesting change management exercise…

[roeman]

There is nothing that humans do everyday that is not harmful to the earth...

[bigsnag]

There are lots of things human can do that are beneficial to the earth.  It all depends on where your heart is.

[wildmanyeah]

Interesting.

I wonder what would happen if DFO ended the hatchery coho program on the C/V and angler retention limits were reduced (from the current, very generous, limit of four daily with an unlimited annual bag limit) to no retention of wild fish, or just one daily, and/or a limited annual bag.

Would the angling public get it? Or would there be an uproar?

It would be an interesting change management exercise…

see what happens to steelhead fisheries once hatcheries are removed for your answer, no retention, to bait ban, to closure

[RalphH]

see what happens to steelhead fisheries once hatcheries are removed for your answer, no retention, to bait ban, to closure

the wild steelhead release policy was in large part pushed by user groups in the 80s. While some steelhead streams such as the Gold and Heber are closed due to very low returns of wild fish most streams are open even if the returns aren't particularly high. Not too many bait bans in the Province. Not too many streams actually get hatchery enhancement either.The retention policy on hatchery fish is set to see as many of these harvested as possible which also puts extra pressure on wild fish.

[clarki]

see what happens to steelhead fisheries once hatcheries are removed for your answer, no retention, to bait ban, to closure

Perhaps, but we’re talking apples (steelhead) and oranges (coho).

Escapement of wild C/V steelhead is estimated at 1000 to 2800 fish https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/acat/documents/r1568/ChilliwackAdultReport2000_ARL337-4__1097005167990_1ab3ba1501854265bfe6a6d51be175e5.pdf

I couldn’t find any data on wild coho escapement but I believe it to be significantly higher than just a couple of thousand fish.

Perhaps wild steelhead populations can’t sustain a recreational kill fishery but wild coho could.

[wildmanyeah]

Perhaps, but we’re talking apples (steelhead) and oranges (coho).

Escapement of wild C/V steelhead is estimated at 1000 to 2800 fish https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/acat/documents/r1568/ChilliwackAdultReport2000_ARL337-4__1097005167990_1ab3ba1501854265bfe6a6d51be175e5.pdf

I couldn’t find any data on wild coho escapement but I believe it to be significantly higher than just a couple of thousand fish.

Perhaps wild steelhead populations can’t sustain a recreational kill fishery but wild coho could.

first nations have priority and so does ocean fisheries.

close the hatchery and fishing will be closed its that simple, really

were asking for mark selective fishing to avoid wild stocks, close that hatchery and all that will be left is a few wild stocks in small numbers.

[wildmanyeah]

While some steelhead streams such as the Gold and Heber are closed due to very low returns of wild fish most streams are open even if the returns aren't particularly high.

steelhead are not subject to allocation policy's.

Do you really think there will be pie left for public wild retention?

and were now seeing NO FISHING FOR SALMON, instead of no retention. 

[wildmanyeah]

Perhaps wild steelhead populations can’t sustain a recreational kill fishery but wild coho could.

can they sustain a FSC gilnet fishery

[RalphH]

steelhead are not subject to allocation policy's.

Do you really think there will be pie left for public wild retention?

and were now seeing NO FISHING FOR SALMON, instead of no retention.

Huh? You specifically talked about steelhead. You outlined a trail of stopping hatchery enhancement , followed by bait bans and finally closures. That trail doesn't exist. Now you are switching to salmon.

We do still have sport fisheries for wild salmon in the LM. I didn't advocate for ending hatchery enhancement for coho. It's also pretty clear from the recent FMP and the planned reduction of production coho for enhancement there has been a surplus of coho, particularly in the V/C. Literally thousands if not 10s of thousands make it past the saltwater fishery and the in river fishery despite terribly high pressure. Pretty good evidence stocking levels can be reduced. There are quite a number of streams in the LM that allow a modest harvest of 1 hatchery coho a day and release of wild fish. In streams like that I am familiar with fishing is pretty good and wild fish are far more numerous than hatchery fish. Wouldn't be a bad alternative.  I also think a 2 coho (hatchery) limit on the V/C would be a reasonable alternative.

[wildmanyeah]

Good glade we agree on salmon

[RalphH]

Oh I think clarki's suggestion would work fine...but it won't fly politically. There would be do much pressure from all the hatchery welfare bums & would also require a significant drop in fishing pressure.

[wildmanyeah]

Yes people not fishing lol that’s how it would  work

Good call

[RalphH]

while we are at it I'll make a couple of other points.

The Squamish system is close enough to a total wild fishery mostly based around catch and release. Sure there is some production from Tenderfoot hatchery but it's modest.  It also includes 1st Nation's harvest yet sports anglers aren't banned off the river

It's actually the hatchery production that together with closures on the Fraser that has attracted 1st Nations fisheries on the V/C. The local band has specifically identified both the summer red springs and coho as opportunities for them because they are hatchery raised and for the coho in particular there is a considerable surplus of fish.