Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Jonny 5 on October 20, 2004, 11:51:33 AM
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Here is a post that I copied from another Board that I belong to. Speak UP or see the famous Thompson steelies no more!
Chum Fishery Threatens The Thompson
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It is absolutely unbelievable! In the face of the 2nd worst Thompson Steelhead runs on record DFO has okayed a commercial chum salmon opening for Wednesday Oct. 20th! This is squarely in the heart of the time that all the best science indicates is the prime window of migration through the lower Fraser.
The Provincial Fisheries MWLAP have repeatedly stood agianst such openings - their concern is steelhead, the Federal Fisheries - DFO has jurisdiction over salmon - and they don't care about the steelhead.
This is outrageous, sportfishermen are shut down as even a catch and release fishery is deemed too dangerous to the health of the run and DFO schedules an opening. We are trying to rally the troops to register our outrage, but with less than two days notice until the opening there is not much time. This has not even been announced yet - this info is a hot leak... It is clear they didn't want us to have time to organize. The newspapers have been contacted and messages are out on bulletin boards - we need some emrgency troops!
Right now we must flood DFO's phone lines with protests ...the Director General's office is 604 666-6098...(Paul McGillvary)...or any and every other Lower Fraser manager...Devona Adams has often been very helpful....but now seems to think its no big deal... 604 666-6512.
Paul McGillerary's e-mail is MacgillivaryP@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Devona Adams e-mail is AdamsD@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
If you have fished the Thompson - or ever hope to fish it in the future take some time and make the effort.
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Tight lines - tyler.
Here is a Press Release prepared for CTV
Press Release,
The greatest race of steelhead in the world is in mortal danger. The most revered sport fish in western North America is BC’s Thompson River steelhead. It isn’t just changing ocean and climatic conditions or environmental issues that threaten, but Government mismanagement. Once again Federal and Provincial governments are at odds and the ill-advised wishes of the DFO are taking precedent. The cost is at the expense of one of BC’s priceless natural resources – the Thompson Steelhead.
The Thompson River has a predicted return of fewer than 800 fish this year - this is an abysmal state of affairs. The Provincial Fisheries Branch MWLAP has ordered the river closed to fishing, as even the minuscule mortality rate of a catch and release fishery has been deemed unacceptable. As hard as it is to accept, the necessity of the closure is brutally evident to the sport fishing community.
The problem we have is with the actions of the DFO, in particular the A/Area Management decision to allow a chum opening on the Lower Fraser River on Wednesday October 20. All the available research shows that this is the peak migration window through the Lower Fraser for Thompson Steelhead. We find this outrageous and unbelievable. The DFO’s own test fishery has only caught 3 steelhead, which extrapolate into the second worst return in 26 years. Yet DFO shows absolutely no concern and provides a commercial opening for chum salmon
If the return numbers of Thompson steelhead are so critically low that a closure must be applied to the least effective sector of resource users the sport fishers, how can it be remotely justifiable that any other fishery – let alone a commercial one be allowed? Even the rationale for Native ceremonial fish is superseded by conservation needs. The fact that there is a surplus of chums, does not justify the endangerment of a seriously threatened run of fish like the Thompson steelhead.
When the DFO was concerned about Thompson Coho, the entire commercial industry ground to a halt to enable their recovery. Yet, when a world famous, irreplaceable steelhead resource is threatened in the very same river - nothing happens. In fact, the Federal Department that is supposed to be the steward of the resource further threatens it by enabling more commercial openings. It is no wonder that the sport fishing community shakes it head with resignation and disbelief when the DFO steps in.
In the case of Thompson River Steelhead the Province has championed the needs of the fish. MWLAP biologists in Kamloops have done everything in their power to protect the fish and promote the recovery of the flagship of Beautiful BC’s sport fishery - the Thompson Steelhead. Yet, it seems at every turn the Federal Government’s DFO has thwarted their efforts. DFO deems the needs of an already heavily subsidized commercial fishery take precedent over world famous natural resource.
The steelhead community, which is local and international is outraged and flabbergasted by this development. Furthermore, it appears that DFO has delayed its public announcement of this opening so as to minimize our ability to protest. This is unconscionable
Yours sincerely,
Tyler Kushnir
Director, Steelhead Society of British Columbia
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It's unbelieveable, been bugging me all day. What a bunch of idiots! Is there anyone in government that isn't incompetent? I'll be phoneing for sure.
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Hey Bug Pumper...if you're soooo concerned about steelhead stocks...why dont you release ALL your steelies this winter! ;)
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Gooey.....
If you have ever talked with fisheries they want you to kill hatchery stealhead when you catch one, personnaly that does not make alot of sense to me but that is what they say.........
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Thanks of that most enlightening piece of info...once again sarcasm doesnt translate over the internet....Bug Pumper is my fishing buddy and I was just teasing him a bit (hence the ;) ).
On that note I beleive there is an open forum October 30 for many stake holders concerned with the steelhead conservation. I will get more info and post it here if indeed it is an open door event. I beleive one thing being discussed is to augment to sustain a run. DFO doesnt want to polute a gene pool with hatchery fish flip side is its better than having a run go extinct...I beleive thats the tyoe of debate planned...I will you ya'll informed.
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I sent this:
It may make some kind of very short term economic sense to open commerial fishing during this run of the Thompson Steelhead, but any other way you look at it, this was really a dumb decision.
I'm a comcerned neighbor. Please remember that it's not absolutely necessary that you make the same short shighted mistakes we made down here.
Thank you, [then my name]
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Well, I used those email links to Magillivary and Adams, and they bounced back not deliverable.
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Gooey, i don't know you! What are you talking about? Have we met?
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Well, I used those email links to Magillivary and Adams, and they bounced back not deliverable.
Mine went through... Maybe they have closed them off for a while (as this message has been posted in many different places). Hopefully they are getting the message. but you can always give them a phone call.
Jon
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Hey Guys, serious issue here. Gillnetting the Fraser river at the height of Thompson Steelhead run? >:( >:( >:( I'm really pissed off about this and have said so. I've sent out my e-mails. The e-mail addys on the other site have been updated. I took the opportunity to voice my concern over poaching as well as (federal) funding for fisheries. Tight Lines.......Forever!!
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So blueback, what are those emails incase someone wants to send out???
I am having a helluva time finding them on the dfo website (maybe they are unlisted?)
Jon
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Pretty disapointing. I don't kill anymore steelies first because they don't taste as good as Sockeye. Secondly, the stocks are low so I won't even fish then in the Chehalas or Alluoette. So obviously my efforts won't mean a hill of beans this winter and that's a shame. I will whack a Chilli Steely this Boxing day if the fish gods think I have a chance to win but the rest will still swim to see another day. It really sickens me to think my efforts are just a piss in the river. :'(
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Just an additional point of view, I don't enter derbies because they are, in my opinion, an invitation to overfish just for the sake of prizes, etc. A derby is not "enhancement friendly."
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Here are the addys I've got........
Director-General Paul MacGillivray...
MacGillivray's e-mail is macgillivrayp@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
adamsd@dfo-mpo-gc.ca (Devona Adams)
Send in those e-mails...
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thanks blueback for the links i will be sure to send off
sorry its kinda late but better late than never
cnm
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It's not to late! They're planning more openings for this week and next. That is not including the first nation openings which also are going on now! Keep sending those emails. I'm up to 9 now, kinda surprised that they haven't blocked me yet. ;D