Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: Tylsie on May 26, 2017, 09:31:50 PM
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I know Chris and I put threads under the Fishing Related Issues section but the general section gets a lot more views and I have a few questions. After spending the day reading more and hearing from a variety of people can anyone actually say definitively what has been cut?
I for sure that RRU (Resource Restoration Branch... the biologists who advise community groups, etc) is officially gone. Salmonids in the Classroom is basically dead as the staff was gutted and equipment will never be replaced. Sounds like almost every office in the except 5 will be shut down and more. But I am also hearing that all community advisors will be gone and that they will be shutting down all Federal Steelhead Programs. They have tried to do all of these things before so I would not be surprised if they were trying again but would like some clarification. Does anyone have any ideas where I can see the official budget?
And for those who will say ask the DFO, I have tried. I know quite a few people there and none will talk as they have very strict (Legal) orders not to and it appears any official mention of it has been removed. Meet the new boss, much worse than the old boss (but about on par with the one before that)
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--I would say ask Todd Doherty if he is still official opposition critic... I'm sure Conservatives are now outraged if DFO is being cut..
Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose rearranged the shadow cabinet today, giving six MP’s new positions.
Among them is Cariboo — Prince George MP Todd Doherty, who is now the Opposition Critic for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
In a statement on the Conservative Party’s website, Ambrose says “Todd Doherty has been an effective MP from British Columbia and will hold the Liberals to account on the Fisheries and Coast Guard files, including the appearance of conflict of interest by the Minister.”
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Thanks Skaha! I already have several emails and letters out to everyone involved. After reading the several articles saying the same thing it has become more clear. One of the articles...
http://www.squamishchief.com/news/local-news/fish-programs-cut-1.20241215
I will save you the trouble of reading the whole thing as this is the highlight...
"It was revealed Friday that the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Resource Restoration Unit is being eliminated, along with two other salmon enhancement programs, including the Education and Technical Support contracts and the production of Steelhead and Cutthroat Trout at salmon enhancement program hatcheries."
Even if you are not actively involved in any projects or enhancement groups those highlighted words should concern you! Every Federal (and most non-profit) Hatcheries are part of SEP! Make of that what you will but I can tell you for certainty that when Steelhead became a Provincial matter there was a huge fight to keep the Federal Hatcheries to continue raising them and they have been trying to get out of it since then. This comes on the heels of last years "Provincial Framework for Steelhead Management in British Columbia" that basically states that the province will focus only on wild stocks and will never allow another hatchery to open.
If salmon in the classroom, or habitat restoration do not concern you the end of steelhead fishing should!
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http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/fisheries-axe-to-salmon-programs-in-freshwater-alarms-stream-enhancement-groups
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Steelhead have always been a Provincial responsibility.
For better or worse most fisheries biologists have become convinced that steelhead hatchery enhancement produces negative results in the long term. We'll have to wait and see how this work out.
People might be interested in checking out the on going recovery of Steelhead and Chinook populations in California's Eel River that followed the hatchery on the river's destruction by a massive flood.
Since then funds from taxation of medical marijuana were used to improve habitat. Funding will continue to grow as the state is required to direct revenue from the full legalized sale of recreation marijuana to such programs.
See the article in the June July issue of Fly Fisherman.
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Hey mods, time to weld these two posts into one?
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Let them hear you!
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
Communications Branch
200 Kent Street, 13th Floor, Station 13E228
Ottawa Ontario K1A 0E6 Canada
Telephone: 613-993-0999
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Thanks Damien, as I said earlier, this is going to be huge. Mods, I again ask this topic be placed into one post where readers can respond appropriately.
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I was just informed Community Advisors will not be let go ... very, very, good news.
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So would it be safe to assume that accompanying all of this will be unprecedented sport closures in the wake of reduced resources? Man, I feel like we're watching the complete collapse of Salmon/Steelhead fishing in B.C. as we know it before our very eyes
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Federal government would like nothing more then to see salmon go extinct. The industry is small in terms over their overall GDP. Every special interest group complains like crazy (first nations,commercial,sporties..ect) Never enough fish!. RCMP want nothing to do with it, DFO officers can bring in 5 guys in on numerous charges and there out the next day or the don't even bring the paddy wagons to pick em up. After fishery management was turned over to the biologist it just took a nosedive to cupcakes. We have a commercial chum fishery during steelhead migration. None of the commy boats have revival boxes on them like they are suppose to. No money to manage the fisheries. Sporties think there some kind of god's gift to the fish and the economy but there rape the resource too.
I have ranted about this on other threads before, Won't be long till the Feds find a way to hand over this to the industry and watch it then turd dive into obless.
God bless the people that volunteer, most of them work their asses of and don't even fish, just like to talk a walk in the fall and see the chum in the river.
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Does this mean hatchery enhanced steelhead and/or salmon will be either cut or reduced further? If so, DFO better reduce the license fee and the cost of those so called conservation stamps. LOL. The trouble of elimination hatchery stocks is that poachers will have no hesitation to take the wild stocks, an undesirable consequence to the endangered wild stocks.
Way back when Mike Harcourt & Moe Sihota tried to cut the hatchery steelhead funding, thousands (including myself) sent letters and petitions to them and I specifically pointed out the hidden danger to the wild stocks. They changed course and restored the funding quickly. I even got a reply letter from Sihota that the NDP government was so overwhelmed with petitions that they realize that it is prudent to keep the funding. Now if there is an organized protest about this new curve ball from the DFO, we should all join in and show the politicians our displeasure.
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Does this mean hatchery enhanced steelhead and/or salmon will be either cut or reduced further? If so, DFO better reduce the license fee and the cost of those so called conservation stamps. LOL. The trouble of elimination hatchery stocks is that poachers will have no hesitation to take the wild stocks, an undesirable consequence to the endangered wild stocks.
Way back when Mike Harcourt & Moe Sihota tried to cut the hatchery steelhead funding, thousands (including myself) sent letters and petitions to them and I specifically pointed out the hidden danger to the wild stocks. They changed course and restored the funding quickly. I even got a reply letter from Sihota that the NDP government was so overwhelmed with petitions that they realize that it is prudent to keep the funding. Now if there is an organized protest about this new curve ball from the DFO, we should all join in and show the politicians our displeasure.
The Fraser Valley Salmon Society sent in a lot of letters in when the previous cuts were being planned to the hatchery steelhead program. Letters were gathered from concerned anglers and each was sent in to Victoria, in an individual envelope.
I was talking to a good source today and I was told the steelhead fry from this years run is the last year it will be done at the Chilliwack River Hatchery, maybe someone else can confirm this.
Maybe the Freshwater Fisheries Society should consider taking this over?
These cuts donot make much sense to me and I am sure many others when the government spends millions of dollars on other program not to mention all the dollars spend in foreign aid each year. They never seem to understand the millions and millions of dollars sports fishing puts back in the economy.
I imagine there will be quite a
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The Fraser Valley Salmon Society sent in a lot of letters in when the previous cuts were being planned to the hatchery steelhead program. Letters were gathered from concerned anglers and each was sent in to Victoria, in an individual envelope.
I was talking to a good source today and I was told the steelhead fry from this years run is the last year it will be done at the Chilliwack River Hatchery, maybe someone else can confirm this.
Maybe the Freshwater Fisheries Society should consider taking this over?
These cuts donot make much sense to me and I am sure many others when the government spends millions of dollars on other program not to mention all the dollars spend in foreign aid each year. They never seem to understand the millions and millions of dollars sports fishing puts back in the economy.
I imagine there will be quite a
Yes, unless things change no Federal Hatchery will no longer be rearing steelhead or cutthroat. I have not been able to determine if community hatcheries will be allowed yet if they are able to provide independent funding but as they are all licensed through SEP I have my doubts. They are allowing any fish/eggs currently being held at these facilities to be raised until targeted release dates (which is much nicer than last time when all the eggs were destroyed), but that is all. Unfortunatley, there is no way for the FFSBC to take it on. Most of their facilities are at max capacity as it is and it is highly unlikely that the Federal Government is going to allow them to use there facilities. If anyone wants to fish for steelhead than they should be writing a letter to anyone and everyone.
I know that once the reality of the situation sinks in people will be most outraged by this, but to me the termination of the Salmon in the Classroom program is much worse. I firmly believe that if enough resources are put back into habitat restoration steelhead can be brought back. Will we ever be able to take one home again... no, but with enough work we will be able to fish for them. Other jurisdictions have proven that populations are able to recover if given the choice. However, nothing will ever be able to make the kids appreciate salmon, want to get involved, engage their parents, and grow up to be fishermen and women as seeing those fish in there classroom. When everyone is upset and writing letters to bring back the steelhead also ask to bring back salmon in the classroom!
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Does this mean hatchery enhanced steelhead and/or salmon will be either cut or reduced further? If so, DFO better reduce the license fee and the cost of those so called conservation stamps. LOL. The trouble of elimination hatchery stocks is that poachers will have no hesitation to take the wild stocks, an undesirable consequence to the endangered wild stocks.
Way back when Mike Harcourt & Moe Sihota tried to cut the hatchery steelhead funding, thousands (including myself) sent letters and petitions to them and I specifically pointed out the hidden danger to the wild stocks. They changed course and restored the funding quickly. I even got a reply letter from Sihota that the NDP government was so overwhelmed with petitions that they realize that it is prudent to keep the funding. Now if there is an organized protest about this new curve ball from the DFO, we should all join in and show the politicians our displeasure.
DFO does not determine the cost of freshwater angling licenses or the supplementary stamps - that is Provincial.
The Mike and Moe show was cancelled 20 years ago and since then there has been a lot of research that contrary to your statement hatchery programs are actually a danger to wild steelhead . That's been widely accepted among fisheries biologists. Some could argue that hatchery enhancements actually offers a massive subsidy to the Sport Fishing business sector. It could be tough for many to cope with the tackle, access cost and harvest limitations a wild fish only strategy may impose but there's no evidence that in it itself poses any danger to wild stocks. Quite the opposite.
There are community hatcheries that raise both steelhead and cutthroat; locally the ARMS/BC Corrections hatchery does or certainly has in the past; The Semiahmoo hatchery does as did the hatchery on the Coquitlam. There may be others.
The Province provides the supervision & paid staffing for the ARMs hatchery. Steelhead and trout have been a Provincial responsibility since 1918 when the Federal government divested itself of responsibility for Inland Fisheries. The Province should be paying for their enhancement.
If it has it's been getting a free ride for 40 years. That's pretty typical though - the Province goes out of it's way to claim credit for the expenditure of Federal money in BC for a long time & then whine it's doesn't get enough from Federal handouts.
It wouldn't surprise me if this announcement was timed to coincide with the current confusion following the Provincial election.
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Most of us steelheaders are laymen to fishery science. Can't argue with the fishery biologists. But if the hatchery program is a danger to wild stock, we should see the Thompson, the Coquihalla, the Coquitlam, or the Squamish doing very well with wild stocks. Or do they? I don't think the Coquitlam has been stocked with hatchery steelhead even though they have a volunteer hatchery. The Gold has done well long time ago. I had a 25-fish day there with my friend, but even that system is never the same. Anyways, it will be interesting to see the Vedder a wild only river. Can't wait for many 10+ fish day there. Heck I will take 5+ day trip any day with no meat fishermen crowding the river. LOL.
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But if the hatchery program is a danger to wild stock, we should see the Thompson, the Coquihalla, the Coquitlam, or the Squamish doing very well with wild stocks.
all those rivers have received hatchery enhancement. The Coquitlam has the longest history of hatchery introduction in the Province.
Problems on all those rivers are complex. Some like the Coquihalla, The Coquitlam and to some extent the Squamish have had serious habitat damage or loss. No doubt there are rivers that could be used basically as conduits for hatchery programs because they either never had favourable habitat or it's been damaged to a point where wild stocks likely can't recover to even a shadow of historical abundance. The Coquitlam would be a candidate for that as is the Capilano and Seymour (to some extent). You can add the Stave as well.
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http://www.tricitynews.com/opinion/letters/letter-see-salmon-runs-and-pay-for-work-to-protect-fish-1.20289171
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Petition:
https://www.change.org/p/35000-school-kids-affected-by-latest-department-of-fisheries-cuts?recruiter=331526903&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition
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Thanks RainbowMan. Signed and sent on.
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Signed and sent too. Thanks.
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Signed. Thanks.... and shared to Facebook too, just follow the link
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The wild steelhead coalition has some great vids about how the sporties killed wild steel head fishing. They talk about how the stocks hit a point on no return. How that it could take 50 to 100 years to get back to the way they were. it's a good watch I think it's 3 parts
https://vimeo.com/203680367
https://vimeo.com/203746424
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I also sent a letter to my Liberal MP. For those who care about the wild salmon protection programs in BC, we should use all possible ways to put pressure on the feds to reinstate funding to these programs. This is huge....
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Is this related to this thread's topic?? :-\
I think it's relative, talks about stream inhanancement and the effectiveness of hatchery programs. DFO have made some hard cuts but perhaps the DFO programs were not adding much to the environment or salmon Anyways.
I think people are always in denial about the fact that the number 1 thing hurting the stocks might not be all the funding cuts but their own fishing. Even with returns of 100k plus steelhead on some rivers and sporties only able to bonk 2 a day they still drove it into the abyss.
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Wildman,
Though I enjoyed the videos, and do believe we all have played a part in the steelhead (and all salmon) stocks, each river is unique and to blame sportfishers, hatcheries, habitat loss or any one thing is to do a huge disservice. The fact is that these cuts do nothing to address any of these issues! Taking away salmon in the classroom (a program that only cost $600,000 annually to run across the entire province) does nothing to to stop overfishing, terminating the RRU and all of the biologists who approve the restoration projects across province certainly does nothing for habitat, and closing down all steelhead and cuthroat hatcheries in the province will only result in less fisherpeople, less eyes on the water, less people who care, and less funds. Are hatcheries the answer to every river, certainly not but they are on certain rivers and should be kept open.
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http://globalnews.ca/video/3494348/dfo-announces-changes-to-b-c-funding
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https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/disarray-at-dfo-as-groups-decry-cuts-to-fish-programs/Content?oid=3578500
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https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/disarray-at-dfo-as-groups-decry-cuts-to-fish-programs/Content?oid=3578500 (https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/disarray-at-dfo-as-groups-decry-cuts-to-fish-programs/Content?oid=3578500)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fisheries-department-cuts-education-program-1.4140391 (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fisheries-department-cuts-education-program-1.4140391)
Time to heat up our MLA's Folks! Give them enough backlash they have to reconsider these most foolish moves!
And please keep hitting that petition!!
https://www.change.org/p/35000-school-kids-affected-by-latest-department-of-fisheries-cuts (https://www.change.org/p/35000-school-kids-affected-by-latest-department-of-fisheries-cuts)
Cheers & THANKS!
Nog
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https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/disarray-at-dfo-as-groups-decry-cuts-to-fish-programs/Content?oid=3578500 (https://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/disarray-at-dfo-as-groups-decry-cuts-to-fish-programs/Content?oid=3578500)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fisheries-department-cuts-education-program-1.4140391 (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fisheries-department-cuts-education-program-1.4140391)
Time to heat up our MLA's Folks! Give them enough backlash they have to reconsider these most foolish moves!
And please keep hitting that petition!!
https://www.change.org/p/35000-school-kids-affected-by-latest-department-of-fisheries-cuts (https://www.change.org/p/35000-school-kids-affected-by-latest-department-of-fisheries-cuts)
Cheers & THANKS!
Nog
"At least Harper was honest about having no interest in science. This government says everything they're doing is based on science, when everything they're doing couldn't be further from the truth.
"Seeing the writing on the wall, it's very, very clear to me that this government has no interest in maintaining, assisting and preserving our Pacific wild salmon stocks."
Pretty much been my sentiment for the last 20 years! I can understand the cuts to the steel head and cutthroat hatchery's as that seems to be a Provencal responsibility.
The cuts to the restoration division is down right unacceptable and I plan on attending two events at ARMS and Keeps to support the fight.
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The cuts to the restoration division is down right unacceptable and I plan on attending two events at ARMS and Keeps to support the fight.
Can you please post this ye details of those two events on this thread? ThX.
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Story on this just published by the Chilliwack Progress. http://www.theprogress.com/news/cuts-to-salmon-enhancement-programs-in-chilliwack-criticized/
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NEW!
House of Commons Petition.
This one could do what is needed! 8)
https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1133
Cheers!
Nog
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Signed and submited. Thanks, Nog.
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http://mailchi.mp/423d231865c4/april-fvwc-lecture-series-reminder-1570057?e=6dcc047d52
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Watershed Watch Salmon Society
2 hrs ·
BREAKING NEWS: we have heard that MP Terry Beech just announced at the Fisheries & Oceans Standing Committee that the gov't will reverse the cuts to the Salmon Enhancement Program, including the Stream to Sea (Salmonid in the Classroom) Program.
This is great news! The pressure put on the gov't worked. Thanks to all who worked on this! 😀
Stay tuned for Gov't press release.
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A more recent update from my MP:
Investments
Our government has invested approximately $3 billion into the core operations for DFO/CCG through Budget 2016, Budget 2017, the Oceans Protection Plan and following a comprehensive review of the organization's programs and services. With these investments, Canadians will soon see a noticeable difference in the services they receive from DFO/CCG.
There will be no changes to CCG presence in inland waterways.
The Coast Guard dive team will remain at the Sea Island base.
There will be no change or reductions to the Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP). All elements of SEP will continue.
With the significant new investments in DFO/CCG, our government will be enhancing search and rescue services on all our coasts and working with community partners on a number of ecosystem restoration projects.
On Salmonid Enhancement Program
I have shared with the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard the concerns I have heard from community members over recent days with respect to some recent changes to the Salmonid Enhancement Program. I take those concerns extremely seriously, as does our government.
Preserving and restoring salmon habitat is fundamental to ensuring the Pacific coast has salmon for generations to come. There will be no reductions to the Salmonid Enhancement Program: all these programs will continue. This includes the educational and technical contracts that support Stream to Sea and Salmonids in the Classroom, the SEP Resource Restoration Unit, and the hatchery production of Steelhead and Cutthroat trout.
We recognize the long standing relationships with Indigenous, community and municipal partners in our collective conservation efforts to protect wild Pacific salmon stocks. We will continue this important work through the SEP Program.
Coastal Restoration Fund
DFO has for a long time focused on inland waters but emerging new science has also shown we need to mitigate stressors in the ocean environment. Our government is committed to continuing all aspects of the Salmonid enhancement program, as well as restoring habitat along our ocean coastlines.
The new Coastal Restoration Fund - $75M over 5 years -addresses historically degraded areas and will support projects that contribute to coastal restoration plans; support the identification of restoration priorities; and threats to marine species located on Canada's coasts. (Link: http://dfo-mpo.gc.ca/oceans/crf-frc/index-eng.html)
Investments stemming from this fund will help indigenous people, community based groups, not-for-profit organizations, academic institutions, researchers, and industry to work together with us to restore marine environments and protect critical coastline habitat.
As we focus on restoring lost protections in the Fisheries Act, and focus on rebuilding habitat management capacity in our department, our government will outline better and more significant investments in the months ahead as to how we intend to partner with these community groups to ensure that this important work is not lost and is continued and strengthened for the years ahead.
Increased Search and Rescue Capacity
Through the Oceans Protection Plan, our government is increasing the Canadian Coast Guard's search and rescue, and environmental response capacity.
To increase our search and rescue capacity so vital to Canadians on all of our coasts the Canadian Coast Guard will establish seven new lifeboat stations. Four of these stations will be located in British Columbia - in Victoria, Port Renfrew, Nootka and Hartley Bay.
As part of creating a world leading marine safety system the Coast Guard will create 24/7 emergency coordination capacities within existing regional operation centres - one in Victoria.
Total investments in 2017 will create more job opportunities within the Coast Guard, resulting in up to 15% increase in staffing across the country within the next year.
Sea Island Dive Team
I have shared with the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard the concerns I have heard from community members over recent days respect to some recent changes to Coast Guard services - including the dive team program and services on inland waterways.
I take those concerns extremely seriously, as does our government. We know how much Canadians value the programs and services offered the Coast Guard.
All these programs will continue. We have listened to Canadians and understand the strong attachment they place on the Canadian Coast Guard. That's why our government is making historic investments in Coast Guard capacity through the Oceans Protection Plan and the recent program review.
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Good to see some common sense finally.
Another shout out to all those who took the time to voice their displeasure. To those anglers who stood by and did nothing, I wish you all have a terrible fishing season.
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This is great news. Thanks to those who spear headed this.
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http://www.tricitynews.com/news/teachers-laud-saving-of-salmon-program-1.20615924
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--as a follow up...make sure you thank the MP's who listened, I will thank my MP with the hope they will listen in the future.
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--as a follow up...make sure you thank the MP's who listened, I will thank my MP with the hope they will listen in the future.
Good point Skaha. I sent a thank you email to my MP and the other MPs that I'v been communicating with on the matter. Also, a big thank you to fellow forum members who took action and voiced their concerns.
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Those political head honchos only react to vote count. If they sense that there is a sizable angry mob out there ready to roll their heads in the next election if the cut goes ahead, then they will respond. They will cut other areas instead that won't cost them votes and lost parliament seats. LOL.