Unfortunately, the DFO has decided to re-implement the 2019 disastrous and ill-advised chinook management decisions as of April 1st, 2020. This means chinook non-retention once again. The DFO is claiming they need more time to look at data and see how last year’s decisions affected interior Fraser chinook stocks of concern.
The truth is they have plenty of data that shows there is zero impact or very close to zero on the entire South Coast of BC during the month of April. Why are they are claiming that these closures are to protect stocks of concern? This simply isn't true. The April data shows that the presence of stocks of concern in approach waters is absolutely minuscule. They are very rarely picked up in sampling that occurs in April and into May in the Salish Sea.
Very small, but increasing numbers show up fisheries in June and July. This is where we suggest the use of marked selective and data supported avoidance fisheries as progressive management tools. What this means is we believe you should be able to keep a hatchery chinook and fish in areas where the data shows stocks of concern are not present.
But as it stands today, we remain closed for chinook retention. The socio-economic impacts are mounting up and your right to access hatchery fish and healthy chinook stocks has been denied.
Let's be clear, the data shows that there are opportunities to fish for chinook salmon in more areas than currently allowed and the public fishery impact on chinooks stocks of concern is extremely low.
Take a look at the graph of 2018 data. In the public fishery in Georgia Strait South, only 0.63 percent of the total of legal size chinook caught was from stocks of concern. Less than 1%! To say that there is not responsible, sustainable options to employ data supported chinook fisheries in the coming months is baffling.
DFO, enough is enough. The public should have access to low risk, sustainable chinook fisheries that do not target or impact stocks of concern. This coast is hurting economically, socially, and is increasingly looking for sustainable food sources in these tough times.
The public wants to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. These optical, politically motivated closures are not saving the stocks of concern. They are killing the economies and social values of coastal communities. It is time to bring back sustainable opportunity to Canadians. Quit closing public fisheries that have little to no impact on stocks of concern but have huge positive impacts for all Canadians.
Let’s focus on real solutions for stocks of concern. We support habitat enhancement, political transparency, responsible and emergency hatchery augmentation where needed, select pinniped removal, and removal of illegal gill nets in the Fraser.
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The Public Fisheries Alliance Team
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Topic: Public Fishery Alliance committed to scientific and political transparency! (Read 1275 times)