Here's the background information that lead up to this Thompson River closure, from the resource manager for Region 3 and 8.
"With the current situation with conservation concerns of Fraser sockeye similar to the Lower Fraser fishery closures, the Thompson River will not open at this time due to impacts on migrating sockeye and environmental conditions projected for the upcoming weeks. A fishery notice will be released momentarily reflecting the closure until further notice which the Dept. will be monitoring the situation closely. The decision guidelines to open or close chinook directed opportunities was highly weighted to any fisheries known to have impacts on sockeye based on historical creel data would not proceed and fisheries with no impacts based on creel data could proceed. Currently the South Thompson, Lower Shuswap and Mable Lake with numerous years of creel data shows no sockeye encounters which opened today, the Thompson creel data collected previously does show impacts on Fraser sockeye which is collected in three locations ( Savona, Juniper beach and Bonaparte) but we do not have any creel information for the section below Goldpan. With no available creel data for that area even though fishers indicate very few impacts, it is still an impact and without creel data to indicate zero impacts we are not able to open the Thompson fishery at this time. I have discussed the situation with the local SFAC regarding the dept. decision process late last week and why Sandy Macdonald is included in this e-mail as he is the co-chair for the Mid Fraser Thompson Okanagan Sport fishery Advisory Committee."
This was the response to this note I wrote a few days ago, see below they certainly are out of touch on this as we have no impact on sockeye at all in this area, some of you may wish to write to them too.
Good evening Barbara and Deb,
I hope the current closure of the Fraser River will not effect the planned opening of the Thompson River for chinnok jacks that is scheduled to open on August 21 for recreational anglers.
Of course most know we have no impact on sockeye stocks there. I have fished this area since the 1970' s and have only hooked one sockeye.
In your management capacity I am sure you will be making the correct decision on this fishery,
Regards,
Chris
Fraser Valley Salmon Society