Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => General Discussion => Topic started by: bbronswyk2000 on September 09, 2015, 08:58:26 PM

Title: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: bbronswyk2000 on September 09, 2015, 08:58:26 PM
I dont post a whole lot lately but this is pretty important.

I was fishing for pinks on Saturday afternoon near the Mission bridge. I ran across a net tied to a tree. I found atleast 5-6 dead sturgeon wrapped in the nets. Totally disgusted!!

I just wrapped up two interviews today. One with Global and one with CBC. I also included the Sturgeon Society in this. Kevin Estrada helped me with that. Global is airing the segment tomorrow at 6pm and CBC ( who I wrapped up with only 2 hours ago ) is airing their segment tonight at 11pm.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Rodney on September 09, 2015, 09:00:25 PM
A net intentionally tied up to the tree or an abandoned ghost net which has drifted down to the tree?
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: bbronswyk2000 on September 09, 2015, 09:38:26 PM
A net intentionally tied up to the tree or an abandoned ghost net which has drifted down to the tree?

It was pulled up and also tied off with a rope. Its way to high up to have been drifted up. I have been fishing that same spot for years. I know how high the water comes up.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Blood_Orange on September 09, 2015, 09:42:00 PM
Glad you called it in. Probably some number of people who would rather avoid the hassle. Sad stuff, sturgeon are very cool fish!
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Britguy on September 09, 2015, 09:43:41 PM
If it was indeed intentional then not good and kudos to you bbronswyk2000 for making that report :)
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Tylsie on September 09, 2015, 11:38:24 PM
Watched the CBCs segment. Good on you for getting it out there. I fully agree, they were wrapped up in pink nets, and were left to rot. Totally disgusting. Unfortunately nothing will come of it. Unless someone is brave enough to come and claim the nets.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: fishingwithjohn on September 10, 2015, 01:32:41 AM
One of my favorite species, it appears that humans will be their toughest opponents in 200 million years...
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: sockeyed on September 10, 2015, 08:06:11 AM
Any pictures? I saw a similar story on facebook the other day.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: swimmingwiththefishes on September 10, 2015, 08:58:11 AM
Great work Bbronswyk. I truly believe that the best way to encourage conservation is to have eyes on the water and shame those who abuse the resource. good stuff.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: bbronswyk2000 on September 10, 2015, 08:58:40 AM
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/six-dead-sturgeon-found-in-net-on-fraser-river-bank-1.3222400#commentwrapper
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: RalphH on September 10, 2015, 09:09:40 AM
Good you brought this to the media and DFO. Unfortunately those fish have been dead for some period of time & the trail to uncover the nature of this incident pretty cold
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Tenz85 on September 10, 2015, 09:17:29 AM
I guessing the culprits left them there because small sturgeon are sharp and would have cut them if they slashed around while tangled in the nets.

Was there any netting openings before last Saturday? Regardles, looks like this was most likely the work of poachers.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Zackattack on September 10, 2015, 09:33:03 AM
Any pictures? I saw a similar story on facebook the other day.

I saw those pics too. Very disturbing. Pictures matched the same description but I cant seem to find those pics now, not sure which group it was posted in on my fb...
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: bbronswyk2000 on September 10, 2015, 01:10:13 PM
Good you brought this to the media and DFO. Unfortunately those fish have been dead for some period of time & the trail to uncover the nature of this incident pretty cold

They were not dead for some time as they did not look like that when I found them on Saturday. Hopefully this attachment works

(https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xlf1/v/t1.0-9/11988234_10152984646041875_818951752580022213_n.jpg?oh=87adb9f0d6881629a40c744254fe6611&oe=5665052E)
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: ratfish on September 10, 2015, 02:47:33 PM
Good job!! The mesh size of the net does look small. Someone was in a hurry for sure. Nets aren't cheap!! Are Pinks really worth that much money though? Just wondering
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Zackattack on September 10, 2015, 03:04:22 PM
Socks n Springs are tho  >:(
Glad you called that in! Brutal.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: bbronswyk2000 on September 10, 2015, 04:37:29 PM
Global will be airing a small version of their interview on the Early News at 5pm with the full version airing on the 6pm News
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Wiseguy on September 10, 2015, 05:47:18 PM
Good job dude.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: tworivers on September 10, 2015, 06:25:20 PM
Besides providing me with my daily dose of Robin Stickley ;D on Global's Early News, I looked forward to veiwing Bryan's discovery.
It's a shame that this situation had occurred, and good on you Bryan for bringing this public.

I'm no sturgeon expert, but a clip early on in the broadcast shows one of the carcasses with what appears to be a long pointed slender nose.
Maybe just a poor viewing angle, but is this not a sturgeon type more commonly found in the Fraser Canyon type waters.

Just an observation...



Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: salmonlander on September 10, 2015, 06:33:07 PM
How about posting the phone numbers you called as a refresher for all on here. Thx
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: canoe man on September 10, 2015, 08:18:22 PM
thanks brian and yes please post the phone numbers
for all to keep
cnm
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: TNAngler on September 11, 2015, 09:27:01 AM
I realize this is hard to police but there should be a better way.

I wonder if you couldn't do something where for any non-salt water nets, any cork attached to a net has to have a personal identification number on it.  Any net caught anywhere near fresh water without said number results in a hefty fine.  Sharpie markers are cheap and should be good enough and it wouldn't take that much time to write the numbers on the corks.

Granted, some of the poaching nets don't have corks but it might lessen it some.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: Burbot on September 11, 2015, 09:43:40 AM
I saw this on the cbc web site. Good for you. :)
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: fic on September 11, 2015, 09:47:34 AM
Embed Microchips in the Gill nets somewhere so at least they can identify when and where it was sold.
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: clarki on September 11, 2015, 10:47:01 AM
Bryan, do you think the nets were set to catch salmon (the sturgeon were by-catch) and when the poachers removed the salmon, they just left the sturgeon and the net on the shore? 
Title: Re: Sturgeon found in nets
Post by: TNAngler on September 11, 2015, 11:10:14 AM
Embed Microchips in the Gill nets somewhere so at least they can identify when and where it was sold.

This likely wouldn't work.  There is very little of the gill net that cannot be replaced and is done frequently.  The lead line, cork line, corks, even netting can all be switched out in a couple days.  You would almost have to have it in the monofiliment netting which first would be easily spotted and second very easy to remove.