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Yes Remain Open

No Closed

Open To Guides only

Open (with purchase of Sturgeon tag with monies going toward research and to fund a Sturgeon hatchery)

[Rodney]

I was somewhat surprised by the lack of responses on the net prior to the recent meeting on SARA and sturgeon. I suspect many of you may not know just how significant the possible changes are going to be in 2006.

After going through pages of documents regarding the issue, my March editorial is a brief summary on what exactly might happen. If you have done sturgeon, enjoy sturgeon fishing, or plan to try out sturgeon fishing, then please take a look. I think most of you will not like how this is going to impact the sportfishing community, or even the Fraser River sturgeon population.

Once you've read the article, we need you to do one of the two items:

Post a reply on your thoughts.

Or, start writing letters to your local representatives to voice your concerns.

The closure proposed is indefinitely. Once closed, there is no guideline on how to have it reopen. Is it based on population number? If so, what is the healthy number for possible openings? how will the numbers be retrieved?

Click on the logo below to view article.

[legend]

 Please fill this poll out if your interested in this fishery they may be closing it to us sport guys as soon as 2006.

[The Gilly]

I don't mind paying for a good cause.

[leaseman]

I believe it should be left open...or open with a "stamp" for sturgeon fishing as long as there is "proof" that whatever I am paying goes towards their "protection"...As I have posted here since joining my main fishing staple is for sturgeon as I/we enjoy the peace and quiet on the river and get this sturgeon fishing...I have not once witnessed and bleeding etc from a hooked and released sturgeon..They are such a tough that even with the bigger fish on a longer battle 45-60 minutes that these fish take off with out hardly any reviving...Most of our fishing is from Mission bridge down river to Fort Langley and in this small strip of river you can catch them just about anywhere... just about any time of year....

I can see the government closing this fishery because as Rod said that they are lumping together all the different strains and saying " Looks like they are in trouble "...How many of you have talked to guides and found out that 85-95% of their customers come from all over the world just to fish these monsters...What impact will this have on the economy ...How many of you have looked at and filled outr the worksheets...All I found was they wanted to know how much it is going to affect your income and the income of the company that you work for...What percentage of your income is affected by this fishery etc...etc...

I get really ticked off at the way they are handling this and have let them know this...But if you are a working stiff and family man like me it is near impossible to make any "meetings" that the have

Sorry for rambling on but this is one of lifes big enjoyments for my son and I along with many other family and friends and I dont want to see it lost


Mike the long winded....

[ColinB]

The overseas visitors fishing for Sturgeon is a very valid point.  I sampled the Fraser Sturgeon last year for the first time and I have already booked another trip this year. 

Could this possibly my last trip?

Who do I write and complain to?

Roll on October anyway.

Colin

[Sandhead]

Special Tags is a good idea

[Sam Salmon]

Tags are a simple idea to deal with a complex situation.
It costs money to set up a 'tag' system and there's no guarantee that the money collected will end up spent on Sturgeon research.
Presently all revenue from Salmon tags goes into General Revenue and we can't expect anything different with Sturgeon tags.

[Randog]

Maybe if SARA lists them, LGL will get a couple of million to perform a study?


http://www.lgl.com/lglflash.htm

I wonder if SARA will list ALL Sockeye just because Sakinaw and Cultus lake runs are concidered to be possibly endanered?

Cultus Lake and Sakinaw Lake sockeye salmon will also not be added to the list, in keeping with the advice of Minister Dion after consultation with the Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. However, comprehensive recovery plans for these species will be completed and Fisheries and Oceans Canada will continue to pursue its action plan to protect and rebuild the Cultus and Sakinaw Lake sockeye populations.


Check this out. Loads of good reading there

http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/eng/sct5/index_e.cfm

[Sterling C]

That is completely absurd. They're willing to put a healthy population of fish numbering in the 10's of thousands on the SARA list but not a dwindling run of salmon with returns as low as 30 adults. Couldn't have anything to do with the fact that if sturgeon are on the SARA list they would only have to close the river to fishing. Whereas if Cultas sockeye were on the list they'd by law have intervene (hatchery)

[Randog]

Biff, I think I remember reading somewhere that if SARA adds the Fraser River white sturgeon to their endangered list, all angling on the Fraser will have to stop! Apparently it's against the law to angle in waters where endangered species exist.

Also I heard somewhere that DFO is going to be throwing buckets of cash at the Cheam band to train them on catch/mortality rates. Not for certain, maybe just part of the "rumour mill"

[keithr]

What is the sense of shutting down a catch and release fishery when the authorities aren't even making much of an attempt to enforce existing regulations that virtually everyone admits are being grossly abused?  Perhaps the boats on the river fishing for sturgeon are getting in the way of the drift nets?

[leaseman]

One other thing comes to mind is that if they do ban sturgeon fishing how are they going to inforce it In th last year that I have been out sturgeon fishing I haven't see the DFO never mind being checked!!

[legend]

I started this poll and I'm very surprised at how few people have voted . I'm not very good at this computer usage but I'm wondering if us members of this site could some how start a petition to keep this fishery open. Get as many people to sign it and then send it off via e-mail to the minister of fisheries. Maybe someone with a little more computer skill could take the bull by the horns and set something up. If someone does this maybe inform members of other sites such as Fish BC , Angling BC etc that there is such a petition going on .We as sport fisherman have to step up and fight for this or it will be taken from us. If anyone is willing and you need any help I'm there just contact me via e-mail. I know personally I have spent over $1000.00 on rods ,reels , line , tackle , bait etc specifically to target Sturgeon not to mention Anchors, Boat . I'm in to this fishery for a fair chunk of change and alot of the gear I purchased is specific to this sport unless Halibut start to swim in local waters it's useless. I'm sure that local guides would take a huge hit financially not to mention the tackle stores the hotels in the valley this will have a negative affect on many peoples lives.

[Sam Salmon]

Legend-SARA is about Endangered Species-all of which are much much more important that a few thousand dollars worth of gear or a few local boys making a living-it's about the survival of species that are unchanged for thousand and thousands of years.

You're right about Sportfishermen making their concerns heard but we all have to realise that our hobby counts for zip in the larger picture.

[Sterling C]

I'm sure that everyone here would willingly give up sturgeon fishing in a second if there was any threat to their population. But our particular local population is stable and there is no evidence that sporties are hurting the popualtion.