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[bluenoser]

Seeing as Chum have been closed in most Lower Mainland rivers due to poor or anticipated poor returns have Coho ever been closed for that reason?

Do they keep Coho open because a good percentage of fish are Hatchery?

[HOOK]

im sure coho stay open because of the simple fact they clip them specifically for killing reasons. I would however like to see some of the coho reg's revamped to reduced limits. Say 2 instead of 4 on the Vedder and so on for other flows

I think MOE needs to start making some more drastic changes to get our fishery back to very good levels.


this year is a very sad reminder of how things can get dicey with the fact that chum are closed for the first time i have ever heard of 

[Matt]

The Squamish experienced poor chum runs years ago and saw closures.  Chum (salmon in general) stocks are very volatile and vary a lot.  We just don't understand ocean survival  well at all, at least not well enough to predict and manage well yet.  As chum can live longer than sockeye, perhaps next years numbers will be great.  This doesn't mean we should be complacent, but its not necessarily indicative of a population crash.

Coho seem to be doing well this year.  Hatchery fish are there for the taking, but they could stock less if limits were dropped to 2 or 3 fish (less competition with wild fish) which would benefit wild stocks.

I don't think reducing the limit would limit the number of beeks on the river, as a) they don't necessarily follow the reg, and b)they often fish easier to catch fish like chum, pinks and boot springs.

[Fish or cut bait.]

The Squamish experienced poor chum runs years ago and saw closures.  Chum (salmon in general) stocks are very volatile and vary a lot.  We just don't understand ocean survival  well at all, at least not well enough to predict and manage well yet.  As chum can live longer than sockeye, perhaps next years numbers will be great.  This doesn't mean we should be complacent, but its not necessarily indicative of a population crash.

Coho seem to be doing well this year.  Hatchery fish are there for the taking, but they could stock less if limits were dropped to 2 or 3 fish (less competition with wild fish) which would benefit wild stocks.

I don't think reducing the limit would limit the number of beeks on the river, as a) they don't necessarily follow the reg, and b)they often fish easier to catch fish like chum, pinks and boot springs.

Sad but true.

Sad because it wouldn't stop the beeks, and true it probably would reduce the amount of released hatchery fish.

[bederko]

I think MOE needs to start making some more drastic changes to get our fishery back to very good levels.

Actually, the Province has absolutely nothing to do with the salmon fisheries on our rivers, they are managed by FOC and many of FOC's policies are archaic to say the least...

[BwiBwi]

Just curiouse.  What would reduced catch limit of hatchery fish do for the fishery?

[bluenoser]

Not sure if lowering coho limits is required...I don't think too many people catch limits of coho, at least not on a regular basis. The only ones I've seen catching regular limits were sight fishing with very short leaders and changing the limit would not change the way they fish.

Seems like everytime I run into someone on the Vedder they recall the better days of late 80's when coho were plentiful and limits were the usual.

For me I come from NS and the rivers I grew up fly fishing for Atlantic salmon are void of salmon now(annual limit was 10).

Coho and Atlantic salmon fight very similar although Atlantic salmon would hit a dry fly at times which was very exciting...the anticipation of the hit got your pounding...not sure if Coho will do that.

The signs were all there and acid rain was blamed but nothing was ever done to correct it or bolster the salmon stocks, as returns dwindled sport fishing went year after year with no opening and the stocks continued to decrease. It seemed like over the years the lifespan of the salmon decreased and you hardly ever saw a salmon over 6lbs although every oldtimer recalled the days of 10-20lb salmon being normal. In the mid 80's the regs changed and you were required to release anything over 24 inches, about 6lbs....anyway now I'm recalling better days.

[ericd]

Does it really matter about Chum limits? I thought they weren't good eating? Who is fishing for them? I was talking to a sushi chef he says they use chum roe in Japanese food, but the meat goes to the processing plant, no good for sashimi or grilling.

[roeman]

Does it really matter about Chum limits? I thought they weren't good eating? Who is fishing for them? I was talking to a sushi chef he says they use chum roe in Japanese food, but the meat goes to the processing plant, no good for sashimi or grilling.

What an awesome way to think about a fish.....
You should get a job with the government...

[wizard]

EricD, you and everyone else should be concerned about not only chum numbers, but all salmon species numbers.  Chum salmon although they may not be the most sought after table fair are hugely important to the health of the ecosystem as a whole.  they provide food for many other species ranging from other fish to bears and birds. after spawning they regenerate the rivers in which they came....
I could go on and on about their importance to a our ecosystem, but to judge their value based on their "table fair" is hugely ignorant.  basically without chum salmon, and all the other salmon species, your fishing days would be pretty much limited to bullheads....do some research! 
im sure alot of other posters here could explain better why everyone should be concerned over healthy chum populations, but basically they're the unsung heros of our waters.  undervalued and underrapreciated, fore sure...respect the chum my friend!

[hamster]

chum make for some tasty smoked salmon due to the extra oils in the meat.

[bluenoser]

Personally I'd rather fight a chum than a spring, better fight in my opinion at least in the river....never hooked one in the salt... and I have found them pretty tasty smoked.

I don't really mind the chum closures I was just wondering why they make a decision to close one species over another based on projected returns.

There are a few people on this forum with connections to fisheries....any ideas.