Thought it would be a nice afternoon to get away from the computer and all the fish issues. As well needed to deliver some Hole In One Golf Balls to the corn stand at Annis Road.
Also had time to pick some blackberries along Ford Creek that boarders the Falls Golf Course just East of Annis Road on Highway 1. This creek has a real late run of Coho that come into the system in January.
Have seen them there for years. Also the year the sockeye did not migrate up the Fraser they went into any body of water including this small creek, I saw dozens there. Cutthroat are also residents of course. It flows into 3 or 4 other creeks before reaching the Fraser River maybe 10 miles of winding creeks away.
Anyway when I got to the creek to my horror the blackberries and everything in the reparian zone had been cut down into the creek proper and across to the other side a couple of feet. The creek bed maybe 2 feet across had been disturbed and was choked with cut grass etc.
As I inspected the damage I saw dozens of fry mostly likely coho everywhere as they scattered for cover.
Now the shade has been lost meaning higher water conditions so in turn will mean mortallity of these precious little coho. Movement will be also restricted and being so open now easy picking for the herons.
No wonder our coho stocks are in trouble with careless actions like this. So much for getting away from fishing issues this afternoon as I phone a complaint to the CO's office. A lady comes by and is as mad as I, she agrees for me to take a photo of her and her dog looking at the creek which I will send to the Progress and she wants to talk about this to a reporter. I also talked to a worker on the course and asked him m if they had a permit, he did not know, new owner most likey is unaware there is fish in the creek.
. I said he better tell the owner to stop. I take a photo of the machine that will continue its deadly task tomorrow if not halted. I have asked 2:40 to follow up tomorrow as I am heading to the Thompson for a day or so. Will send photo's of the damage to the CO's office also. Rodney has then now and I am sure will soon post. One other thing if a permit is issued, area's of the body of water must be blocked off, fish are electro shocked and removed from the water and then returned after the work is done in the water.
Now I am back in a fishing mood so to speak, back on the mission to protect our fish so head to check out the Agassiz Bridge area and complete the blackberry picking as the ones along Ford Creek had been all cut to the ground.
I get there and pick up some tins and more blackberries. A few anglers bb' ing. After being there 10 minutes one angler is into a fish. I slip down for a look and ask "what is it" being ignorant on purpose".
"A sockeye, cannot keep them" he says, I add "I donot think you will be able to keep them this year" His reply " maybe in a couple of weeks" he says.
I now shed my non fishing idenity as I see the fellow will have trouble releasing the fish with his 15 foot leader and he has started to pull it out of the water.
"I will get it for you" I say as I drop my bag full of bottles and pull the helpless sockeye back into a foot of water. It is of course hooked in the---------- and a fair amount of blood is turning the water a dull red colour around the 5 to 6 pound fish. I have a bit of trouble extracting the hook but could not see a barb. I finally pull the hook free and hold the sockeye for a few seconds so it could right itself and it slowly slips away into the Fraser's depths, I wonder if the blood flow will stop and will it in its now weakened state escape the illegal and legal nets that lie ahead. My third this evening he tells me.
If we believe FOC, he caught three out of the 100,000 that have made it into the river, he better buy a lottery ticket. There is far more than FOC is admitting, I know that
Speaking of illegal nets I observe the end of a drift just above the bridge. As I typed this another story about the sockeye on Global, better than the other night as Phil got on and told what is really happening. The reporter added the band office said it was the first they had heard of any poaching and of course they would not return the reporters call to go on camera.
Then FOC continued there denial as Greg Savard is on, saying we have more resources and they have been very effective in controlling things in both the recreational, FN and commercial fishery. Unbelivable statement once again there is more resources but they have been told to stand right now mostly because of thre threat of violence against them. I am in the area for all of 15 minutes and see one. If he checked the OB line there would be dozens if not hundreds of reports on file just like last year.
I return home back on the computer as it seems so hard to get away from these issues that threaten our fish but today was a bit different, as it was a golf course that does not care or does not know any better.
In the last few days the fish have been hit hard by illegall fishing, deadly chemical spills into the water, and now the tearing up of a rearing area, what will happen next. Will keep you updated on this latest attack and I expect some charges to be laid.
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Topic: More Assaults On Our Fish Stocks, Reparian Zone Teared up (Read 2605 times)