the comercial fleet and the FN fleet are not much different. FN use trawlers, seiners, gill nets, etc.
In fact monofillament gill nets are banned in the comercial fleet (because the are too invisible to the fish) but FN uses them (I am not sure if FN mono nets are used despite DFO rules or not).
Really, I dont see much difference between the CF and FN fleets. Think of it this way as well, in the open water the fish have a huge area to spead out in. In the river they are confined and one FN net in that situation probably has a greater opportunity of catching a ton of fish.
I think DFO is trying to give the commercial industry over to the indians...this year was phase one.
I wonder how many comercial boats will be looking to be bought out after this year? Amrk my words, that this is the beginning of a very steep and treacherous slope for our comercial fishers.
Since 1994 DFO have had a program: ATP (Allocation transfer Program). In a nut shell, each year the gov has 4 mil to buy out commercial liscences and GIVE THAT QUOTA TO FN.
Here is what the DFO web site says:
Allocation Transfer Program (ATP)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) supports First Nations’ desire for increased economic development opportunities by providing community access to commercial fisheries. In many areas, Aboriginal people are under-represented in commercial fisheries. The commercial fishery is often the greatest economic opportunity for remote Aboriginal coastal communities.
The “Allocation Transfer Program” was created in 1994 with a relatively stable operating mandate of approximately $4 million annually in Pacific Region.
In keeping with DFO’s overall objective of resource conservation, the ATP facilitates the voluntary retirement of commercial licences and the re-issuance of the equivalent commercial fishing capacity as communal commercial licences to eligible Aboriginal groups. Therefore this program does not add to the existing effort on the resource.