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[IronNoggin]

An Open Letter to B.C. Commercial Herring Fishermen regarding 2015 season:

January 6, 2015

In mid-December the Minister of Fisheries made the decision to open the west coast of Vancouver Island (WCVI) to commercial roe and spawn-on-kelp herring fisheries in 2015. Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations oppose this decision and recommend that B.C. commercial herring fishermen do not select the WCVI as their seine or gillnet fishing area for 2015.

Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations were successful in 2014 in obtaining an injunction prohibiting DFO from opening the WCVI commercial herring fisheries. The 2014 Federal Court decision contemplates that Nuu-chah-nulth Nations might have to reapply for an injunction if similar concerns persist in 2015. Unfortunately, the Minister’s decision to open the WCVI in 2015 is leading Nuu-chah-nulth Nations back to seeking an injunction against the 2015 commercial fishery; legal counsel has been instructed to prepare an application to the Federal Court. In 2014, commercial herring fishermen that chose the WCVI area were not allowed to fish.

Nuu-chah-nulth fishermen and community members remain concerned that WCVI herring stocks are not sufficiently rebuilt to allow commercial fishing. The DFO contracted WCVI spawn assessment observed less than 15,000 tons of adult herring spawn in 2014. In contrast, the DFO herring assessment model indicates that the 2014 spawn was twice that observed by the assessment divers. Nuu-chah-nulth fishermen and community members set trees and boughs in all known spawning locations in 2014 to collect spawn on bough for home use. All WCVI areas reported either no spawn on trees or very few layers of eggs, indicating very low herring abundance in 2014, corresponding with the dive spawn assessment of about 15,000 tons.

All four WCVI Nuu-chah-nulth commercial “J” spawn-on-kelp licences will not be operating in 2015 due to these on-going WCVI abundance concerns. Nuu-chah-nulth Nations request that B.C. commercial seine and gillnet herring fishermen choose to fish abundant herring stocks in the Strait of Georgia or Prince Rupert, where stocks remain strong. Again, Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations recommend that B.C commercial herring fishermen do not select the WCVI as their seine or gillnet fishing area for 2015.

On behalf of the 14 Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations,
Debra Foxcroft, OBC, President
Ken Watts, Vice-President

http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2015-01-06/open-letter-bc-commercial-herring-fishermen-regarding-2015-season

[IronNoggin]

Support from United Fisherman and Allied Workers Union on herring fishery

January 8, 2015

An open letter to the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council and BC commercial herring fishermen:

In support of the Nuu‐chah‐nulth Tribal Council request dated Jan 5, 2015, the United Fisherman and Allied Workers Union – Unifor recommends to all BC commercial herring fishermen that they do not select WCVI as their seine or gillnet area for upcoming 2015 herring season. The decision to support this request was not taken lightly and based on four factors: independent science review of the herring stocks in the WCVI region; our own fishermen’s assessment of the state of these WCVI stocks; respect for local First Nations insights; and willingness to build a collaborative understanding of the state of these herring in our shared ecosystem.

http://www.hashilthsa.com/news/2015-01-08/support-united-fisherman-and-allied-workers-union-herring-fishery

[typhoon]

Good on them. Will commercial fishermen comply?

[Flytech]

Good on them. Will commercial fishermen comply?

I doubt it.

[IronNoggin]

Good on them. Will commercial fishermen comply?

They have said publicly that they Agree with the NTC & Union position, and will comply.
Should any consider not doing so, they would likely face an immediate injunction (as happened in some areas last year).

Cheers,
Nog

[islanddude]

I support the no herring fishery on the west coast 100%.
 Now they are going to come on the inside and wipe them out here just as the stocks were recovering.
 The Japanese will want more because they have poisoned there local waters with radiation from Fukushima. What do we get in return, the Pacific Ocean radiated for ever.

[norton]

There should be no herring fishery. They're taking away feed for wild salmon.

[IronNoggin]

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/news/feds-reopen-herring-fishery-over-scientist-and-first-nations-objections

Complete my smelly socks from Harper's Motley Crew once again! Makes you wonder just how many "Judges" are riding in their back pocket!

“The minister rejected the advice of her entire department — not just the scientists, but also her senior managers, and senior staff,”

UnReal! 

Nog

[troutbreath]

Reportedly, 60 RCMP were dispatched to the Bella Bella area last spring.
“Last year, it was ridiculous. What did that cost the Canadian taxpayer, to have RCMP boats and staff up there, for the value of this fishery? It makes no sense,” said Hall.


The closest thing to some sort of enforcement on fishing on the coast. Only there protecting the poachers. I'm sure they can wait until there is more herring around. Probably making very little off them anyway. Best to boycott companies that participate.

http://www.bcseafood.ca/PDFs/fisheriesinfo/fishery-roe-herring.pdf

[IronNoggin]

And DFO Plunges MADLY On...

http://commonsensecanadian.ca/dfo-uses-stealth-to-open-herring-fishery-despite-first-nations-ban/

Seems The Dino won't be satisfied until the Herring are All Long Gone! 

Nog