Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JustinG]

Category(s): RECREATIONAL - Salmon
Subject: FN0424-RECREATIONAL - SALMON - Sockeye: Fraser River Non-tidal - Region 2 - No fishing for sockeye

Update: The non-tidal waters of the Fraser River from the CPR Bridge at Mission, BC upstream to the Highway No. 1 Bridge at Hope, BC are no fishing for sockeye.

DFO staff have observed fishing activity at Wellington and Grassy Bars and the vast majority of anglers at Wellington Bar were bar fishing while significant numbers of anglers at Grassy Bar were bottom bouncing.   

Given the low forecast returns of Early Stuart sockeye and the potential for adverse migration conditions DFO requires FULL compliance from the recreational community to avoid using fishing methods that catch sockeye. The Sport Fish Advisory Committee for the Upper Fraser Valley advises that bottom bouncing is strongly discouraged during the migration of Early Stuart sockeye and while a no fishing for sockeye restriction is in place.

Recreational fishing opportunities for sockeye are anticipated on Summer run sockeye towards the end of July.  DFO staff will determine these opportunities in consultation with the SFAB.

Notes:

Barbless hooks are required when fishing for salmon in tidal and non-tidal waters of British Columbia.  This includes all species of fish in the Fraser River.

The term hatchery marked means a fish that has a healed scar in place of the adipose fin.

Sport anglers are encouraged to participate in the voluntary Salmon Sport Head Recovery program by labelling and submitting heads from adipose fin-clipped chinook and coho salmon.  Recovery of coded-wire tags provides critical information for coast-wide stock assessment.  Contact the Salmon Sport Head Recovery Program at (866) 483-9994 for further information.

Did you witness suspicious fishing activity or a violation?  If so, please call the Fisheries and Ocean Canada 24-hour toll free Observe, Record, Report line at (800) 465-4336.

For the 24 hour recorded opening and closure line, call toll free at (866) 431-FISH.

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0424
Sent July 5, 2007 at 0729

[dennisK]

"DFO requires full compliance from the recreational
community to avoid using fishing methods that catch sockeye."

Couldn't they just say "no bottom bouncing on the fraser"?

I know what they "mean" but to be honest I could see certain legalese word picking lawyer type people saying they "tried" to "avoid" using other fishing methods but just couldn't help it.

[2:40]

Dennis, I agree!!!

But I think the reason they just dont say it is because to regulate gear and methods requires legislation. However, spot closures or complete can be done easily. This will be their next step. They are currently  not able to say NO bottom bouncing (snagging) but they can close the river and that will be the next step and skip the NO Bottom Bouncing (snagging) part entirely.

Too bad that it came to this. Would sort of be nice if Sport Anglers lead the way in conservation and cooperation!

http://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/xnet/content/fns/index.cfm?pg=view_notice&lang=en&DOC_ID=101794&ID=recreational

p.s. I dont mean to be ignorant or abrasive with my use of 'snagging' but it's not right to confuse this issue with bottom bouncing which is something else and still causes confusion today among new anglers or those not versed in this issue.

[Nicole]

There you go. I wish they had worded the notice properly in the first place.

 
Nicole

[Jamison Jay]

hopeull folks will see which way this is heading and comply with this request, I would hate to see my Barfishing seaon ruined 

[Rodney]

[Tee]

This morning's email from DFO.

On June 30 DFO conducted a vessel patrol and spoke to approx 16 vessels (29 anglers) at Grassy Bar, 2 of which were bar fishing, the remaining 14 were bottom bouncing.  In addition, there was one person on shore bar fishing.

At Spaghetti Bar 16 vessels were checked, all of which were bottom bouncing.

An additional 9 vessels between Chilliwack and Hope were checked and all of which were bottom bouncing.

In the morning a drive past (by water) Landstrom showed approx 12 to 15 people fishing, all bottom bouncing.

On July 4th AM, 13 anglers were checked and all were bottom bouncing.

Given these reports it is going to be difficult to keep the Chinook directed fishery open.  Hopefully the blitz this weekend and an enforcement presence will change some behaviour.  If the reports from the w/e are not significantly improved we may be taking action on Monday to either close specific areas or put in place a "no fishing for salmon" restriction.

I am just curious if with all the number of anglers DFO observed on those two days (June 30 and July 4), DFO has a specific number of how many early run sockeyes were intercepted.

Thanks,

[Nicole]

I still think they should have said that properly in the beginning...

They can't really go and close it right away, but NOW they have just cause if people don't comply.

Cheers,
Nicole

[Gooey]

It would be a real shame to close the entire fishery down because of the flossing going on.  But the only people we can truly blame is DFO.  If they leave the door open even a crack, someone will open it.  Using verbiage like strongly suggest and targeted methods leaves way too much room for people (as we are currently seeing).  Until DFO makes it ILEGAL (and backs it with fines and enforcement) to floss, people will do it.

Keep in mind that probably a majority of fishers don't log on to fishingwithrod and look for these updates and dont get DFO's messages either...DFO needs to address this issue in the regulations at the beginning of a season.  I bet many people buy licences just to floss the fraser so they should be addressing this issue at the beginning of the season not half way through. 

[Rodney]

[2:40]

Keep in mind that probably a majority of fishers don't log on to fishingwithrod and look for these updates and dont get DFO's messages either...DFO needs to address this issue in the regulations at the beginning of a season.  I bet many people buy licences just to floss the fraser so they should be addressing this issue at the beginning of the season not half way through. 

An important thing to keep in mind Gooey.

Not to be sour, but how many guys on this site said they're off to 'bounce' for Chinook regardless? To me the first paragraph about making this snaggery illegal is the only one that will work because there is an apparent lack of interest in compliance which probably applies accross the board from the forum goers to the ones who just buy a license for the Summer.

[chris gadsden]

This is what we were saying time after time on the other thread and I wish more will comply in the days ahead to save our chinook fishery that we worked so hard to get open years ago.

If it closes those that continue to bb (snag) after this latest notice will be the ones to blame.
 

[troutbreath]

If the DFO thinks this will help the Early Stuart run, those fish are indeed in trouble. I don't know how signaling out the group that catchs by far the least amount of fish is considered scientific.

[2:40]

If the DFO thinks this will help the Early Stuart run, those fish are indeed in trouble. I don't know how signaling out the group that catchs by far the least amount of fish is considered scientific.

Agreed, but each group has to do their part.

It's a tough pill to swallow when nets go by, but it's by no means an excuse for sport anglers to do what they feel like either.

Actully, it's a pretty bitter pill watching that happen. 

[Nicole]

That's not really the point troutbreath, we need to be responsible and own what we are supposed to uphold with sports fishing...

Do you dump garbage just because someone else gets away with it?

No, you do what is right cause it's your conscience you have to deal with.

Cheers,
Nicole