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[Rodney]

For those who maybe interested, here is a letter from Sportfishing Defence Alliance president Bill Otway to the Fisheries Minister Hearn on the recent funding announcement.

http://www.defendsportfishing.com/file/070722.doc

Background info:

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/newsrel/2007/hq-ac38_e.htm

[troutbreath]

One fishery for all!


"Consultations took place here in British Columbia, with both First Nations and commercial fishing stakeholders. Without their participation, we would not be here with this plan today."


I wish they weren't here, because they didn't even mention sportfishing...Minister Hearn clear out your desk. From the other all.

"A key component of effective Pacific integrated commercial fisheries is to increase the involvement of fishers in the management of the fisheries, and to move toward clear harvest sharing arrangements for the salmon fishery. The long-term goal is for all participants in the commercial fishery to manage their respective shares cooperatively, in ways that ensure fairness, the conservation of the resource, the sustainability of the fishery and a stable economic return for all participants, while taking into account the need to provide access for First Nations fishing for food, social and ceremonial purposes, and recreational harvesters.

So were recreational harvesters Thats sporting a term for bottom bouncing Glad they even considered us "recreational harvesters". Guess they didn't want it confused with real fishing like wiping them out with nets, I mean conserving the cooperative stable economic return. Who writes this stuff.

[adriaticum]

I think this is all geared towards creating one set of rules for all.

[Eagleye]

The only good I can see coming out of this is if the catch monitoring will actually apply to the natives and be done by a third party, so we will actually know how much the natives are taking rather than what they want us to think they take.  Other than that this proposal reaks of more openings for the commies and openings for the natives even when stocks are low because they have "a right to fish" which can be used as a scape goat to take more fish than should be allotted.  And since this will be an "integrated fishery" the commies will get their piece of the pie too.  It will be an opportune time to get rid of the Bottom Bouncers inorder to make more room for the nets upriver.  After all we wouldn't want to get in the way of the big boys who raked and pillaged our waters in the past.  Might as well let them catch the rest of em then BC can move on to ventures that are more economically viable like more fish farms, damming the fraser and offshore drilling. 

As TB mentioned the recreational sector has again been left out of negotiations for the future of OUR salmon.  Eventhough we as a sector cause the least amount of impact and generates the most for the economy especially when you look at on a per fish basis which is what should be happening in the current situation we are in because at this point every fish counts.  I'm sure Mr. Hearn has impressed some of his cronies with this announcement but so far I think it stinks.

[adriaticum]

I don't agree with Eeagleye that sport fishermen have a huge economic impact compared to the natives and "commies".
If we did, we would be mentioned in this text.

[Eagleye]

I don't agree with Eeagleye that sport fishermen have a huge economic impact compared to the natives and "commies".
If we did, we would be mentioned in this text.

I don't have the time right now to dig up statistics but this is not the first time large sums of taxpayers dollars have been spent to aid commercial fishers.  The impact they have caused on our fisheries (bottom trawling, taking way more than they should have especially back in the day, etc, etc.) and pocket books far outweigh the economic gain except for the lucky individuals who hold licences (especially when you look at things in the long run).  In case you didn't know natives do not pay taxes and do you think their "black market" sales out of thier trunks went back on to help the economy?  IMO the reason we are not mentioned in this text is recreational anglers are not unified enough and are much less confrontational that the other two groups (Hopefully this will change as the need becomes more evident).  And if it wasn't for guys like Bill Otway of the SFDA we wouldn't have anyone on top of these pressing issues.

[adriaticum]

Well ok, I agree wit you on trawling, breaking the law etc...
Yes, taxpayers are paying for much of DFO bureaucracy etc.
But one key note is that not all taxpayers are sport fishermen, so we can't really say that sport fishermen are having a large economic impact.
Taxpayers are the greatest disorganized mass of people who have the greatest impact on everything, really.
But sport fishermen are the greatest allies fish have and they raise awareness of the mindless exploitation of our natural resources that belong to all of us for the benefit of few profit making groups.
That's why I think farming is the key to preserving wild stocks of salmon.

All in all, I do agree with everything you said, I suppose I just got hung up on the details.

[Eagleye]

Yes, taxpayers are paying for much of DFO bureaucracy etc.
But one key note is that not all taxpayers are sport fishermen, so we can't really say that sport fishermen are having a large economic impact.
Taxpayers are the greatest disorganized mass of people who have the greatest impact on everything, really.

I am not saying taxpayers generate more money for the economy than FN/Commercial fisheries what I am saying is that on a per fish caught basis recreational angling generates far more money for the economy.  Since you seem to have quite an interest in the subject I took the time to dig up some facts (It took all of 2 seconds on google search ; BC sport fishing economic impact) here is some material to get you started http://www.sportfishingbc.com/editorials/catch_limits.htm

But sport fishermen are the greatest allies fish have and they raise awareness of the mindless exploitation of our natural resources that belong to all of us for the benefit of few profit making groups.

I agree with you on this point. 

That's why I think farming is the key to preserving wild stocks of salmon.

unless you are talking about contained systems or inland farming (which has been done succesfully in freshwater BTW) I completely disagree with you on this point.  Open net fish farming is another huge detriment to our stocks.

Have a good one, I'm off to the flow with lots of fresh roe 

[Old Black Dog]

Simple, it is about more money to purchase commercial licences and then transfer them to the F/N.

It will not be long till there will be no commercial fleet as you now know it.