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[chris gadsden]

A letter to the editor. I guess the  SFAC/UFV meeting they discussed some solutions but until the leaders of some fishing groups come out against bottom bouncing , long leaders, the improper use of the fly rod by some that is just a flossing machine I am afraid it will be very hard to change things. I have seen it several times as groups come up with ideas but they die away fairly quickly. I know I should not be so pessimistic but this type of activity mentioned by this writer has gone on for a long time now, worse now of course since the opening of sockeye on the Fraser River. Of course I have mentioned it several times I was part of getting a all species open.


We put a paper out a few years ago, meeting with the local FOC Community Adviser but FOC, SFAB and SFAC/UFV didnot take up some of the ideas we put forth. They said it was partly because they did not go through the proper channels but the mentined groups have yet to really address the problem, partly because of the economics of this type of activity and to increase license sales.. We are now going to bring that committee back and try once again to address what this writer has stated.

 Please do not get into a flossing debate as it will not give us a solutuion if there is one this late in the game but feel free to list some solutions you may have that I could take to the Committee that consists of very concerned and knowledgable anglers.

Thanks,

Chris

Unsportsmanlike fishermen are an embarrassment and a threat

Published: October 16, 2009 10:00 AM
Updated: October 16, 2009 10:35 AM

0 Comments I have been fishing the Vedder for three years now and have met a lot of really good people. This year, however, has left a bad taste in my mouth. The large pink salmon run has brought out a new breed of fishermen....or should I say “snaggers” by the dozens.

Every day I see people catching fish by their tails or stomach’s; sometimes by accident, often on purpose and keeping the fish. The rules clearly state that a fish has to be caught in the mouth. This is not a case of ignorance to the rules...just ignorant behavior.

I would love to introduce my son to this sport but I don’t want to expose him to this disgusting display of non-sportsmanlike conduct. A few times I have made comments to people about keeping snagged fish in the off chance that they really don’t know; the usual responses are threats to mind my own business.

I really wish the penalty for this type of poaching was more severe and that the DFO had the manpower to enforce the rules. I am embarrassed for the way that we are not properly protecting this precious resource with more of a sense of urgency. The problem is bigger than you think.

Shane Johnston

COMMENTS

[troutbreath]

Here's another letter Chris, and for most people who don't fish it will be an easy answer. Shut it down. Telling people who don't fish that short floating is the essence of ethical is like telling PETA to have a hamburger. The guy holding the rod is victimizing the fish, it's black and white.

Really it's up to the Conservation Officers to observe and fine etc. for bad fishing practices or not following the regs. Fishers bashing fishers is just a UFC pregame entertainment. The fact that the resource isn't being properly protected is the real travesty.

You'll notice the letterwriter even assumes sticks and rocks are tackle.



Dismaying practices hasten the depletion of a resource
 
 
Vancouver SunOctober 16, 2009
 
I want to record my dismay and disgust with some fishing practices I witnessed over the weekend while visiting Chilliwack. People were hooking spawning salmon in the back, tails and fins -- basically keeping anything they could drag in. Not to mention some young adults beating helpless fish with stones and a stick in shallow water. To maintain a healthy population of fish for generations to come, we need to respect the spawning fish and the regulations which are there to protect them. It deeply saddens me that greed and human nature have led to this.

Heather S

New Westminster

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun
 

[chris gadsden]

Unfortunately the Federal and Provincial Governments have cut back funding so we do not have enough enforcement out on our rivers.

[the carp]

Hey, Chris, remember in the old days peer pressure and scorn was enough to curtail bad fishing practices. Its too bad the sport has come to this. I for one just try and talk too folk about ethical fishing and abiding by the regs. Unfortunately I believe the flossers and snaggers out number the ethical fishermen and my words are falling on deaf ears.

[Rp3Flyfisher]

Does anyone know of any kind of a volunteer group that would work in conjunction with the DFO?

I was thinking of getting a bunch of Buddies together that have been more and more disgusted at what has been happening at our rivers and just hanging out at the rivers and taking Video of offenders and getting them to the DFO.

Is there such a Group?

If not, anyone interested in starting one?

Let me know, I would be there for sure!!!!

Rick

[Frankey]

Thats interesting to know Chris you part of getting the the new fisheries open to retention,im  not sure which species but wow i bet you would have never thought in a million yrs what it would lead to and you probally regret it now.

[Rodney]

There was a lengthy discussion on this issue last night at the sportfishing advisory committee meeting with the resource manager and two fishery officers from DFO. Lots of ideas were developed and some will be further discussed before put to use. My suggest is that people join an organization that has a representation at the local SFAC, which is the main channel when communicating with DFO. The attendance was poorer than previous meetings last night I thought as half of the organizations were not present. If people wish to see positive changes, then get involved by making your voice heard through organizations. It would be best not to keep forming new groups so we're all going at different directions in an attempt to solve this problem. I will keep posting up new development on this when available.

Rick, regarding your suggestion, videos taken would most likely not be used for anything when handed to DFO. Between Mission and Hope, there are between 4 to 6 DFO officers at work at any given time. The primary concern is to keep illegal nets off the Fraser River during critical periods (summer sockeye and chinook season, fall interior coho migration period) so patrol of those areas outweighs the amount of time spent on the Chilliwack Vedder River system. Officers don't take ticket issuing very lightly so it is only done on major offences that are absolutely not disputable. While tickets have been given to individuals who release fish in the poorest manner, officers prefer to use the educational approach first as the objective is to get anglers to work with the authority, not against it. Each charge laid requires quite a bit of paperwork back at the office too, which can really take up a lot of time that can be used on the field.

FYI, over this summer there have been around 12 charges laid on illegal fish sales by First Nations. Hundreds of nets have been seized. About half a dozen boats were seized. The common assumption seems to be that nothing is being done but in fact officers are using all of their resource to its full potential. Another thing that people should be pushing for, is for more officers in this corridor by voicing your concerns to the local MPs.

All parties at the meeting agree that we should be doing more in both education and enforcement. We need to do more to ensure new anglers to this easily accessed, cheap fishery are well informed before they arrive at the river.

[chris gadsden]

Thats interesting to know Chris you part of getting the the new fisheries open to retention,im  not sure which species but wow i bet you would have never thought in a million yrs what it would lead to and you probally regret it now.

YEP.

[Rp3Flyfisher]

There was a lengthy discussion on this issue last night at the sportfishing advisory committee meeting with the resource manager and two fishery officers from DFO. Lots of ideas were developed and some will be further discussed before put to use. My suggest is that people join an organization that has a representation at the local SFAC, which is the main channel when communicating with DFO. The attendance was poorer than previous meetings last night I thought as half of the organizations were not present. If people wish to see positive changes, then get involved by making your voice heard through organizations. It would be best not to keep forming new groups so we're all going at different directions in an attempt to solve this problem. I will keep posting up new development on this when available.

Rick, regarding your suggestion, videos taken would most likely not be used for anything when handed to DFO. Between Mission and Hope, there are between 4 to 6 DFO officers at work at any given time. The primary concern is to keep illegal nets off the Fraser River during critical periods (summer sockeye and chinook season, fall interior coho migration period) so patrol of those areas outweighs the amount of time spent on the Chilliwack Vedder River system. Officers don't take ticket issuing very lightly so it is only done on major offences that are absolutely not disputable. While tickets have been given to individuals who release fish in the poorest manner, officers prefer to use the educational approach first as the objective is to get anglers to work with the authority, not against it. Each charge laid requires quite a bit of paperwork back at the office too, which can really take up a lot of time that can be used on the field.

FYI, over this summer there have been around 12 charges laid on illegal fish sales by First Nations. Hundreds of nets have been seized. About half a dozen boats were seized. The common assumption seems to be that nothing is being done but in fact officers are using all of their resource to its full potential. Another thing that people should be pushing for, is for more officers in this corridor by voicing your concerns to the local MPs.

All parties at the meeting agree that we should be doing more in both education and enforcement. We need to do more to ensure new anglers to this easily accessed, cheap fishery are well informed before they arrive at the river.

Rod;

Are the Meetings open to the public?

If so, could you post or send me a link to the website that would inform us to when they are, I would love to come out and post times and dates on my blog to get more people out to them.

Rick

[chris gadsden]

They are open and usually held twice a year.

[Rodney]

The two meetings take place in March and November. The public is welcome as observers if you are not a chosen representative. I can put up a notice before the next meeting and ask those who are interested in attending to email the chair so he'd know how many people are showing up since the venue is not very big.

[Rp3Flyfisher]

The two meetings take place in March and November. The public is welcome as observers if you are not a chosen representative. I can put up a notice before the next meeting and ask those who are interested in attending to email the chair so he'd know how many people are showing up since the venue is not very big.

Count me in Rodney, Please let me know about the next meeting, I will be there and will try to spread the word.

Rick

[Rodney]

Also, keep in mind that observers don't get a vote at motions and if I remember correctly, cannot comment too. Probably for the reason that there are simply so many items to go through in three/four hours and usually some items already don't get touched on because of time limitations. Ideally it'd be nice to get a few more user groups on board so their voices of concerns can be represented too. There are currently no flyfishing groups on the committee, not that I am aware of anyway.

[adriaticum]

There are many who believe that a fish is not worth a quarrel but I believe that it is.

A few weeks ago for the first time I fished with the crowds and witnessed various incidents and most committed by people who are local punks from Chilliwack and surrounding areas.
These people know that what they are doing is illegal and they do it anyway.

One guy was quite adept at snagging fish with 5/0 hooks and keeping them. Coho.
At one point two young fellows came by to fish beside them and they noticed what this guy was doing. One of the young guys actually called him on it and told him that he is not allowed to keep the fish but the guy continued his business anyway. I noticed how the young guys were irritated and unfortunatly they left the run. They probably felt intimidated and didn't want to fish beside this moron.
This was a mistake. They should have persisted to draw attention to this illegal activity. And they sure had allies around them.

A few hours later 3 guys (you can tell they are not fishermen) started fishing beside me and at some point caught a wild coho dragged it up 10 yards on shore and almost killed it.
I saw this and yelled at them that they have to release it.
Thankfully my drawing attention to them worked and they realease it.
A girl that sat behind me told me that when they were leaving they growled at me to mind my own business which I didn't hear.
So this is the kind of people who are fishing the Chilliwack.
They know exactly what they are doing. They know that the odds are in their favour and they are willing to take the risk.

Entire day I ended up fishing and observing what others are doing around me.

The day wasn't all negative.
Some people I approched were open to learn what the regulations are and wanted know.
I saw so many adult springs killed but I never saw anyone take their license out and write it down.
When I finally had enough and asked a group of people if they knew they had to write springs over 62, they didn't know.
Tourists, bless their soul.

And fisheries guys are doing a lousy job of making sure that the regulations are easily accesible and that people know where to get them.
Lousy job!

Everyone should take a little bit of time to observe what's going on around them and make an effort to make sure this crap doesn't go unnoticed.

It takes an effort from all of us.

Or we can do it another way.
Lets only take names and phone numbers of all poaches and let them do what ever they want to do.
Then if one day Chilliiwach river fishery closes and there is no more coho we can knock on their doors.
Really, what are the other options.

I, for one, am not prepared to allow anyone ruin the future of my fun.

[troutbreath]

"My suggest is that people join an organization that has a representation at the local SFAC, which is the main channel when communicating with DFO"

Rod

If you don't mind listing some local organizations that might be open to new members. I could only find the info below.




Overview:

The Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) has been an advisory body to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on recreational issues since 1964. In the early years, the SFAB dealt only with salt water sport fishing issues and was made up primarily of representatives from the BC Wildlife Federation and independent anglers (e.g. Roderick Haigh-Brown, Lee Straight) appointed by the Minister of the day.

In its current form, the SFAB usually meets twice a year (in the late spring and mid winter) to discuss and advise DFO on recreational fishing plans, recreational fishery regulations, and any areas of concern to the recreational fishing community. The SFAB has also been recently asked by the provincial government to become the official advisory process regarding non-tidal anadromous recreational fisheries.

There are approximately two dozen community based advisory committees, made up of representatives of local recreational fishing interests. These local committees choose a representative to the next level of the process, the north and south coast regional sub-committees of the SFAB, which also meet twice a year, spring and fall. The local reps are joined there by representatives from the principle province wide angling advocacy groups ( BCWF, SFI, BCFFF, BCDF etc) and recreational fishery panel representatives to the Pacific Salmon Commission. As a general guideline, the composition of all levels of the SFAB is made up of one-third secondary (i.e. those individuals whose primary income is derived from sport fishing) and two-thirds primary (i.e. those anglers who are not financially dependent on the fishery for their livelihood).
 

The regional north and south coast SFAB sub-committees choose from amongst themselves the seven best individuals, plus the sub-committee chairman, to represent their area on the main Board. These 16 individuals from the core group of the SFAB main board, where they are joined again by rep resentatives from angling and sector advocacy organizations and appointees to the Pacific Salmon Commission from the recreational fishery.

There are also sub-committees and working groups of the SFAB to address shellfish and groundfish; chinook and coho; sockeye and steelhead; and statistics/licensing. The SFAB also has representatives who participate in the Halibut Advisory Board and the West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Board.


For more information on the SFAB and the SFAB process, please contact:

Upper Fraser River/Interior (above Hell’s Gate):
Elmer Fast : 250-851-4878

Lower Fraser River (below Hell’s Gate):
Linda Stevens : 604-666-6509