Print

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

[chris gadsden]

From the Chilliwack Progress


Big pink salmon run is no reason for abuse
 
Two fishermen catch a fish on the Vedder River Saturday afternoon. Concerns have been raised about lack of respect for pink salmon.
JENNA HAUCK/ PROGRESS



Updated: October 20, 2009 9:54 AM

 The exceptionally healthy pink salmon run on the Chilliwack-Vedder this fall has led to growing concerns about snagging and poaching.

Experienced sport fishermen have been witnessing and reporting to DFO displays of unsportsmanlike behaviour and ignorance of the angling regulations.

Signs asking fishermen to “respect” their catch have popped up along the river.

Rodney Hsu who runs the fishingwithrod.com website said there was “a lengthy discussion” on the issue at a Sport Fishing Advisory Committee meeting, which had the resource manager and two fishery officers from DFO in attendance.

“Lots of ideas were developed and some will be further discussed before (being) put to use,” he wrote on the site.

Under the headline, “Snagging Pinks on the Vedder” one angler on the site reported seeing a dozen snaggers at the Vedder Bridge last month “casting upstream into pink schools and jerking the gear through.”

He asks pointedly of his fellow anglers, “When did this become an acceptable practice?”

Many people are asking that very question. Other posters on the site said they don’t participate in the fall fishery precisely because there is often a lack of respect shown for the salmon.

“Every day I see people catching fish by their tails or stomachs,” wrote Shane Johnston in a letter published recently in the Progress. “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.”

He says the large run of pinks this season has attracted “snaggers” by the dozens.

“I really wish the penalty for this type of poaching was more severe and that the DFO had the manpower to enforce the rules,” he wrote. “I am embarrassed for the way that we are not properly protecting this precious resource with more of a sense of urgency.”

Hsu said the problem on the Chilliwack/Vedder is a recurrent one, and often attracts newcomers to the sport. He wrote a blog entry about his experiences on the river last month when he saw a fisherman callously kick a salmon back into the water.

“To treat pink salmon with such disrespect simply because there are millions of them returning is the same attitude that has resulted in the loss of many fisheries,” he wrote.

Hsu said part of the challenge is some anglers’ lack of awareness about the rules, and one idea he had was to post “information boards” at river access points.

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

jfeinberg@theprogress.com

[dennisK]

 

“To treat pink salmon with such disrespect simply because there are millions of them returning is the same attitude that has resulted in the loss of many fisheries,” he wrote.

Agree with you 110% Rod, but the argument lacks invention since we as a human species treat most living creatures we eat in an arguably disrespectful manner.

Chickens, cows (milk and beef), etc. If we had photos of the inside of slaughter houses/chicken coops where they remove beaks....even fish farms in other parts of the world...or even our own made in Canada seal hunt....frankly people don't care. They do not respond to "unethical" argument.

Even organizations like "Ducks Unlimited" get heat because they are basically hunters masquerading as environmentalists who want to save ducks so they can shoot more of them lol.

Because couldn't Joe Public just point back the finger to the "ethical" fisherman/woman and say...why don't you fishermen/women just stop fishing if you care so much?

[Rodney]

I agree. In that sense fishermen are indeed hypocritical as what we preach and do contradict each other. My words are misunderstood a bit, the point that I've attempted to make is not an ethical one, it has never been. Each individual has his or her own moral values and it isn't up to me to judge others' values. The point here is that regulations prohibit anglers from releasing fish in an harmful manner. Regulations are broken constantly and this needs to be reviewed so all parties are more prepared during the next Chilliwack River pink salmon season.

[milo]

There is an easy solution to the Vedder disgrace.
Make it catch and release only, and FF only below the crossing.
Heck, all freshwater salmon fishing should be C&R only.

That would keep the hordes in check, and true sports wouldn't mind.

[Sam Salmon]

There is an easy solution to the Vedder disgrace.....all freshwater salmon fishing should be C&R only.

That would keep the hordes in check, and true sports wouldn't mind.

Quite agree I've been calling for it for some time.

It's either Wake Up & Smell The Coffee or Lose It All-faster than some might think!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have mixed feelings about old style media like the paper-plummeting readership means they are desperate to print something/anything that will get people reading the rags/companies buying adds.

So they sidle up to places like FWR, who can always use the exposure but don't really need newspapers at all.

[adriaticum]

There is an easy solution to the Vedder disgrace.
Make it catch and release only, and FF only below the crossing.
Heck, all freshwater salmon fishing should be C&R only.

That would keep the hordes in check, and true sports wouldn't mind.

I like to eat fish twice a week.
What about that?

Why should I not be able to take the odd fish?

The laws are there.
Is it my problem that some spineless backward system is not capable of enforcing it's own laws.
I'd rather ban commercial fisheries and guided services who use sonars to locate fish than take away one guy's right to catch his dinner.

Frankly, the idea that we should ban knives because some idiot cut himself is what scares me the most.
I am sick and tired of the nanny state that this is and treats everyone the same.

And what about catch and release?
Should we really be catching fish for sport?
I'm sure PETA people would be all over this one.

[chris gadsden]

Nothing wrong with keeping some fish to eat. Remember some of them were raised by our tax dollars and besides who wants to eat farmed raised fish. Wild salmon are one thing that we can eat that is raised in the wild although I am sure someone will give some scientific evidence of the toxins that are in wild fish, I will take my chances.

Also saw a large truck full of fish totes going down Chilliwack Lake Road, bought by a buyer from the hatchery for the fish and the roe with the money going as surplus fish part of FOC agreement with F/N if I am not mistaken.

Some times I think we should take some old timers that can not fish any more up to the hatchery and ask for their share and for the food bank but then they would have to be inspected before consumption.

Would make a good news story.

[chris gadsden]

Above I had said a truck with totes going down river. That would be a sight to see.

[milo]

I like to eat fish twice a week.
What about that?

Why should I not be able to take the odd fish?

The laws are there.
Is it my problem that some spineless backward system is not capable of enforcing it's own laws.
I'd rather ban commercial fisheries and guided services who use sonars to locate fish than take away one guy's right to catch his dinner.

Frankly, the idea that we should ban knives because some idiot cut himself is what scares me the most.
I am sick and tired of the nanny state that this is and treats everyone the same.

And what about catch and release?
Should we really be catching fish for sport?
I'm sure PETA people would be all over this one.

Your points are valid, Adriaticum, but does your fish eating really gravitate around Vedder pinks, chum or springs? 
I know Fraser sockeye and some coho from the Vedder can be decent table fare, but ironically, the main problem is the abundant yet low-table-fare-quality pink, chum and white spring stocks. Those are the fisheries that come September attract the ugly masses to the Vedder.

As for the PETA argument, let's not even go there. Even meat fishers catch and release lots of fish before and after they catch what they will keep. No recreational angler kills everything they catch. A catch and mandatory kill fishery is the best and fastest way to put the last proverbial nail in the coffin of sportfishing. Be careful what you wish for - Switzerland has gone that way already, much to the chagrin of anglers. Read this article if you haven't already:

http://fishing.about.com/od/fishingonthebank/a/Swiss_Catch.htm

I have changed my opinion about catch and release in recent years because I have come to believe that only a year round catch and release fishery can ensure the health of the stocks and ensure that there will always be watchful eyes on the river to help prevent or at least significantly reduce illegal activities, mainly poaching.

So what about the meat fishers?
Sure, give them a piece of water and let them have at 'er. Maybe that IS the intention of the authorities - to keep them all in one place - on the C/V. If that's the case, so be it, as long as they don't implement the dreadful catch and kill only policy everywhere.

[BwiBwi]

What makes you think pink, chum, and white springs are bad?  Down in states white springs are more expensive than red springs!! (go figure)
Why is FF more sporty?

[milo]

What makes you think pink, chum, and white springs are bad?  Down in states white springs are more expensive than red springs!! (go figure)
Why is FF more sporty?

They deteriorate quickly in the freshwater; they don't keep well when frozen.
Check the supermarket aisles and compare pink and chum prices against coho or sockeye. As for white springs being more expensive in the States, I doubt that they market pre-spawning white salmon.  Ocean caught - that's another story. It's an excellent fish - better than reds!. But after a few days or weeks in the river...hmmm...where is my nose clip?

I never said FF is more sporty, unless I have my tongue firmly planted in my cheek. I fish 50/50 fly and gear. 

[bbronswyk2000]

What makes you think pink, chum, and white springs are bad?  Down in states white springs are more expensive than red springs!! (go figure)
Why is FF more sporty?

2 pinks in the Superstore this year was $5. Tell me that it isnt cheaper to buy this fish than to drive 30-60 mins to catch and kill them. Chum is not much more expensive. As Milo has stated those white springs that are being sold in the US are most likely ocean caught. Unless you can prove otherwise.....

[BwiBwi]

2 pinks in the Superstore this year was $5. Tell me that it isnt cheaper to buy this fish than to drive 30-60 mins to catch and kill them. Chum is not much more expensive. As Milo has stated those white springs that are being sold in the US are most likely ocean caught. Unless you can prove otherwise.....

Milo's statement is similar to yours but his is easier to read and digest.  He suggests it's most likely ocean caught but stops there.  And you....  Why not you prove it's ocean caught? You love to make yourself like mister righteous. 

[adriaticum]

Milo,
I like to eat pinks, springs and coho when they are in good shape. With some spices they can all be good.
Never taken a chum for obvious reasons and I don't have a smoker. Yet.
I agree with you that we need to do something about the snaggers, but I don't want to brush everyone with the same brush and spoil everyone's fun because of a few bad apples.
I want to separate and stomp out the bad apples.

Vedder is a meat fishery as are other major hatchery enhanced systems.
That's why it's so busy.
This, however, doesn't give people the right to do whatever they want.

So we just have to be active and in the face of those who are breaking laws intentionally.
And educate.
Establish good communication channels with the Fisheries people and the police so that they listen to you when you call them.
I can tell you I sure am.

I don't fish with the crowds too often but when I do some people don't like me. 

Fisheries people should use the few dedicated fishermen and give them authority to inspect people's catch and remind and educate people about regulations.
Just like they have broodstock fishermen, they should have an education squad so that you can help educate those who want to know and prevent poaching by those who don't care.

[bbronswyk2000]

Milo's statement is similar to yours but his is easier to read and digest.  He suggests it's most likely ocean caught but stops there.  And you....  Why not you prove it's ocean caught? You love to make yourself like mister righteous. 

You dont like what I have to say and call me righteous? If you knew me you would know thats the furthest from the truth. If your going to state something and make it look as though it is fact than provide all the details. Its better to have all the details instead of just making a very general statement such as yours.

BTW  I didnt use the words " Why not you prove " I would never use those words like thats because its not proper English which makes it hard to read