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[chris gadsden]

Sockeye frenzy has residents waiting for fishers to go home
Published: September 09, 2010 2:00 PM
I am writing in response to “Garbarge spoils evening at the river.” By Denise Law (Chilliwack Progress, Tuesday Sept.7/10)

I am so glad to see someone out there concerned about the extensive trash and carelessness along the banks of the Fraser River during this time of incredible fishing.

As property owners on Ballam Rd. along the banks of our beautiful Fraser River, we have become disgusted with the lack of respect, not only for our environment, but our own personal property. It’s a shame to see as my family enjoys the sport of fishing.

We have been forced to put up “No Trespassing” signs on each end of our property since the sockeye opened because of squatters, break and enters, vandalism, midsummer fires in our woods and gates left open only to find our cattle are everywhere they’re not supposed to be. Our cattle graze along our pastures above the river where blackberries are used as a natural fence to detour them from going down to the river. Unfortunately now we have wide clean openings of trails busted through the blackberries which in turn lead to a fisherman’s garbage dump. Fish hooks, fishing line, beer cans, Timmy’s cups, plastic bags and the list goes on!

Our “No Trespassing” signs are completely ignored. I have watched over the past few days approximately five people every 10-15 minutes jumping our fences into our property to walk along it to get down to the river. It almost looks like the Rotary Trail.

There are parents lifting their children over the gate where the large fluorescent yellow and black “No Trespassing” sign is posted as they follow behind. Now what does that alone teach our children? That it is OK to trespass on private property? The kids then wander about picking blackberries amongst a field of many cows and calves and occasionally a large bull.

We are truly fed up and disgusted with the way our surroundings are being treated. We appreciate the people who actually take out their garbage and whatever they brought in with them. Hats off to you! As for the rest of the people, you know who you are! Please, have some respect! It’s really not that hard. As great as this record breaking sockeye run has been, we cannot wait until it is over so we can get back to enjoying our normally quiet corner of the world.

The answer to the question about who will clean up this mess is the taxpayers of Chilliwack as city crews will come along and pick some up, and the wonderful volunteers who clean up our rivers every year. However, it will be my husband and I with our garbage bags and our time cleaning up a quarter-mile stretch of our own property.


The Davis Family.

[chris gadsden]

More

http://www.bclocalnews.com/fraser_valley/theprogress/opinion/letters/102546919.html

[chris gadsden]

Garbage spoils evening at the river
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Published: September 06, 2010 12:00 PM
A Timmy’s grave yard, of sorts.That about sums it up if you’ve been down on the Fraser River along the rocks off Ballam Road.

I thought it a perfect warm evening to join my husband down at the river’s edge, watching him and others play the ultimate fishing game, casting, reeling, casting, reeling, “fish on!”

 I was excited. I love watching the boys fish. Whether I can hear their laughter and bellows echoing across the river from a boat, or hearing “Fish on!” along the banks of the river, as well as the outstanding beauty of the river and mountains is one whole mighty package to make for a perfect evening. Only after tonight I wonder about those who think nothing of taking responsibility for own their garbage, notably of course, purchases from Tim Hortons.

In the time that I spent watching the many fishermen and women from a rock I sat perched upon, I took the occasional note a little closer of my surroundings outside of the discarded coffee cups and cold coffee drink containers.

Fishing tackle was everywhere. If you needed a hook, a coloured fuzzy thing, or a small zip lock plastic bag, you’d be in luck! Along with discarded water bottles, coffee thermos mugs, and one stylish fisherman’s hat dangling from a flimsy tree-you could have yourself a good ol’ recycling party.

I’ve listened to locals who adamantly will not fish when the river’s packed as it’s been. This doesn’t surprise me. I’ve heard my husband periodically complain of one thing or the other himself, of which is the reason I don’t river fish – the elbow to elbow thing and the squeezing out would most likely mar the enjoyment of fishing. But then again, it’s a sport after all, isn’t it?

Suddenly I have mental images of silhouette duelers crossing rods with a scenic moon backdrop. If only the folk visiting here knew they could just buy a sockeye down the road. In the end my husband managed to catch his two salmon of the day, gleefully.

When we left I followed him back up the path towards Ballam road where our truck was parked when I noticed more discarded garbage among the bushes.

Wow, I thought. It’s, oh, hmm, “a wee bit nervy of people wouldn’t you think?” I said.

He then said he had seen smatterings of people there before; mostly people’s family members sitting perched above the rocks with their children under umbrellas, eating.

Hmm. I thought to that, looking down at white garbage bags tied up. Along the packed dirt road of Ballam was worse, funny how I didn’t notice as much when we first passed by there. I surely had however when we left. As much as I realized at this point without uncertainty which coffee shop was of ultimate choice for the river.

Now if I hadn’t already had enough thought in one night, I now have a question?

Who will it be

cleaning up all the garbage in the end?

 Just saying is all. Because really, it kind of looks like a ‘Timmy’s graveyard,’ among other things.

 

Denise Law

[chris gadsden]

An attempt to deal with this will take place on October 16 if funding and donations come through for garbage bags, tipping fees and hopefully a dinner after if all plans fall in to place. Keep this date open if you wish to help out. Boats will be needed to access some gravel bars to get at the line etc. as the letters explain it is a mess out there. This Sockeye frenzy has brought out a lot of people who care very little about looking after the well being of our rivers.

First the CVRCS BC Rivers Day event on the Chilliwack Vedder River has to be wrapped up before more planning takes place for this, stay tuned on FWR for further details.

[chris gadsden]

FOC has volunteered the use of a truck or two, maybe we can get their patrol boat too.

[Fish Assassin]

Disgusting. A few people spoiling the enjoyment of many.  Wouldn't surprise me if access to the river will be blocked next year. Then we'll hear the same people complaining about access.

[Bavarian Raven]

truly disgusting this is :/
makes me ashamed to be canadian

[jeff]

Its to bad for the Davis family having done work on there property over the last couple of years and got to know them pretty well, they are some of the nicest people you would ever meet and they get stuck dealing with other peoples mess and lack of respect its too bad.

[alwaysfishn]

truly disgusting this is :/
makes me ashamed to be canadian

Makes one appreciate how the residents of down town Vancouver feel after each night of the fireworks displays.....

[chris gadsden]

Makes one appreciate how the residents of down town Vancouver feel after each night of the fireworks displays.....

At least it is cleaned up each day by City of Vancouver staff.

Here if volunteers do not deal with removing it before the freshet it will get washed down river continuing to pollute, hope you come out on the 16th of October and we can debate the HST after.

[alwaysfishn]

At least it is cleaned up each day by City of Vancouver staff.

Here if volunteers do not deal with removing it before the freshet it will get washed down river continuing to pollute, hope you come out on the 16th of October and we can debate the HST after.

Good point on the cleanup.  I'll be in Prince George, moose hunting on the 16th so I won't be able to be at the cleanup.

As far as an HST debate I think it's time to move on.    I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Mr. Vanderzalm and the run around he's getting on trying to stay in the spotlight......  

[chris gadsden]

Good point on the cleanup.  I'll be in Prince George, moose hunting on the 16th so I won't be able to be at the cleanup.

As far as an HST debate I think it's time to move on.    I'm actually starting to feel sorry for Mr. Vanderzalm and the run around he's getting on trying to stay in the spotlight......  

OK mabe you can make the one on September 26.

Good hunting, bring me back a moose roast.

[chris gadsden]

My letter to the Editor, in today's Chilliwack Progress. It includes the announcement of the cleanup being planned for October 16. Let us know here if you will take part. More info in the days ahead. We have the backing of Chilliwack Dart and Tackle, The Master, FWR, Westend Auto Body and FOC so far.

Cleaning the mess left behind

Published: September 14, 2010 9:00 AM
Updated: September 14, 2010 9:21 AM
In regard to two recent letters published in the Chilliwack Progress, “Garbage spoils evening at the river” by the Davis Family and “Sockeye frenzy causing concerns” by Denise Law.

Unfortunately, what these two writers say is very true in this year’s sockeye bonanza on the Fraser River. Although this influx of people to Chilliwack has been a bit of a “gold rush” for many tackle suppliers, some fishing guide companies and tourist facilities here in Chilliwack, it certainly has bought its problems with it.

The easy access to the river at several locations, as well as the easy method of catching these sockeye by the flossing method, has attracted many people to our area.

Of course many local residents are taking part too. Some of them have not learned the finer methods of fishing and have not risen up through the ranks, so to speak. In the old days most anglers started fishing at a young age, with a bobber and a worm to catch their first fish – must likely a bullhead or small trout in a stream or lake. These young people then grew up to appreciate the fish, the surroundings and the environment that the trout, salmon and other species lived in.

This garbage dumping by thoughtless campers, the leaving of balls of line and hooks and other debris on the ground by anglers where it is dropped, is not only happening in areas the writers mentioned, but unfortunately on many of our rivers and back road recreational areas. Many have heard, seen and read about the problems in the Chilliwack River Valley the past few years, as well as throughout our province.

Of course it is easy for us to write about this, as I am. But what can be done in the short term until people learn to clean up after themselves while being in the outdoors?

The Chilliwack Vedder River Cleanup Society has been taking a proactive approach with this problem by cleaning up the banks of the Chilliwack Vedder River since the spring of 2002, taking over 60 tonnes of material from the river’s riparian zone, thanks to the hundreds of volunteers that have turned out to help the society. As well, major support from the City of Chilliwack, Fraser Valley Regional District, Chilliwack Fish Game and Protective Association, Tim Hortons Chilliwack Branch, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada all make this happen. The next CVRCS’s cleanup is on Sept. 26, BC Rivers Day with more info at www.cleanrivers.ca.for those that may wish to help out.

Other organizations also do their part with Woodtone and Fraser River Keepers holding cleanups the last few years at Peg Leg bar on the Fraser River, taking away bins full of material too.

Of course these cleanups do not deal with what mess in so many areas of the Fraser River. Tonnes of garbage will be left behind when sockeye season closes on the 19th of this month. The few people that have left the shores and gravel bars littered (as they return to in what I would think would be their clean homes for the fall and winter months) will to return to our area in the years ahead, to wreck havoc to the environment once again.

If this mess is left it will be washed down the Fraser to the Pacific Ocean when the Fraser freshets next spring. Therefore if funding for garbage bags, landfill tipping fees, dumpsters supplied and support can be gathered over the next few weeks a major cleanup will be held on The Fraser River on Saturday October 16. The good news to all of this since this idea was floated to a few people two weeks ago, many have volunteered including the use of a couple of Fisheries and Oceans trucks for hauling garbage away from our precious Fraser River.

More information will be in the local media and on Fishingwithrod.com in a couple of weeks.


Chris Gadsden

Chilliwack

[leadbelly]

great work raising funds and awareness on this stuff! with any luck I can make one of the upcoming clean ups, and Ill ask Canoeman also.

[red_tailed]

3 more sleeps till the insanity is over for at least another year (hopefully more).  It's like a really long party.  Now it is just trying to figure out who is gonna clean up the mess and who is stuck with the check.