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[VAGAbond]

In my opinion most fishers are not greedy and will not take unlimited fish.  Consider Joe who would like about a dozen sockeye from this bountiful run, 3 fresh for the barby over a couple of weeks of fishing, 4 to give to friends and 5 for the freezer.  At two a day this will take perhaps 7 days on the bars, allowing for one day when the fishing gods don't smile on Joe.

Once Joe has committed to the day and driven two hours from Richmond and caught his two fish, why hey make a day of it.  Try for a Chinook and do a little catch and release on the sockeye with the result he is on the bar most of the day.

If the limit were 4 a day, Joe might stay home after four days fishing and do some chores around the house.  After all he has caught quite a few and he isn't greedy.

Out of the multitude of licensed fishers between White Rock and Hope, there are perhaps 5000 like Joe who can fish the days they want.  If this example is correct, that would be 15000 extra man days on the bars due to the two fish limit.

I wonder why we have the two fish limit when these sockeye are fished with gill nets and purse seines all the way from Port Hardy?  In 2010 they had seine boats up in Kamloops Lake and a four fish limit in the Thompson when the fish are much deteriorated compared to the Fraser Valley.

So what is your opinion, does the two fish limit lead to crowding of the fishing bars? 

[Robert_G]

I would fish less days if I could keep 4 a day....I think that would be the better way to do it. As it is now, I don't care because I take my 3 kids out and keep 8 each trip. Makes it really easy to get the meat I want for the freezer and canner.

[BBarley]

While it sounds good on paper, methinks human greed would eventually catch up and people would want to keep 8 and so on.....

As for the crowding, I don't know what's to come on weekends and as the run picks up, but I was out today without rod and reel and found two bars completely devoid of people that were conducive to bottom bouncing. If you don't like standing in line with every Tom, Dick and Harry do some exploring, you'll be surprised what you might find, just respect private property and use a little common sense......

[Sr SQ]

In my opinion most fishers are not greedy and will not take unlimited fish.  Consider Joe who would like about a dozen sockeye from this bountiful run, 3 fresh for the barby over a couple of weeks of fishing, 4 to give to friends and 5 for the freezer.  At two a day this will take perhaps 7 days on the bars, allowing for one day when the fishing gods don't smile on Joe.

Once Joe has committed to the day and driven two hours from Richmond and caught his two fish, why hey make a day of it.  Try for a Chinook and do a little catch and release on the sockeye with the result he is on the bar most of the day.

If the limit were 4 a day, Joe might stay home after four days fishing and do some chores around the house.  After all he has caught quite a few and he isn't greedy.

Out of the multitude of licensed fishers between White Rock and Hope, there are perhaps 5000 like Joe who can fish the days they want.  If this example is correct, that would be 15000 extra man days on the bars due to the two fish limit.

I wonder why we have the two fish limit when these sockeye are fished with gill nets and purse seines all the way from Port Hardy?  In 2010 they had seine boats up in Kamloops Lake and a four fish limit in the Thompson when the fish are much deteriorated compared to the Fraser Valley.

So what is your opinion, does the two fish limit lead to crowding of the fishing bars?

I agree,  I have always thought it odd I can kill 4 in the tidal but not the nontidal??
Feds vs provincial I guess?

[Rodney]

Members of the Sport Fishing Advisory Committee in the Fraser Valley including myself made the recommendation to the resource manager for the Lower Fraser at DFO back in March, to increase the daily quota to 4 per day once in-season estimate determines that we will be seeing a run size similar to 2010. The recommendation was made to deal with this particular issue. If there is an abundance of fish, we'd like to see participants retaining their four fish and go home right away since they no longer have the option to retain other salmon species. Participants may also decide to do less trips as they could retain twice as many fish per trip. This would hopefully eliminate the crowding issue. More importantly, it'd hopefully stop people from catching and releasing sockeye salmon while trying to retain a chinook salmon. I'd rather see people killing four fish, instead of killing two fish then possibly causing post-release mortality on another dozen.

The alternative is to reduce the aggregate salmon daily quota to two per day, but somehow I doubt that's very popular among people.

Will it be increased to four? Keep an eye on the website for updates.

[Fish Assassin]

Never could understand the logic of 2 fish per day in non-tidal and 4 in the tidal sections.

[Rodney]

Feds vs provincial I guess?

No, the province has nothing to do with managing salmon in freshwater.

[Sr SQ]

No, the province has nothing to do with managing salmon in freshwater.

Is it just trout in non tidal?

[TacoChris]

I would agree with the 4 fish limit for the non tidal. I am not sure I agree with the stopping of fishing for conservation purposes after 4.There is no such restriction in the salt water for the same run of salmon. This is akin to steelhead rules where you must stop fishing if you retain a hatchery fish. Which in my opinion has suspect logic as you could have fished all day for wild fish otherwise. I suspect many will  is extend keeping the 4th sockeye for a chance at a spring.

However if it is done for purpose of lessening the crowds I am all for it.

[freddy2596]

Members of the Sport Fishing Advisory Committee in the Fraser Valley including myself made the recommendation to the resource manager for the Lower Fraser at DFO back in March, to increase the daily quota to 4 per day once in-season estimate determines that we will be seeing a run size similar to 2010. The recommendation was made to deal with this particular issue. If there is an abundance of fish, we'd like to see participants retaining their four fish and go home right away since they no longer have the option to retain other salmon species. Participants may also decide to do less trips as they could retain twice as many fish per trip. This would hopefully eliminate the crowding issue. More importantly, it'd hopefully stop people from catching and releasing sockeye salmon while trying to retain a chinook salmon. I'd rather see people killing four fish, instead of killing two fish then possibly causing post-release mortality on another dozen.

The alternative is to reduce the aggregate salmon daily quota to two per day, but somehow I doubt that's very popular among people.

Will it be increased to four? Keep an eye on the website for updates.

While this sounds good on paper, you will still have people getting there four fish, taking them home or hiding them and returning to the river to get four more.
Solve the problem by keeping it a two fish a day limit and have them fill out the license the same way you have to with Springs, 10 fish(sockeye) per year limit.
And one more thing,,,outlaw bottom flossing so those of us seeking peace and quite can keep bar fishing!

[Rodney]

I would agree with the 4 fish limit for the non tidal. I am not sure I agree with the stopping of fishing for conservation purposes after 4.There is no such restriction in the salt water for the same run of salmon. This is akin to steelhead rules where you must stop fishing if you retain a hatchery fish. Which in my opinion has suspect logic as you could have fished all day for wild fish otherwise. I suspect many will  is extend keeping the 4th sockeye for a chance at a spring.

However if it is done for purpose of lessening the crowds I am all for it.

There wouldn't be an additional regulation to stop participants from fishing once they retain their four fish. The idea is that most will stop fishing voluntarily once they kill their limit and go home. Not sure about others, but if I were to go out and my only intention is to harvest some fish for the freezer, I'd want to go home once that's accomplished instead of standing in the crowd under the hot sun for no reason.

While this sounds good on paper, you will still have people getting there four fish, taking them home or hiding them and returning to the river to get four more.
Solve the problem by keeping it a two fish a day limit and have them fill out the license the same way you have to with Springs, 10 fish(sockeye) per year limit.
And one more thing,,,outlaw bottom flossing so those of us seeking peace and quite can keep bar fishing!

Of course not, any management measures can't prevent poaching. If people want to break the rules, they will do so anyway. That's a whole other issue.

[bigblue]

Never could understand the logic of 2 fish per day in non-tidal and 4 in the tidal sections.

X2

[TacoChris]

I would have to agree with Rodney people will break rules when fishing or many other activities. Skying out of bounds, hunting violations etc. I have fished the sockeye in the Fraser for years and find the amount of anglers willfully cheating the same as other fisheries it is just more noticeable as they are right beside you and in larger numbers. I have seen the same behaviour in other rivers, on lakes and in the chuck. I often find it more willful in these cases as people believe they can get away with more if they are not seen.

[swimmingwiththefishes]

I would have to agree with Rodney people will break rules when fishing or many other activities. Skying out of bounds, hunting violations etc. I have fished the sockeye in the Fraser for years and find the amount of anglers willfully cheating the same as other fisheries it is just more noticeable as they are right beside you and in larger numbers. I have seen the same behaviour in other rivers, on lakes and in the chuck. I often find it more willful in these cases as people believe they can get away with more if they are not seen.

Yes there are people who break the rules but there are many and I would say most who follow them.

The four fish limit will not send people home who are targeting springs as they will likely release fish once they hit three or will just keep passing the fish along to those who do not have their limit as is the standard practice at these busy bars.

If DFO was serious bringing the limit down to two fish total (perhaps in region two only) including all salmon species is likely the best way to limit the crowds.  There will still be problems with people passing along their fish but a smaller limit means that everyone will hit it sooner and leave.

Of course fewer fish to keep = more unhappy fishers;)

[VAGAbond]

Never could understand the logic of 2 fish per day in non-tidal and 4 in the tidal sections.

If you can afford a boat and kill your fish in private you get four.   If you are a poor man and walking and kill your fish in public, you get two.   Some people don't like seeing other people kill fish.

Seriously, in the tidal zone, especially in salt water, the stocks are mixed.  In the non-tidal is is much clearer which stock you are fishing.    The logic of two vs four doesn't make sense when there is an acknowledged surplus in the stock in the non-tidal zone.   It should be the other way around.