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[Dave]

Just lately I have been in contact with several DFO and Provincial biologists, volunteer group leaders, and others who manage fishery restoration and educational programs.  We are all surprised by the apparent apathy shown by anglers regarding the announcement of cuts to DFO’s RRU.

If indeed these cuts remain, basically all new habitat restoration projects will stop, or become too expensive to pursue, and maintenance of past projects will cease.  In the Chilliwack River valley, implications are huge; wild steelhead and coho numbers will definitely be impacted.

Educational opportunities for children (salmonids in the class rooms) will cease. Seriously, is this program not one of the very best to educate children about the importance of salmon, and to promote new anglers? Hell yes.

Hatchery steelhead production at sites like the Chilliwack hatchery will cease. Who here fishes for hatchery steelhead?  Will you continue to do so when you can’t kill one?

Fishing with Rod is a fishing forum.  Why isn’t there a huge uproar by anglers about this shortsighted Ottawa based decision?   I know many here on this forum are actively involved in overturning this legislation but I ask those who have not sent an email or letter to their MP to do so.  Your fishing future, and that of future generations, depends on people like you expressing their opinions and forwarding them to policy makers.

[chris gadsden]

 I have spoken to the Chilliwack Progress and they are working on trying to get some answers to these cuts but it seems it is hard to get anyone to give some answers to questions asked at this time. Maybe the gag law is in effect again.

SS maybe can enlighten us but we have not heard from him for a while. Maybe his job has been cut too.

[Dave]

I have spoken to the Chilliwack Progress and they are working on trying to get some answers to these cuts but it seems it is hard to get anyone to give some answers to questions asked at this time. Maybe the gag law is in effect again.

SS maybe can enlighten us but we have not heard from him for a while. Maybe his job has been cut too.

His job has not been cut but all DFO staff have told not to speak about this.  The good thing is some are .. privately.

[chris gadsden]

His job has not been cut but all DFO staff have told not to speak about this.  The good thing is some are .. privately.

That is too bad as that is the problem when it comes to fishing matters as it makes us so suspicious on what is really going on. Here we thought those days from the previous administration had come to an end but it looks nothing has changed. Dave, we were fortunate as we had the best of it when we really liked to fish and retain a steelhead if we wished.

Hopefully the Chlliwack Progress will be able to get some of the answers and expose this bad decision. As Gwyn said many years ago, time is fast approaching all we will have left is lake fishing.

[DanL]

Just lately I have been in contact with several DFO and Provincial biologists, volunteer group leaders, and others who manage fishery restoration and educational programs.  We are all surprised by the apparent apathy shown by anglers regarding the announcement of cuts to DFO’s RRU.
...
Fishing with Rod is a fishing forum.  Why isn’t there a huge uproar by anglers about this shortsighted Ottawa based decision?

I think part of the issue is that people dont comprehend the implications of this. I'll bet many dont even know what the RRU even does, myself included, I had to google it to figure out what the acronym even stands for. The DFO website is nearly useless.

IMHO some better info being made available would go a long way to allow people people to self-educate and try to understand what's going on.

ie. whats the mandate and scope of the department? What projects have they worked on and what would be impacted in the future and to what degree? whats the budget being cut and how much would have been spent on what initiatives?

Budget cuts dont bode well and all, but I've had a hard time finding info on this.  My googling and searching of the DFO website has lead basically nowhere except some news articles.

Maybe one of the local advocacy groups who are probably way more in touch with the latest goings on could start some sort of publicity/education campaign to bring light to the issue? Let the public know in specific detail what this means, provide a sample letter people can use as a basis for contacting representatives etc.

[Dave]

Yes, I agree people need to be led but there is a ton of stuff out there regarding the implications of this decision.  Surely no more hatchery steelhead should be enough to get people involved in over turning this travesty.
I also agree the DFO website is a complete joke.