I suppose it is a matter of perspective and opinion if rec anglers are getting a raw deal.
However other than 2010 and 2014 I can't recall many years when sockeye remained open much past Labour Day. Both those years had very large returns; 2010 the largest on record, 2014 certainly in the top 3 on record.
Closures were frequently in place to protect Interior coho or at minimum 'selective fishing methods' requests to allow harvest of chinook and pinks, in off numbered years.
Yeah you are discriminated against. We all are everyday in some form. Discrimination isn't always a bad thing and sometimes it's downright justified.
Get over it.
RalpH - I'm not following your logic....
I'm saying that:
- We have been told the reason for the river closure was to protect certain runs... makes sense
- Then the river is opened to certain groups (and the mouth/tidal to other groups) in spite of this need to protect the runs
- Rec fishers would likely have the least by-catch impact on these runs, by far, out of any of the groups
- Rec fishers are left without an opportunity to harvest from the largest part of the 2006/2010/2014 cycle run in 2018 (where in 2010 the rec opening closed Sept. 19th (run peak was Sept 12) and 2014 the opening closed Oct 5 (run peak was Sept 19)). Also, not sure what tributary runs are being protected, but in 2011, the Fraser rec opening remained open upstream of the Vedder after Sept 5, until the 19th)
If its about run protection, then DFO is saying one thing and doing another, thereby, the freshwater rec fishers are being left behind.