Here is a post that I copied from another Board that I belong to. Speak UP or see the famous Thompson steelies no more!
Chum Fishery Threatens The Thompson
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It is absolutely unbelievable! In the face of the 2nd worst Thompson Steelhead runs on record DFO has okayed a commercial chum salmon opening for Wednesday Oct. 20th! This is squarely in the heart of the time that all the best science indicates is the prime window of migration through the lower Fraser.
The Provincial Fisheries MWLAP have repeatedly stood agianst such openings - their concern is steelhead, the Federal Fisheries - DFO has jurisdiction over salmon - and they don't care about the steelhead.
This is outrageous, sportfishermen are shut down as even a catch and release fishery is deemed too dangerous to the health of the run and DFO schedules an opening. We are trying to rally the troops to register our outrage, but with less than two days notice until the opening there is not much time. This has not even been announced yet - this info is a hot leak... It is clear they didn't want us to have time to organize. The newspapers have been contacted and messages are out on bulletin boards - we need some emrgency troops!
Right now we must flood DFO's phone lines with protests ...the Director General's office is 604 666-6098...(Paul McGillvary)...or any and every other Lower Fraser manager...Devona Adams has often been very helpful....but now seems to think its no big deal... 604 666-6512.
Paul McGillerary's e-mail is
MacgillivaryP@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Devona Adams e-mail is
AdamsD@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca If you have fished the Thompson - or ever hope to fish it in the future take some time and make the effort.
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Tight lines - tyler.
Here is a Press Release prepared for CTV
Press Release,
The greatest race of steelhead in the world is in mortal danger. The most revered sport fish in western North America is BC’s Thompson River steelhead. It isn’t just changing ocean and climatic conditions or environmental issues that threaten, but Government mismanagement. Once again Federal and Provincial governments are at odds and the ill-advised wishes of the DFO are taking precedent. The cost is at the expense of one of BC’s priceless natural resources – the Thompson Steelhead.
The Thompson River has a predicted return of fewer than 800 fish this year - this is an abysmal state of affairs. The Provincial Fisheries Branch MWLAP has ordered the river closed to fishing, as even the minuscule mortality rate of a catch and release fishery has been deemed unacceptable. As hard as it is to accept, the necessity of the closure is brutally evident to the sport fishing community.
The problem we have is with the actions of the DFO, in particular the A/Area Management decision to allow a chum opening on the Lower Fraser River on Wednesday October 20. All the available research shows that this is the peak migration window through the Lower Fraser for Thompson Steelhead. We find this outrageous and unbelievable. The DFO’s own test fishery has only caught 3 steelhead, which extrapolate into the second worst return in 26 years. Yet DFO shows absolutely no concern and provides a commercial opening for chum salmon
If the return numbers of Thompson steelhead are so critically low that a closure must be applied to the least effective sector of resource users the sport fishers, how can it be remotely justifiable that any other fishery – let alone a commercial one be allowed? Even the rationale for Native ceremonial fish is superseded by conservation needs. The fact that there is a surplus of chums, does not justify the endangerment of a seriously threatened run of fish like the Thompson steelhead.
When the DFO was concerned about Thompson Coho, the entire commercial industry ground to a halt to enable their recovery. Yet, when a world famous, irreplaceable steelhead resource is threatened in the very same river - nothing happens. In fact, the Federal Department that is supposed to be the steward of the resource further threatens it by enabling more commercial openings. It is no wonder that the sport fishing community shakes it head with resignation and disbelief when the DFO steps in.
In the case of Thompson River Steelhead the Province has championed the needs of the fish. MWLAP biologists in Kamloops have done everything in their power to protect the fish and promote the recovery of the flagship of Beautiful BC’s sport fishery - the Thompson Steelhead. Yet, it seems at every turn the Federal Government’s DFO has thwarted their efforts. DFO deems the needs of an already heavily subsidized commercial fishery take precedent over world famous natural resource.
The steelhead community, which is local and international is outraged and flabbergasted by this development. Furthermore, it appears that DFO has delayed its public announcement of this opening so as to minimize our ability to protest. This is unconscionable
Yours sincerely,
Tyler Kushnir
Director, Steelhead Society of British Columbia
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Author
Topic: Steelhead in danger! (Read 7743 times)