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[gman]

The feds have been working on transfering fishing rights from commercial to natives for years now. This trend will conntinue and  I wouldn't want to be a non native salmon fisherman now. In my mind the newer issue this year is if the increasing native allocation will also come at the expense of the sport angler. No open seasons, injunctions to keep boats off the river etc. The bickering among sports anglers will only make it easier for DFO to appease the natives further by totally shutting doen the river, first to sockeye, then maybe for everything.

[fishingbuddha]

just read rod's response to his experience watching the fn's fishery. i think its great to see that rod and company had an opportunity to witness a different perspective first hand to gain a better understanding of a fishery that has caused a lot of discussion over the years.

i don't totally disagree with a fn fishery but i to believe there needs to be more regulation and better decisions being made at the top. my questions would be similar to others who have replied to rods post...

1. can't the dfo limit the number of sockeye or salmon per family? rod seemed to be suprised that the fn nets contained up to sixty fish but i have witnessed first hand some of these 50 fathom nets catching over hundreds at one time. if the dfo can't regulate how many these people catch then can't they at least make the nets shorter so that they don't catch as much during one opening? along the same idea as shortening nets, how about lessening the number of crab traps that fn's can use. currently, each fn can fish with up to fifty traps per person no license needed. i find this a little over kill. especially since crabs are so fragile and need to be cooked alive/ or shortly after. with fifty crab traps you could realistically catch hundreds of crabs in one day.

2. what about creating fish unloading stations for fn fishery. this way if the dfo dosen't have enough resources to count the fish caught on each boat then perhaps the dfo can get a better idea of how many fish are being harvested by the individual groups if they can monitor the various unloading docks. (probably unrealistic but just an idea)

3. just food for thought but if there is no market for fn salmon/seafood, then there wouldn't be the desire to catch so many quantities of fish and shellfish. so if the dfo won't change the way fn's are fishing then why doesn't the government hit the people buying this salmon harder. rcmp, health inspectors, dfo and conservation all have the authority to charge people for buying illegal fish/shellfish therefore, why don't we focus more on this angle. also, the public who is complaining about this fishery and who are showing concerns about the sockeye should not buy this fish illegally from trucks etc.

just frustrated like everyone else and thinking aloud.

[Rodney]

We were just going through the video footages that we captured yesterday. Most are very good, some are shaky because of the zoom-in, but overall it provided a good summary of the points that we want to make.

The Sportfishing Defence Alliance is having a meeting this afternoon to discuss these issues that are taking place. Our concerns were sent out overnight by email to the everyone on the SFAB and we urged them to forward this so the issues can be heard. We'll also make sure that these footages and concerns are mailed to the ministers.

In the meantime, you can support by printing out this SDA donation form and mail it in with a cheque so we can continue the work. Phone the ORR line 1-800-465-4336 when you encounter fishery violations (on that note, we have received a signed statement from a Fraser River Guide who says that the Observe Record Report Line (ORR) told him to stop phoning in illegal drifting  ).

Thank you for your input and support.

[jettabambino]

Great post ROD!!!  maybe you can link some of the footage to the websit so we can download clips and also see whats going on.....Mind you i am already disgusted with what i have just read....... I know that if this keeps up i am going to have to sit down my kids and tell them that I used to catch salmon in those waters all the time.... Sad outlook as to what things are going to be like in 20 years....

I remember my dad saying that in the early 80's he would go fishing and leave after the first fish.... The average fishing trip took 30 minutes or less..


By the way... those FN boys sure have nice boats... while i am making a modest living of over 50k a year I am thinking of buying a little old car topper cause thats all i can afford........I guess sales of socks on the side of the road pay well...ok thats enough from me i gues

[Nina]

It was a very interesting and educational experience being on a commercial fishing boat yesterday, not to mention tons of fun!
It gave me a look into a world that I have little knowledge on.

Highlight of the day was watching a seagull and a seal fighting over a salmon. Scariest moment of the day was when a fisherman pulled out a huge gun just 20 meters from our boat to shoot a seal. Boy, if I had gotten that on video it would certainly help turning the tide.

Now that we have seen what is going on first hand and documented it, it is time to decide on the next move.  People on the board have posted lots of good and in my opinion less good ideas (civil disorder is not the way - in the end it will backfire) but keep the ideas coming!

Like fishingbuddha said, I think a major problem is that the general public is not aware of the consequences of buying fish from the natives.  There are health, environmental and legal issues which people just don't think about. Our skipper yesterday mentioned the idea of making a sponsored broadcast on TV letting the public know about these issues. Maybe this is something for SDA to look into. If there are no buyers, there are no sellers. Who is in charge of ticketing these buyers anyway? Is it the DFO or the police? If it is the police, maybe put pressure on them as well.

If the DFO lacks money, then how about training some volunteers to do the fish counting at some designated loading areas? In general make more use of trained volunteers. This is just ideas of the top of my head.

Despite everything it was a great day to be out yesterday, thanks to our skipper for taking us out. 

[jettabambino]

a group called the wilderness comitte came to my door the other day and i gave them a donation... They said that they are infavor of fishing but would like better management techniques... you guys should contact them... They are a very powerful group that have saved many natural resources and have alot of members...

[Bantam_50]

I'd better start this post off right or I'll get jumped again. 

Nina it's great to see you had the chance also to experience first hand what commercial fisherman are fighting to retain but rapidly losing. And yes, how DFO allows FN free reign in their court awarded fishery.

Couple of items I'd like to point out though.

Scariest moment of the day was when a fisherman pulled out a huge gun just 20 meters from our boat to shoot a seal. Boy, if I had gotten that on video it would certainly help turning the tide.

Both FN and Commercial fishers both use firearms on seals. Have been for years due to the high populations ... but another debatable issue. I'm sure your skipper was aware of this. I even know of some rec anglers who cull the odd 1 now and then. So it's nothing really to use against one group. And I'm sure animals activist groups are also aware it takes place. Just not on a large enough scale to require the attention.

Like fishingbuddha said, I think a major problem is that the general public is not aware of the consequences of buying fish from the natives.  There are health, environmental and legal issues which people just don't think about. Our skipper yesterday mentioned the idea of making a sponsored broadcast on TV letting the public know about these issues. Maybe this is something for SDA to look into. If there are no buyers, there are no sellers. Who is in charge of ticketing these buyers anyway? Is it the DFO or the police? If it is the police, maybe put pressure on them as well.

I totally agree ....  unfortunately it'll never happen ..... even if enforcement was greatly increased. Present day society already proves that even if it's illegal but cheaper they'll come. Underground blackmarket sales is a huge part of any country's economy.  Just the other day a fellow at work talked about how he and friends would make runs to the reserves and fill their coolers with sockeye ... even my bro-in law was buying them against my displeasure.    We'd have to change society to a total authoritarian police state.  That's where our bleeding heart Civil Rights group would wail louder than what rec anglers have been doing the last decade. Why not just allow FN the right to sell, but monitor it. Tax them. Jeez, I think I'm saying why don't me just make them part of the commercial fleet. Those non-FN commercial boat who want to get out can be bought out by FN. I'm sure the government could subsidize these cost through trade offs included in treaty negotiations. 

Hope I'm not casting any less good ideas But then what's wrong with a few rebel rouser's?

[mr.pink]

 thx,rod,nina and chris for a great eye opening post.hopfuly we can stop arguing amongest our selves and support sda,seems to be the only avenue we have,to get better enforcment on the river.like having someone count fish on each and every boat fishing(which is kind of laughable,because they re not fishing) and stop at certain limit or number.jsut my 2 cents.cheers.

[lowlight]

You should invite the media onto your boat, and let them get some footage for a wider audience to see

[phatwop]

Bantam_50 and Rod, really great insight and information. It's nice to see some well thought and first hand information on this subject. What Bantam 50 said about the "illegal but cheaper" is unfortunately correct. So many people i know who fish and don't fish want a little something for the bbq on a summers evening and know where to go for a 7 dollar sockeye. It's unfortunate and against the law, but to these people it's a savings of roughly 23 dollars per fish if bought from a fish monger or grocery store. Even the one or two fish boats at the steveston docks selling them for 6 dollars a pound is going to have a rough time with those prices. Again, great info Rod and Bantam.

[steelieman]

One day in the very near future, this very resource will be depleted and the finger pointing will start.

[redtide]

just rumors....but how about 3 dams on the fraser. The US is pushing the idea.

[reeler]

Now you are getting the picture. This was the basis of my comments on the news/rumours thread on Aug 17.  The americans have been looking at this idea for years. If WAC Bennett was still around, the dams would have been built long ago.
This is a battle we can not win. The Fraser runs will one day become extinct starting with the Thompson steelhead.Food fishery - my rear end, they eat at McDonalds like the rest of us. Ceremonial? just as outrageous. Let some interested Canadians witness this ceremony with the aid of video cameras. It's all about vast quantities of fish being sold as it has been for decades. We didn't notice it or care about it until the sockeye sportfishery started in the river. We can scream and howl all we want,it will achieve nothing. We are held at bay by a small number of aggressive people that the government is afraid of. We can say what we like about the americans, but they wouldn't put up with this crap...........just the same, when they want our water, they will come and get it.

[blaydRnr]

 Why not just allow FN the right to sell, but monitor it. Tax them. Jeez, I think I'm saying why don't me just make them part of the commercial fleet. Those non-FN commercial boat who want to get out can be bought out by FN. I'm sure the government could subsidize these cost through trade offs included in treaty negotiations. 

Hope I'm not casting any less good ideas But then what's wrong with a few rebel rouser's?

first nations have been fighting for self government for decades...they'll 'take' whatever they can get, but they rarely 'give' because they feel they've been victimized and oppressed for too long.....it's the neverending story.

[chris gadsden]

One day in the very near future, this very resource will be depleted and the finger pointing will start.

Not if we continue to fight for the survival of these fish. If we take a defeated attitude this could happen but the recent awarness that the publichas seen with the recent stories in the print press, radio, and the TV media I think the public is seeing things in a different light, more than ever before. Sure there is doubters among the public that things will never change and hey there is even some on this and otherfishing web sites that think this and post about it but I believe they are in the minority just like the Federal Liberals are. Also do not forget the Federal Government is following this with keen interest, more than ever before.

The work the SDA and others did last year has brought some great changes to enforcement this year maybe not perfect but we are getting there. Some people have been put in jail, boats and nets seized and are locked up at this moment.

We must keep working at it to save this resource for all and as I have said a few times, when I have made my last cast I will know I will have done everything possible to the best of my ability to make this happen. I challenge those that read this post to attempt to do the same, thanks.