fair enough, but they were very vague in their criteria. most consumers don't know the difference and the stores don't specify where the fish were caught.
Most media don't know either.
This whole situation that we are in right now, is often fueled by misinformation or the absence of information. Since the beginning for this year's FN fishery, we have urged DFO to provide us information on how the FN fishery is managed, who the monitors are, what are the quotas given, and the process of reaching that agreed quotas. I think tension would be eased a lot more if the information is more readily available to the public. The angling community isn't that much better either. There isn't a centralized communication tool that delivers message effectively to all anglers. We are not organized, as OBD has mentioned earlier. We are fragmented by our fishing preferences, etc. A lot of time we express our wishes based on what we see and hear, instead of hard facts and scientific findings. A 20lb chinook at the river can turn into a 40lb tyee by the time the words reach the tackle store. People need to calm down a bit and identify exactly what the problems are.
During last Tuesday's dialogue session with the Fraser Valley First Nations, Cheam's Chief Sid Douglas (who you saw on CTV last night) walked in late and announced that they are no longer involved with the dialogue sessions due to the negative publicity we have given them in the media and walked out. On a more positive note, we still have three bands who are very willing to see the issues resolved with the Sportfishing sector, they are Yale, Chehalis and Skwah.
The reported observations on the Lower Fraser FN fishery that Chris, Nina and I made last weekend have been circulated by email. I've been told by one sector of DFO that the findings are false and I will be provided with information how these fisheries are managed next week. I look forward to the reading. I have also been contacted by another sector of DFO, who is very interested to go over the photos and videos that we have captured.
The problem is not that easy. Shutting out the FN fishery is not the answer. We have three sectors that utilize one resource. Understandings and compromises have to be developed to satisfy all groups. I firmly believe that by pointing out the problems and pressuring the management to provide answers and solutions to those problems, we will reach that ideal system to accommodate everyone without damaging the resource.