DFO Research Validates Anglers’ Position on Chinook Non-Retention

Island Fisherman Magazine has a great article written by Tom Davis that details how DFO’s own research supports what many recreational fisherman have long known: that the Chinook Non-Retention (CNR) regulation introduced in 2019 and still in place from April 1st to at least July 14th across most of southern BC’s important recreational fisheries was applied far too broadly. Significant fishing locations should have remained open for at least the April and May fishing period, or longer in some cases.

The most jaw-dropping data reveals how few encounters with Upper Fraser Chinook stocks of concern were recorded. In 2023 it was 1.3% of the samples. In 2024 it was 0.5%.

…

Chris Bos, past chair of the South Vancouver Island Anglers Coalition, and member of numerous fishery committees stated, “With special interest groups that dislike recreational fishing and pressuring government to shut down our fishery, the reference fishery has emerged as a valuable tool to verify what is true and what is guess-work”. Bos adds, “Data shows the fishery is clean, with less than 1% impact; shutting down any fishery with such a small impact is completely unjustifiable.”


Quotes courtesy of https://islandfishermanmagazine.com/dfo-research-validates-anglers-position-on-chinook-non-retention/?mc_cid=190e51d26c&mc_eid=c45f74a0e9.

The article concludes with a sobering reminder regarding the upcoming general election in Canada. The tenure of the incumbent party exactly coincides with the emergence of the most serious threats to angling opportunities ever. It is not a coincidence.

Release of Draft 2025/26 BC Salmon IFMPs for Consultation

With FN0152, DFO has released their draft 2025-2026 Integrated Fisheries Management Plans.

Deadline for submission of comments is April 4, 2025.

To obtain an electronic copy for review, please click the link below: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/51r5krj3o5o1e86db7qop/AH1FZORsMWUmAPv5wR3YRZ8?rlkey=qn1tacmnj178rocvvte5lhvga&st=anh8gp79&dl=0

The draft IFMPs set out the policy framework that guides decision making, general objectives relating to management of stocks of concern, enhancement and enforcement, as well as decision guidelines for a range of fisheries.

Please refer to the New for 2025/26 for key changes for the IFMP that may be under consideration.

Section 13 of the IFMPs outline the Species Specific Fishing Plans, which describe fisheries plans for each of the salmon species and the management units and major fishery areas for each species. This section includes the relevant information on management approach, decision guidelines and specific management measures, as well as, information related to First Nations, commercial and recreational fishing plans for each fishery.

During March and April, the Department will be meeting with First Nations and recreational, commercial and environmental groups to seek further feedback on the draft IFMPs as part of the IFMP consultation process.

https://www-ops2.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=316953

You may read the northern and southern IFMPs via the fishery notice, or the files below:

DRAFT Northern IFMP 2025-2026Download
DRAFT Southern IFMP 2025-2026Download

Page 37 of the draft Southern Salmon IFMP has a section that speaks to Mark Selective Fisheries. As per last year, please note that for a significant time period, COVID precautionary measures reduced fin clipping at Canadian salmon hatcheries to near zero; there will be a few years where recreational fishers seeking marked salmon will be dependent upon Washington state origin fish for success.

Mass Marking / Mark-Selective Fisheries

The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) provides new investments to support potential
implementation of Chinook mass marking and mark-selective fisheries as part of an integrated
management approach. To advance this work, DFO sought input from First Nations and
stakeholders during a series of workshops that began in December 2022, leading to DFOs development of An Implementation Framework for Mark-Selective Fisheries for Southern British
Columbia Chinook Salmon (draft MSF Framework). The Department is currently reviewing
feedback on the draft MSF Framework and considering next steps for MSF. Any specific MSF
plans will be consulted on. The Department is also considering changes to gear (i.e., what
fishing hooks are permitted) during Chinook MSFs.

DRAFT Southern IFMP 2025-2026

Feb 26: Greater Victoria Spring 2025 Sport Fishing Advisory Committee Meeting

DFO’s Mark Frisson has recently notified us regarding the subject meeting. You are invited to attend and participate.

  • Important: attached is a letter outlining a proposed hatchery Chinook production change. This proposed change will be discussed further at the meeting. If you cannot attend the meeting and would like to provide feedback please provide it to mark.frisson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca by March 3, 2025.
  • The 2024 fall meeting minutes and Regional Recreational Updates document are attached for review before the meeting. Please see below.
Meeting ItemDetails
TopicGreater Victoria Spring 2025 Sport Fishing Advisory Committee Meeting
WhenWed Feb 26, 2025 at 7 pm – 9pm (PST)
Where, physicalEsquimalt Anglers’ Association clubhouse, 1101 Munro St, Esquimalt BC V9A5P2
Where, virtualMicrosoft Teams Need help?
Join the meeting now
Meeting ID: 288 132 482 691
Passcode: nN3BZ9Yh

Dial in by phone
+1 647-484-5913,,951852006# Canada, Toronto
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 951 852 006#
Join on a video conferencing device
Tenant key: teams@dfo-mpo.video.canada.ca
Video ID: 114 689 032 2
More info
2025-01-31 Memo_Proposed Change_Nitinat Chinook ProductionDownload

2025 Halibut TAC (Total Allowable Catch) Announced

Courtesy the South Vancouver Island Anglers Coalition – SVIAC – we learned recently about decisions taken at the recent International Halibut Commission meetings.

You can read the SVIAC newsletter in full here. You can also join the SVIAC and support its efforts on behalf of recreational anglers here.

2025: A New TAC Reduction

After significant discussions, the IPHC Commissioners implemented an aggregate 15.8% TAC reduction for both Canada and the U.S. For 2025, Canada’s total share of the Pacific halibut TAC is set at 4,735,000 lbs. Based on the agreed allocations:

  • 15% Recreational Allocation = 680,250 lbs
  • 30,000 lbs deducted for the 2024 overage

This leaves Canada’s 2025 Recreational TAC at 650,250 lbs, marking a substantial reduction of over 175,000 lbs from 2024.

Next Steps

The Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) Halibut Working Group will now develop a coast-wide fishing plan for 2025. While the specifics remain to be determined, anglers should prepare for potential adjustments to the season, including a later start, an earlier closure, or tighter size limits.

https://www.anglerscoalition.com/2025/02/

Let the Herring Live: Feb 13

The Wsanec Hereditary Chiefs Alliance, the University of Victoria, the Herring Conservation and Restoration Society and Conservancy Hornby Island are pleased to host the Let the Herring Live event , all day Feb 13 at the Tsawout First Nation, Saanichton.

Let the Herring Live will be inviting many elected and Hereditary First Nations leaders. There is a clear call for a Moratorium on herring fisheries due to declining stocks and this event will be focused on what we can do to effect a moratorium and let the Strait of Georgia herring recover.

You can get tickets at Eventbrite, the price includes a First Nation lunch. Forty seats have already been claimed by students of Uvic, so be sure to register as soon as you can.

For more info please contact Jim Shortreed at 250 937 9475.

CBC: Port Renfrew fate in hands of DFO

Our national broadcaster and news organization has recently published an article that looks at how the fate of Port Renfrew seems to lie in the outcome of the decisions yet to be finalized by DFO with respect to chinook salmon fishing closures.

In materials presented to the sport-fishing community Jan. 12, DFO mapped out important foraging areas for the southern resident killer whales. 

…the fishing community rejects the modelling informing the map. Recreational fishers say they almost never see the endangered whales near the shoreline. 

“For DFO to say it will shut an area down when southern residents are rarely there makes no sense, and is negligent,” said Wayne Friesen, chair of the B.C. Recreational Fishing Association. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/port-renfrew-fishing-closure-dfo-1.7181011?cmp=rss

It seems curious that to explain DFO’s thinking on this subject, the CBC turned to Misty McDuffy, a non-DFO biologist with an NGO. Strange that DFO didn’t speak to its own decision making process; possibly waiting for political direction?

Town Hall follow-up: video re: Recreational Salmon Fisheries Under Threat

After the  Feb 27th town hall meeting in Langford, at the suggestion of Gary Cooper (Gary Cooper Fishing Diary), Tom Davis produced a video using a voice over with the power-point presentation that was shown at the Four Points by Sheraton public fisheries meeting. We thought this would be a great way to get the message, that we delivered to the over 300 attendees, to a much broader audience. 

The linked video, “Recreational Salmon Fisheries Under Threat”, is intended to inform anglers and others of the plight that BC’s valuable rec Chinook fisheries are facing. In addition, it presents solutions that the public fishing community believes are valid and that more than meet the rec fisheries’ share of conservation burdens for Upper Fraser River Chinook and SRKWs. 

Please share this with your organizations, family and friends and ask them for your support so that we can speed the recovery of Upper Fraser Chinook, assist the SRKWs and sustain recreational fisheries in vital southern BC fishing regions.

Thanks to both Gary Cooper and Tom Davis for this video message.

2nd Victoria Herring Symposium: April 5

We received some news from Jim Shortreed, our local advocate for herring conservation:

With the generous support of the Capital Regional District the 2nd Victoria Herring symposium is ON.  The venue is the Gorge Waterway Pavilion, the evening of April 5. This is an evening of local knowledge of herring being shared.  Call me for tickets [Jim Shortreed 250 937 9475].

Setting Branches to attract Spawning Herring

This year everyone is getting organized to set hemlock branches at Fisherman’s Wharf, Causeway, Victoria International Marina, Banfield Marina, and Pearson International School at Pedder Bay. The Songhees First Nation is setting branches near Fisgard Light, that’s where the herring spawned in 2022. Its a fun project and easy to volunteer for.  Call me to volunteer, it’s fun and easy, you collect all sorts of sealife. Call me if you need your hemlock pruned, we’ll take all hemlock.

Feb 27 2024 email from Jim Shortreed

Herring spawn on Douglas Fir branches, Departure Bay

For background, please see our earlier post regarding the establishment of the Herring Conservation and Restoration Society.

Important Recreational Fishing Meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 7 pm

Some important correspondence from Tom Davis:

Hello anglers, charter operators and angling business owners. There is an important recreational fishing meeting scheduled for Tuesday Feb 27th at the Four Points Hotel in Langford from 7-9.30 PM. It is co-sponsored by the South Vancouver Island Anglers Coalition, the Public Fishery Alliance, the Fraser River Sportfishing Alliance and the BC Recreational Fishing Association.

It is an information sharing and public input Town Hall meeting to discuss the pervasive damaging regulations that have been imposed on what was once the largest ocean  recreational salmon fishery in the world.

A panel of speakers has been assembled from the hardest hit regions of the south coast to discuss these issues and take questions from the audience. It is time to stop further erosion of angling opportunities. 

I know that some of you are aware of this meeting as the details have been shared broadly on social media, but I wanted to extend a personal invitation to those who may not yet know about it. 

If you are able to attend please do so, bring a friend and share this email with others in your fishing circles.

There will also be a 9.9 HP outboard motor door prize and a silent auction. 

I suggest you arrive early to register and to avoid delays.

An information poster is attached [see above].

Tight lines,

Tom Davis

➤