Category «News»

DFO Halves Commercial Herring Fishery

As widely reported and announced by DFO here, the commercial Pacific herring fishery is to be substantially reduced.

This approach will see most commercial fisheries for Pacific herring closed, and limited to First Nations food, social and ceremonial fisheries. For the Strait of Georgia, harvesting will be reduced to a 10% harvest rate, with a maximum total allowable catch of 7,850 tonnes.
https://www.canada.ca/en/fisheries-oceans/news/2021/12/fisheries-and-oceans-canada-updates-pacific-herring-coast-wide-harvest-plan-for-2021-22.html

The commercial fishery sector is critical of this change, as shown here and here.

Environmental groups will no doubt support this decision, and point to FNs that practice a spawn-on-kelp fishery as a better alternative that leaves the herring to spawn for years. The commercial fleet harvests and kills herring primarily for their roe.

A Letter from Chris Bos, Local SFAB Chair

As of the election held November 9th this year, Chris Bos is the Victoria Sport Fishing Advisory Committee chair for the coming two-year term. He has written an open letter to anglers in Areas 19 and 20, the fishery management areas that our local committee represents on the Sports Fishery Advisory Board (SFAB).

Chris has also provided the draft minutes from this last local SFAB committee meeting. Worth a read for the topics discussed and motions passed, all of which may impact your future fishing opportunities.

Also worth noting for a fisherperson looking to become more involved in and learn about our fisheries management concerns and processes:

There is a vacant alternate position on our local committee that should be filled and it would be a great opportunity for a younger angler who is interested in our local fishery to take the position. Although that alternate could not vote at South Coast SFAB meetings, attending is an amazing learning experience. It is an opportunity to gain a broad perspective on BC’s Public salt water fisheries. Plus, as committee chair, I would be happy to pass on knowledge as well
Letter from Chris Bos

Finally, Chris expresses his and the local committee’s thanks to the outgoing chair Ryan Chamberland for his efforts in what proved to be a difficult two-year period for our south Vancouer Island fisheries.

Fraser Chinook Fishery Mortality Index Summary, 2014 – 2020

DFO has released a memorandum that reports on the titled subject.

This memo compiles information to support Southern BC Chinook harvest planning and specifically
fisheries that impact Fraser River Chinook Managment Units (MUs).

There are many measures and estimates of salmon mortality and salmon escapement. Some discussion of how to arrive at useful conclusions with insufficient data. Certainly an important DFO management objective was achieved.

The management objective to shift the harvest distribution of Summer 41 from marine, particularly Area F troll, fisheries to Fraser River FN FSC fisheries appears to have been achieved, as there was a large shift in the proportion of Summer 41 Chinook caught by each fishing group and a greater proportion of the overall Fraser Chinook catch was comprised of Summer 41 Chinook; approximately 60% of the harvest of this MU occurred in First Nations FSC fisheries in the Fraser River in 2020 (compared to 18% in the base period). In addition, the Lower Shuswap escapement objective was met in both 2019 and 2020.

A recreational fisherperson will recognize the commercial Area F troll fishery referenced, and remember that DFO shut down some commercial salmon fisheries this past summer. Presumably in aid of the stated management objective.

Salmon 2022/2023 IFMPs: It has begun

DFO has notified stakeholders of the kick off of the process to create the Salmon 2022/2023 Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMPs) for Northern and Southern British Columbia (BC).

This table shows the important dates for the activities expected to develop the salmon IFMPs.

2022-23 Salmon IFMPs Process Timelines

Activity	Proposed Timelines
Release of DFO IFMP Planning Letter and timelines for 2022/23 season	December 3, 2021
Salmon Post Season Review Meetings All First Nations and stakeholders invited to attend.	Northern – December 2-3, 2021 Southern – December 15, 2021
2022 Salmon Outlook All First Nations and stakeholders invited to attend.	December 16, 2021
Deadline for new CSAF proposals	January 27, 2022
Meetings to review and discuss potential changes to IFMPs and opportunity for focussed discussion on key IFMP issues	Fraser Forum – January 18-20 2022 Northern IHPC – February 2, 2022 Southern IHPC – February 8, 2022
Draft IFMPs released for public review & comment	February 24, 2022
Meetings to review draft IFMP	Fraser Forum – March 1-3, 2022 Northern IHPC – March 9, 2022 Southern IHPC – March 10, 2022
2022 Revised Salmon Outlook	April 5, 2022
Deadline to submit comments on draft IFMP	April 15, 2022
Final Meetings for discussion on IFMP feedback	Fraser Forum – Apr 12-14, 2022 Full IHPC – May 4-5, 2022
Target for public release of salmon IFMP	June 30, 2022

Correspondence from DFO Pacific Salmon Management Team, DFO.PacificSalmonRMT-EGRSaumonduPacifique.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

The notice includes a lengthy description of the planning considerations for these IFMPs. The table of contents gives you an idea of what’s to come:

It’s almost a year old, but this review and comment on DFO’s last exercise in consulting FNs and stakeholders – their terms to segregate Canadians – toward developing salmon IFMPs is worth a quick read. If nothing else, you may appreciate that the south coast of Vancouver Island isn’t the only fishery trying to understand the logic of DFO fishery management decisions constrained by court decisions and politics, and sometimes the hard data that suggests they’re managing some salmon and steelhead to extinction.

Skeena tragedy, managed by DFO

In contrast to 2,000-year old fishing practices are those managed today by DFO. The Skeena River steelhead are considered to be “at extreme conservation concern”. So why not allow a fishery that takes them? Rod Clapton of the BC Federation of Drift Fishers has asked our Minister of Fisheries & Oceans that specific question, or rather, “Why?”

Re: North Coast Post Season Review
Minister of Fisheries & Oceans
Hon. Joyce Murray, Minster
min@dfo-mpo.gc.a
Dear Minister:
We are writing to express our grave concerns that a reported 1923 wild Skeena steelhead were reported retained in First Nations fisheries in the non tidal portion of the Skeena river, despite the lowest reported returns in history. With 5300 steelhead estimated to return this retention represents 36% of the estimated return, which will be further significantly reduced by other factors such as predation & poaching. We must question the sincerity of your Ministry regarding past commitments toward protecting steelhead stocks of concern and working collaboratively with the province and the recreational fishery. Why are [you] continuing to allow fisheries that are non selective and targeting stocks at [the] point of extreme conservation concern?
From recent SFAB meetings we had some sense of optimism that DFO was serious about protecting steelhead and working with the province and sectors with joint efforts to protect and enhance steelhead stocks in B.C. As evidenced with interior Fraser steelhead and now Skeena stocks, these fish are at point of extreme conservation concern.   Allowing this devastating impact on Skeena stocks makes a mockery of potential recovery efforts. Allowing this impact is a direct slap in the face to the many representatives of the recreational fishery who have worked tirelessly toward protecting steelhead and supported required actions including closing of any rec fishing opportunities.
Permitting a fishery on an established stock of concern suggests that your Ministry puts sector allocation on a species at risk above conservation concerns. If that is policy, it puts at risk our sincere efforts to work collaboratively with F/N’s and others in a very difficult position.
Your comments in response to this very serious situation are greatly appreciated as we know our concerns are shared by many organizations and anglers at large province wide.
Rod Clapton, President

2,000-year-old sustainable fishing practices of Tsleil-Waututh Nation

The Science Daily site has published an interesting article. Simon Fraser University archaeology researchers found that thousands of years ago, the Coast Salish people were making fishery management decisions we’d do well to emulate.

Ancient Indigenous fishing practices can be used to inform sustainable management and conservation today, according to a new study. Working with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and using new palaeogenetic analytical techniques, the results of a new study provides strong evidence that prior to European colonization, Coast Salish people were managing chum salmon by selectively harvesting males.

Our present efficiency at catching any and all marine creatures has made fishery management even more challenging. But what a smart way to manage a terminal fishery.

UBC researchers: SRKW food shortage is “probably not occurring”

A DFO-funded study by UBC rsearchers into prey availability for southern resident killer whales (SRKW) has made some interesting observations. Basically, there’s no lack of chinook salmon as a food source where the SRKWs normally range. The article, published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Acquatic Sciences, may be read here wth the title, “Southern resident killer whales encounter higher prey densities than northern resident killer whales during summer”.

Contrary to expectations, we found the density of potential prey available to southern resident killer whales was relatively high during summer in the coastal waters of British Columbia and Washington, where salmon restoration and enhancement management efforts including the commercial and recreational fishing regulations have been focused.
“Southern resident killer whales encounter higher prey densities than northern resident killer whales during summer”

As this study using acoustic technqiues – ship based echosounders – had very few similar studies with which to compare data, and none in the same regions and for the same fish species; and it focused on specific times and places – there are limits to what may be concluded.

The study does, however, suggest that the closures and non-retention restrictions imposed by DFO upon southern Vancouver Island recreational fishers during peak chinook migration over the past few years has been all pain and no gain. And this year, of course, the commercial chinook fishery was pretty much shut down with next to no notice.

Going forward, please let’s not confuse the precautionary principle with the politically inspired rewriting of the rules.

Salmon and Politics, Again

Jeffrey Young of the David Suzuki Foundation, an environmental non-government organization, was interviewed for an article published in the July 8th edition of the National Observer.

Mr. Young presumably has a goal of finding, “…solutions to conserve and recover wildlife like Pacific salmon and orca.” Which isn’t obvious from the views he expresses on the subject, which seem to belie his statement that, “I’m motivated to work with everyone to put these solutions into place.” And if everyone doesn’t agree with Mr. Young’s analysis?

Young’s comments are misleading, suggestive and inaccurate.
Chris Bos, PFA

The Public Fishery Alliance (PFA) has responded with a rebuttal to Mr. Young’s claims, and it’s worth a read to understand how Mr. Young has framed his views on this topic, and how that contrasts to the salmon fishery reality in which the PFA has worked cooperatively with DFO for many years.

Politics over Conservation, again

On June 23, 2021, Private Member’s Bill C-269 (Andrew Scheer) came up for second reading in the House of Commons.

Bill 269 would have prohibited the deposit of raw sewage into waterways inhabited by fish. The federal government can currently grant exceptions to entities (such as cities, municipalities, towns, ocean going vessels, industries) dumping raw sewage into our waterways.

The federal Liberal Party defeated this bill. With a very political “not invented here” spin, their vote was whipped to follow party instructions: vote no. Makes a joke out of the words they’ve written to announce the new Canada Water Agency. And those healthy oceans will just have to wait for the right political party to have a good idea.

Public Fishery Alliance Video

The Public Fishery Alliance (PFA) has produced a video that tells about a five-year self funded program – the Sooke Chinook Enhancement Initiative – to put more Chinook into Juan de Fuca Strait to increase the food supply for southern resident killer whales in the summer. Some of those fish will benefit anglers and provide the opportunity for First Nations terminal fishing, plus commercial fisheries, and feed other pods of whales and marine mammals.

We all benefit by moving from Chinook shortages to Chinook abundances. If only our federal government thought this way, too.