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News reports (and here) have said that the DFO has restored earlier announced cuts to the Salmonid Enhancement Program.
“There will be no reductions to the Salmonid Enhancement Program: all these programs will continue. This includes the educational and technical contracts that support Stream to Sea and Salmonids in the Classroom, the SEP Resource Restoration Unit, and the hatchery production of Steelhead and Cutthroat trout,” said Vance Chow, spokesperson for DFO.
If you fish the salt water and target chinook or chum salmon, you should be interested in participating in this webinar.
DFO would like to invite you to participate in a webinar from 10:30–12:00 PST on June 20, 2017 regarding management measures on prey availability resulting from the Review of the Effectiveness of Recovery Measures for Southern Resident Killer Whale. If you are interested in participating in this session, please respond by email at: sara.xpac@dfo-mpo.gc.ca by June 18, 2017. You may also register for this webinar at the following link:
https://gts-ee.webex.com/gts-ee/j.php?RGID=rcbb30d0de71a0f70a94cfbc0ecbf8e66.
The full fisheries notice is posted here.
Now’s the time to get out those family members and friends who never buy a fishing license, but often say they’d love to go fishing. The barrier to participation is as low as it can get this coming weekend. See this news release from DFO for full details.
Get together with family and friends to celebrate the great tradition of sport fishing!
During B.C.’s annual Family Fishing Weekend (June 16, 17 and 18), Canadian residents can go fishing in B.C. at no cost. We’re offering British Columbians an opportunity to fish without a licence for Father’s Day weekend (see exceptions below).
All area closures, fishing limits and restrictions apply. See the B.C. Sport Fishing Guide for details. Please learn about when and where you can fish and do your part to conserve and protect B.C. fisheries.
The B.C. Government also offers a complimentary three-day basic freshwater licence valid only for Father’s Day weekend.
The exceptions noted translate to:
As noted in the excerpt above, all other rules apply, so while there may be more people fishing, it’s not a free for all!
DFO has engaged the SFI to collect information regarding the “where and when” of sports fishing activity in BC tidal waters. This information combined with mapping can then be used to inform upcoming meetings regarding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the Oceans Protection Plan (OPP).
If you’re willing to contribute your knowledge, the SFI is seeking volunteers for input. You may provide your knowledge and insights online or in-person, at the cost to you of about an hour. Please contact the SFI at mapping@sportfishing.bc.ca or 250.591.0734 to schedule a discussion about the Pacific Fisheries Management Area(s) with which you are familiar.
The June 3rd Times-Colonist includes a letter from a former fish-health technician critical of the recent cuts in funding by the DFO to the Stream to Sea Education Program. This is one response to the recent statement by the federal government regarding their Oceans Protection Plan.
Dateline of May 26, 2017:
It was revealed Friday that the Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Resource Restoration Unit is being eliminated, along with two other salmon enhancement programs, including the education and technical Support contracts and the production of steelhead and cutthroat trout at salmon enhancement program hatcheries.
The Resource Restoration Unit included biologists who went out into the field to investigate habitat issues and provided advice and guidance to enhance and restore habitats, according to local conservationists.
The unit will be phased out over three years, according to the government representative.
See more at The Squamish Chief website.
Read the CBC’s writeup on the upcoming chinook smolt release, facilitated by the South Vancouver Island Angler’s Coalition. An excerpt:
By the end of May, the first batch of around 220,000 young Chinook salmon will be released into the ocean to help feed B.C.’s endangered orcas.
The project, long in the works, is privately funded and was approved by the federal government last year. It involved catching wild fish and facilitating their reproduction in a hatchery — and now the smolts are set to be released off the docks of the Sooke Harbour Resort and Marina.
“It’s a win-win for everyone,” said Christopher Bos, president of the South Vancouver Island Angler’s Coalition.
Here are the minutes of the April 2017 meeting of the ACS.
The ACS website is undergoing a needed refresh. No big layout changes are planned, just some updating to the information contained. Also hoping to get the last several ACS meeting minutes posted here, and then the latest meeting minutes too once they’re approved.