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.