Emergency Victoria and Area SFAB Committee Meeting re: 2018 Chinook

What:	Emergency DFO 2018 Chinook Management Proposal
Host:	Victoria and Area SFAB Committee
When:	Friday May 4th at 7:00pm
Location:	Four Points Sheraton Hotel, 829 McCallum Road, Langford

Chris Bos, Victoria and Area Committee Chair for the Sport Fishing Advisory Board, writes:

All are welcome to attend and please share this meeting invitation broadly so local salmon anglers know about it. There is no charge to attend, parking is free and the facilities are wheelchair accessible. There will be a cash bar in the room and I understand the hotel is planning a meeting dinner special in the restaurant for those who want to eat there before the meeting starts.

The meeting agenda will include:

PowerPoint about the DFO proposed additional Fraser Chinook measures in 2018

The proposed local SFAB committee response and a summary about other PFMAs where possible

PowerPoint update about the DFO Proposed Southern Resident Killer Whale closures

Initiating an angler-based stock composition and bio-sampling program

I look forward to seeing everyone there.

SFAB Main Board meeting April 14-15, Richmond, BC

The Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) main board is meeting this coming weekend, April 14-15, 2018 at the Airport Marriot Hotel, 7571 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC. The public is welcome. Please respect the meeting chairperson with regard to speaking or presenting at this event. Follow this link to learn how to request meeting materials.

At a March 20, 2018 meeting of the Upper Fraser Valley Sport Fishing Advisory Committee, an update on enforcement of fishing regulations raised a number of concerns, among these being the few Fisheries Officers and Conservation Officers available to keep order, and the significant number of illegal net sets these few officers managed to catch. Which begs the question as to how much illegal fishing on the river goes unremarked?

5. Enforcement Update – C&P, F.V. East (FVE) –D. Clift

During 2017-18 season C&P staff levels/resources were very low (e.g. down from 11 Fishery Officers(FOs) to 5 F/T FOs and 1 Recruit);

Provincial CO Service are short also and are currently hiring more staff;

Low C&P resource levels also impacts ability to respond to new & emerging priorities;

Mission C&P Office is closed;

2017 season enforcement stats summary: 126 illegal set nets, 90 violation tickets issued, 37 warnings and over 2000 fishers checked;

ORR staffing issue (i.e. limited/reduced coverage during 2017 season) impacted FO patrols;

Areas of reported high non-compliance in recreational fisheries were the Stave and Vedder Canal at Keith Wilson bridge.

Concern expressed by committee members about observed increase in number of cars seen
on Vedder Canal Dykes and potential impacts of these activities on riparian habitat areas; it
was confirmed that rules (i.e. bylaws) are in place prohibiting motorized vehicles.
General reminder to report fisheries enforcement concerns to Observe, Record, Report
(ORR) line 1-800-465-4336 & Report All Poachers and Polluters (RAPP) 1-877-952-7277.