Tag «JDF»

Notice of Victoria SFAB Evening Meeting Nov 6 at 7pm

WHAT Victoria and Area SFAB Committee Post-Season Meeting
WHEN Tuesday November 6th, 2018 (7:00 p.m.- 10:30 p.m.)
WHERE Sooke Community Hall,  2037 Shields Road, Sooke BC

This meeting is open to the angling community and the public – please feel free to broadcast this information so we consult with a greater audience.

Draft meeting minutes from Wed Oct 17th can be read here.

Draft Agenda for Tuesday Evening’s meeting:

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Remembering Gary West
  • Shellfish Aquaculture Tenure Proposals – Possession Point, Sooke (Presentation)
  • Summary of last Victoria and Area SFAB Committee Meeting (Wed Oct 17th)
  • Adoption of the minutes from the last meeting
  • SC Regional Updates
  • 2018 Consultation Timing regarding Salmon Measures (SFAB, IHPC, 25-35% Reduction, SRKW)
  • Post-Season Chinook Salmon Fishing (Angler Observations)
  • 2018 and 2019 Halibut Seasons +  TAC Expectation and Committee Guidance on 2019 Season (partial)
  • Southern Resident Killer Whale Measures and JDF and Gulf Islands Closures
  • Commercial Crabbing Concerns
  • Shellfish Aquaculture Tenure Proposals – Salt Spring Island
  • Creel Verification Project – Trailer Counting 2018 + Camera Info + angler DNA Collection
  • Enhancement Update
  • SFAB Representative Elections

Comment on DFO’s SRKW discussion document re: closures by March 15

DFO has proposed measures intended to provide food (chinook salmon) and perhaps less interaction with sport fishing vessels for SRKW. These measures include shutting down salmon fishing in specific areas from May 1 to September 30 of this year.

You can read their SRKW Discussion Paper Final Feb 15 2018.

As an example of proposed measures, for the Strait of Juan de Fuca west of Sooke, they showed this map as captioned:

SRKW forage areas in JDF west of Sooke
Juan De Fuca Map showing SRKW Foraging areas and Rockfish Conservation Areas (RCAs).

and followed it with this information:

Proposed Management Measures: For this area, an experimental approach is proposed with salmon fishing or fin fish closures proposed for Subareas 20-3 and 20-4 from May 1 to September 30. Monitoring is planned to compare SRKW foraging behaviour in these areas with the adjacent Subareas 20-1 and 20-5, which will remain open to fin fish.

Other areas discussed are named as Pender Island, Saturna Island and Mouth of the Fraser.

You have an opportunity to submit your remarks on this topic to the DFO by March 15 using the form Southern Resident Killer Whale Discussion Paper Feedback Form, which is formatted by DFO as a Microsoft Word document.

DFO Responds to ACS on SRKW and Net Pens

Following the October 10-12 2017 Orca symposium in Vancouver, ACS president Tom Cole wrote to The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, with his concerns about the protracted strategizing, studying and analysis of the prey shortage for SRKW; and the lack of action beyond meetings and discussions in the short term.

The main problem for the SRKW is the availability of the ocean and surrounding water courses to produce enough food for these animals; the problem is now and not 5 years from now…

Tom further stated his strong view – shared amongst many recreational and commercial fishermen, plus whale watching interests – that we already have the solution ready at hand:

The answer to the feed problem is to champion the Chinook net pen projects that have proven to create CHINOOK BETTER THAN MOST HATCHERIES CAN!

Finally Tom pointed out that in addition to the three volunteer run and staffed net pen projects already in the Juan de Fuca Strait area, there is potential to re-start three other net pen projects that have languished for want of funds and approval from the DFO in Ottawa.

On December 12, The Minister responded. While reiterating the current state of strategizing, studying and analysis, he offered the following:

DFO is considering various options to increase prey availability for SRKW in addition to current work. Hatchery and net pen fish production is one of the options being contemplated… Hatchery production planning, including net pen projects, is conducted through the annual Integrated Fish Management Planning process, which is soon to begin.

…and pointed out that project enquiries should be directed to the local DFO Community Advisor in our area.

For lower Vancouver Island, including the Southern Gulf Islands and the Cowichan River watershed, the local DFO Community Advisor is Chantal Nessman, with contact info as:

Phone 250-746-5137
Mailing Address 5245 Trans Canada Highway
Duncan, BC
V0R 2C0
Email address Chantal.Nessman@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

You may read the full exchange here.

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