Federal government urged to restrict jet boats, protect salmon on upper Pitt River

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Originally Posted by adriaticum

I agree with this. Jet boats have enabled every Tom, Dick and Harry to blaze u rivers snd create turbulence. Why do we have to go everywhere and disturb everything.

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Ever been in a jet boat

I feel like one those who have rode up the Pitt should only comment.


they local fishing lodge owner isn’t a fan on jet boats on his river, I wonder if that has anything to do with this?.

also, as we all know once one River is shut down then why not shut down all of them ?




science above Both sides opinions, otherwise everything is arbitrary

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Originally Posted by bigredchev

I feel like one those who have rode up the Pitt should only comment.


they local fishing lodge owner isn’t a fan on jet boats on his river, I wonder if that has anything to do with this?.

also, as we all know once one River is shut down then why not shut down all of them ?




science above Both sides opinions, otherwise everything is arbitrary

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Danny from the lodge always tells the media that jet boats are ruining the river, but his hired guides park their jet boats right in front of the lodge. Hmmmm, hypocrite???

I haven't been up the Pitt in a Jet boat but I have watched several videos of people doing so for fun and
to see where they can go, including very shallow gravel bedded parts of the river. I've also watched Jet boats
doing the same on the Fraser. Like most things, if people used common sense this wouldn't be such an issue.
"“Jet boats used to be something I could live with,” said Bailey, explaining that in the past fishing guides often
took clients upriver to fish from shore. “But now, it’s just exploded. These aren’t fishermen, they’re thrill-seekers.
That would be fine, but not at the cost of our salmon.” With the exploding population of people seeking places
to play, enjoy the outdoors, including hunting and fishing, while less and less areas are available to them, it puts
tremendous pressure on what's left. So many places have already been regulated and restricted in an effort to
protect the environment. The West Coast Trail and Bowen Lakes are good examples. The Pitt will have to be regulated
and or restricted as well....just too many people with their toys now-a-days!

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Originally Posted by Big Lew

I haven't been up the Pitt in a Jet boat but I have watched several videos of people doing so for fun and
to see where they can go, including very shallow gravel bedded parts of the river. I've also watched Jet boats
doing the same on the Fraser. Like most things, if people used common sense this wouldn't be such an issue.
"“Jet boats used to be something I could live with,” said Bailey, explaining that in the past fishing guides often
took clients upriver to fish from shore. “But now, it’s just exploded. These aren’t fishermen, they’re thrill-seekers.
That would be fine, but not at the cost of our salmon.” With the exploding population of people seeking places
to play, enjoy the outdoors, including hunting and fishing, while less and less areas are available to them, it puts
tremendous pressure on what's left. So many places have already been regulated and restricted in an effort to
protect the environment. The West Coast Trail and Bowen Lakes are good examples. The Pitt will have to be regulated
and or restricted as well....just too many people with their toys now-a-days!

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Sadly we always have bad apples ruining the barrel. Enforcement is needed everywhere but I don’t see that happening much either anymore.

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Originally Posted by Ride Red

Sadly we always have bad apples ruining the barrel. Enforcement is needed everywhere but I don’t see that happening much either anymore.

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And that is the biggest part, other than common sense, of the problem. Just look at the way people drive
lately! Excessive speeding is just one issue, so many are purposely running stop lights and signs. As a former
commercial driving trainer and tester I just shake my head at what's happening out there. Even the private
training companies are teaching new drivers both illegal and poor driving habits. Hardly anyone is out there
enforcing even the basic rules which 'John Doe public' notices so it's a free for all and then they complain about
how high our insurance rates are.

This has more to do with two user groups having a complete monopoly of the upper Pitt so the only way to access it will be through them.

If conservation is a concern then there is more avenues to explore, however the clueless general public isnt looking for that.

If there is damage to spawning beds occurring and there is a conservation concern then I'm fine with shutting the river down to jet boats. But it needs to be shut down for all user groups including natives....and like that is ever going to happen.

Fisheries spent $2 million on the Upper Pitt River hatchery last year cleaning up and some storage facilities. When asked of what should be done for enhancement; the off the record comment was, Stop netting the rivers.

Here we go again, this was already tried by the lodge operator about ten years ago. I actually made it on global news as I and two buddies went by in our boats, they called us "jet boat rowdies".
Of course that was a business entrepreneur trying to stop them not a native so might be a little different this time.
Why don't they just shut it down to fishing all together then there would be very few boats making that extremely dangerous trip.