BCWF Promoting a Steelhead Hatchery for Bulkley & Retention On Haida Gwaii River

[Lastcar]

Just saw this posted on FB from a very reliable source. Longtime advocate for our fisheries and sport fishing.

"So the BC Wildlife Federation, those fine fellows representing '50'000 hunters and fishers across the province' recently motioned, and a SFAB meeting (sportfish advisory) a STEELHEAD hatchery program for the Bulkley River and a wild fish Kill fishery on the Yakoun River on Haida Gwaii.Yes this is 2016 and no joke...somehow I seem to think they are trapped in 1972, which given the average members age, makes sense."

Be curious to hear about what the Fed's has to say. Why they think this is a good idea.

Seems insane to me. But I am by no means up to speed on the ins and outs of wellbeing of our steelhead and salmon.

First glance I am far from happy about this.

[Fella]

Wasn't there a recent study that showed hatchery fish as being genetically inferior to wild? Doesn't it make more sense to preserve and protect wild populations rather than killing them if the populations can't sustain a kill fishery?

[SPEYMAN]

Suggest the BCWF follow the lead of those that know and stop their determination to screw up the finest fishery in this Province.














Formed in 1970 by a group of dedicated Steelhead anglers concerned about the state of wild steelhead stocks and the wild rivers of British Columbia, the Steelhead Society is a charitable non-profit river conservation organization. The Society has evolved to advocate for the health of all wild salmonids and wild rivers in British Columbia.

Considered to be "one of the most important conservation organizations in North America", the Steelhead Society primarily consists of members from across North America, but has members from around the world. Our members' support, as well as private donations and monies raised through fundraising campaigns, funds advocacy actions and awareness in the public spectrum, and acts to encourage positive change in government and private enterprise.

What is the aim of the Steelhead Society?

The Steelhead Society's mandate is to encourage the conservation and restoration of wild fish and the wild rivers they inhabit. To this end, the Steelhead Society has been able to form alliances and partnerships with First Nations; Federal and Provincial government agencies, politicians, forestry companies, grass roots organizations, media, and outdoor equipment manufacturers.

These alliances encourage awareness of the sensitivity of watersheds and their inhabitants, with a unified goal of improving damaged habitats for the greater good of all involved parties.

The Steelhead Society is dedicated to the ongoing advocacy of environmental education, stream restoration, dam decommissioning options, maintaining flow rates, mitigating the effects of hatchery programs, effective control of the Aquaculture Industry, as well as holding government and public agencies responsible for the natural heritage rivers provide.

Society members have in common a dedication to protecting, enhancing and restoring BC's wild salmon and steelhead habitat.


Leave the wild stock alone, they managed themselves for thousands of years. Man made management has been a disaster.

[Lastcar]

Wasn't there a recent study that showed hatchery fish as being genetically inferior to wild? Doesn't it make more sense to preserve and protect wild populations rather than killing them if the populations can't sustain a kill fishery?

Pretty sure the debate on hatchery vs wild will never end. Even if there are no wild fish left.

I think each side can find studies and arguments for both.

But yes, the scientific consensus seems to be wild is superior to hatchery.

From a sport fishery, naturally the more fish the better. Which is where some of the pressure comes from. I am not sure how much pressure we'd see for a hatchery if it wasn't for sport fishing. You don't see a ton done for the betterment of wildlife and nature unless there is a non government organization behind it.

Hatchery advocates see the demise or elimination of wild stocks as their opening to push the hatchery agenda with little resistance. Hatchery fish are better than no fish.

This all said, I sure seems like a losing battle for those on the side of wild fish. The policy makers are just piling on to whatever mother nature is adding to the equation as well. Although some would argue the bulk of the problem is manmade. Wouldn't take much to convince me of that.

And no, I don't mean climate change. Ample other habitat abuse and loss along with overfishing to tackle before injecting climate change arguments.

Ocean survivability seems to be a serious problem too.

But again, I am an armchair observer. Much smarter people than I can speak to it in more detail.

And interesting group to follow is http://www.nativefishsociety.org/ they seem to be accomplishing a ton for the wild fish in Oregon. Power in numbers I guess.

[adriaticum]

Wasn't there a recent study that showed hatchery fish as being genetically inferior to wild? Doesn't it make more sense to preserve and protect wild populations rather than killing them if the populations can't sustain a kill fishery?

It's true. But this fact has nothing to do with the reality that poaching alone would eliminate many steelhead runs.
The law of supply and demand is simple.
If we didn't have hatcheries around LML there would be no fish to speak of now.

[SPEYMAN]

The problem is that the old time, antiquated thinking of the BCWF is what stops many from joining. We must all be conservationists, environmentalists, protectors of our natural resources as well as being responsible hunters and fishers.

[Philcott]

The problem is that the old time, antiquated thinking of the BCWF is what stops many from joining. We must all be conservationists, environmentalists, protectors of our natural resources as well as being responsible hunters and fishers.

The only way for the thinking to change is for some young bucks with new and un-antiquated thinking to join the federation then step up to the plate and bring in fresh ideas. Don't you think?

[Ed George]

The harvest fishery for region 6 is for fish that are in a "routine management" zone which means that there are no conservation concerns. These systems are at or over capacity and the province prefers to allocate more fish to non-residents through rod days for angling guides as opposed to letting a resident bonk one and actually eat it. These streams in region 6 are not the Thompson and do not see the pressure of lower mainland systems.

Hatcheries have a place in stock recovery. The Cheakamus is a prime example, a rail car of caustic soda went off the tracks and dumped into the river killing everything below the accident site. CN was extremely good at fixing the damage, if it was going to repair or restore what was done they paid without complaint. The hatchery was used to rear steelhead and released back into the system, the run that previously showed float counts of around 300 was showing 1700+ after remediation.

The SFAB has been pulled into the steelhead issue due to the Thompson and Chilko rivers, runs are the lowest in history with counts of 440 for the Thompson and 140 for the Chilko. The SFAB is a federal advisory program that has been working for more than 50 years but being federal has no real say as steelhead are provincial jurisdiction. How low do the numbers have to be before "we" say enough and intervene to save what is left? We can still get "pure brood stock" for the systems involved. Do you believe the habitat is going to repair itself in time to save the stocks or should we help?

[BgBlkDg]

I did that in the mid-80s, aged late 30s and with a lot of serious bushtime and college study in biology, had years of experience with salmonids and reading scientific literature concerning them.

I was asked to be on the then Lower Mainland executive and accepted, but, sorry, the "blinkers" on most of the lopngterm members were SO limiting and I then resigned to work for the CCG. I did not attempt to return as I felt that ONLY certain opinions were acceptable and I still feel that is the case.

[Eastbranch]

The harvest fishery for region 6 is for fish that are in a "routine management" zone which means that there are no conservation concerns. These systems are at or over capacity and the province prefers to allocate more fish to non-residents through rod days for angling guides as opposed to letting a resident bonk one and actually eat it. These streams in region 6 are not the Thompson and do not see the pressure of lower mainland systems.

This post illustrates a complete lack of knowledge about skeena region steelhead.

The BCWF in it's history has never come to the table with a biologically sound fish management recommendation. So nothing has changed.