The Dino is indeed managing this resource to zero.
This is something they are well experienced in doing, and they are actively working on more every single passing day.
The
ONLY sector to be consider for reductions is recreational.
NOTHING for the commercial fleet, nor FN's (many of whom operate commercially throughout the year).
The largest impact to the resource
BY FAR is the commercial sector in this instance.
That is due to the way they are "
managed". It is a wide open fishery for a recognized
Over Capacity fleet, no area licenses or attachments of license to area whatsoever. HUGE "limit" to the number of traps they can use, and license stacking is allowed (multiple trap limits).
Standard commercial operations are to flood the area with harvesters, fish the resource down to almost nothing, pull the pin and repeat elsewhere. It can take multiple years for any given area to recover as a consequence (Barkley Sound is a prime example).
In a recent SFAC meeting, i asked DFO's head prawn bio if he understood the definition of Insanity.
He bristled, then continued to support their "
management" program as the right way to go.
Insane.
There will be no realized "
savings" of the resource through this action.
Any "saved" will end up in commercial or FN traps.
Really.
There is a lengthy discussion on this matter on SFBC. Any interested should really have a look:
https://www.sportfishingbc.com/forum...sidered.72479/
A quote from that thread:
"So what is happening here is the Commercial catch is crashing due to the Commercial over-capacity, and the only way for DFO to manage their way out of the bed they crapped in, is to take away the rec catch and fill the gap. Its a false economy, and left alone DFO and the Commercial fleet will manage to zero. Only then will we see a fleet rationalization to reduce effort/capacity.
East coast cod fishery is a lesson not learned."
aYup.
Not happy with what you're hearing?
Then
DO SOMETHING about it!
Get involved with your local Sport Fish Advisory Council (SFAC).
Encourage them to send in their own letters to try an counter this draconian move and not rely on the SFAB alone to do so.
Send in your own concerns:
<
Min@dfo-mpo.gc.ca >
Minister’s Office
200 Kent Street
Station 15N100
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0E6
Rebecca.Reid@dfo-mpo.gc.ca ( Regional Director-General)
Laura.Brown@dfo-mpo.gc.ca ( Director, South Coast)
Colin.Masson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca (Director, North Coast )
Jeff.Johansen@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Regional Shellfish Manager
Andy.Thompson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Neil.Davis@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Jeff.Grout@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Brad.Breith@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Carole.Eros@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Stephen.Groves@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Juanita.Groves@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
John.Webb@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
There are a handful of suggestions on what to include in your letter on the SFBC link above, along with a mountain of information pertaining to this matter.
Only continuing pressure will make DFO reconsider. I hope some from here will take to time to get their two pesos in.
But given the
Apathy among our own (something DFO actually relies on time & time again) I have to openly wonder if anyone actually will...
There is no science in regards to this change. This is politics and only politics will solve it...
Nog