"Damn near extinction:" Interior steelhead run expected to be very small

[IronNoggin]

"Damn near extinction:" Interior steelhead run expected to be very smallIn the past, the federal government has declined to pursue an emergency listing of the Interior steelhead as endangered under the Species At Risk Act, citing the adverse impact of widespread fishery closures on First Nations, recreational and commercial fisheries.

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/damn-near-extinction-interior-steelhead-run-expected-to-be-very-small

[Ride Red]

Dfo and the Feds are completely useless. What needs to happen is a complete closure on net use first and foremost, then a complete rehabilitation program for all stocks. Stop blaming climate whatever and sitting on your hands. A boots to the ground approach and cash injected to support habitat/spawning grounds and hatcheries. Saw all this coming when I brood stocked and it could have been a huge turnaround if they acted then. But oh no, wait till there’s a complete collapse and pass it off as climate whatever. Such a joke; everyone involved should be fired without compensation and no pensions.

[Bigdoggdon]

They've been talking about the dire straights of the Interior Steelhead for years. I honestly thought that they had gone quietly extinct already

[Imdone]

No surprise here Nog

It's quite sickening what our Government has watched for years, know full well what's been happening, yet done nothing.

Very disturbing actually letting it get to what it is now.

[weatherbyjunkie]

They've been talking about the dire straights of the Interior Steelhead for years. I honestly thought that they had gone quietly extinct already

THIS!!! It would be nice to see the government give a rats ass! as mentioned, hatcheries, closures, maybe throw in a seal/sea lion cull. Im not an expert but something has to be better than nothing.....

[IronNoggin]

Hooton's Take: http://steelheadvoices.com/?p=2715#more-2715

[steel_ram]

Those pesky steelhead get in the way of so many environmentally insensitive projects. It's a tragedy that didn't have to happen.

[Grizzlydick]

B.C. motto told to me 45 years ago, "Log it burn it pave it". Say no more...........

[adriaticum]

I don't think world economy, population, globalization care about one fish in one body of water.
As much as it pains me to see it, it's a simple effect of human population growth.
If world population reaches 10 B as projected, BC will lose many species of wild animals and many wild places.
Russia, Alaska and BC are the last bastions of true wilderness and BC much less than the others.
Because I've lived in Europe and know that there are no wild places in Europe left, this will be the fate of BC as well.
If Canadian agenda of reaching 100 M in population by 2100 is accomplished, we will be the last generations who will enjoy hunting/fishing/outdoors like it is right now.
Yesterday I went fishing after a couple of years to one of my favourite small rivers and it was a work day.
I figured there wouldn't be many people out.
I was shocked to see how many people were out 1 hour before sunrise parked and waiting for daylight.
It's horrifying.
European landlocked salmon (Lat. Hucho hucho) from the Taimen family, is also almost extinct in many rivers.
It exists in few pristine rivers and threatened in many.

But as it always is, new generations don't know what they are missing.
Much like we don't really understand what it means to "walk on the backs of salmon",
new generations won't know what it means to catch a steelhead.

[Livewire322]

I don't think world economy, population, globalization care about one fish in one body of water.
As much as it pains me to see it, it's a simple effect of human population growth.
If world population reaches 10 B as projected, BC will lose many species of wild animals and many wild places.
Russia, Alaska and BC are the last bastions of true wilderness and BC much less than the others.
Because I've lived in Europe and know that there are no wild places in Europe left, this will be the fate of BC as well.
If Canadian agenda of reaching 100 M in population by 2100 is accomplished, we will be the last generations who will enjoy hunting/fishing/outdoors like it is right now.
Yesterday I went fishing after a couple of years to one of my favourite small rivers and it was a work day.
I figured there wouldn't be many people out.
I was shocked to see how many people were out 1 hour before sunrise parked and waiting for daylight.
It's horrifying.
European landlocked salmon (Lat. Hucho hucho) from the Taimen family, is also almost extinct in many rivers.
It exists in few pristine rivers and threatened in many.

But as it always is, new generations don't know what they are missing.
Much like we don't really understand what it means to "walk on the backs of salmon",
new generations won't know what it means to catch a steelhead.

That’s a rather alarmist outlook. You need only look to our brothers south of the border to see that hunting and angling can thrive with a population of 328 million on roughly 1/3 of the land mass we have.

[Harvest the Land]

They should've been listed under SARA years ago like the govt's own fisheries scientists were recommending, but McKenna, Wilkinson and the Turd all said no cause they didn't want to alienate the FN's by forcing them to get their nets out of the lower Fraser. Makes me want to puke.

If FN's really are better stewards of the land and natural resources as they claim to be, then why haven't they voluntarily taken their nets out of the river?

Its pretty obvious that when these lower Fraser FN bands and politicians say they care about recovering our salmon and steelhead populations that they're being entirely disingenuous and deceitful.

Get the nets out of the river and list these fish under SARA. Until that happens nothing will change

[adriaticum]

That’s a rather alarmist outlook. You need only look to our brothers south of the border to see that hunting and angling can thrive with a population of 328 million on roughly 1/3 of the land mass we have.


Sure it's alarmist.
Imagine if Canada triples it's population, what do you think will happen to the US?
It will triple too, most likely double.
Canada and the US will not be the way they are currently (border wise). There will be some border changes and integration.
I fully expect that there will be some Schengen style "free" movement of people and goods.
Which means development will also be rampant.
Hunting in the US in many states is nothing like hunting Canadian public land. Only some western states have public land the way we do.
US has already experienced some of it's major loses in terms of fishing. Columbia river for example.
We've lost the Fraser only about 10 years go and it will be a bit more to lose the Skeena.
But it will happen.
I consider the Fraser lost. I'm sure many would disagree.

US is not a third of Canadian land mass. Don't know where you got that. US is 5-ish percent smaller or so.
Plus US has more livable area than Canada by a large margin.
US climate is much better.
Unless you consider Tuktoyaktuk a livable area.

[adriaticum]

Its pretty obvious that when these lower Fraser FN bands and politicians say they care about recovering our salmon and steelhead populations that they're being entirely disingenuous and deceitful.

Get the nets out of the river and list these fish under SARA. Until that happens nothing will change

Frankly, FN bycatch is a small percentage of the problem.
It's a problem by not as much as commercial fisheries in the ocean.
By some estimates Ocean fish have declined overall by 50 percent in the past 40 years.
Significantly more in many areas/species.

But because Thompson steelhead was such a small run it's noticeable.
If the run was 3000 fish in 1970 and 100 fish in 2020, it's an 85 percent decline.
It follows a regular trend.
If we keep fishing international waters at the rate we are (China, Japan) the ocean is ****ed.

I would like to see bans on fishing and any exploitation of International waters.
Chinese and Japanese fishing fleets have been raping the oceans now more than ever.
Once they start building nuclear powered fishing vessels, they will be able to stay out in the ocean indefinitely.

To be honest Sea Shepherds, those aggressive environmentalist militants are starting to look more appealing to me by the day.

[Harvest the Land]

Frankly, FN bycatch is a small percentage of the problem.
It's a problem by not as much as commercial fisheries in the ocean.
By some estimates Ocean fish have declined overall by 50 percent in the past 40 years.
Significantly more in many areas/species.

But because Thompson steelhead was such a small run it's noticeable.
If the run was 3000 fish in 1970 and 100 fish in 2020, it's an 85 percent decline.
It follows a regular trend.
If we keep fishing international waters at the rate we are (China, Japan) the ocean is ****ed.

I would like to see bans on fishing and any exploitation of International waters.
Chinese and Japanese fishing fleets have been raping the oceans now more than ever.
Once they start building nuclear powered fishing vessels, they will be able to stay out in the ocean indefinitely.

To be honest Sea Shepherds, those aggressive environmentalist militants are starting to look more appealing to me by the day.

Curious, do you fish the tidal Fraser? If so, surely you must have seen the commercial (when there used to be openings for them) and FN's throwing steelhead and Coho overboard haven't you? Because I've seen it first hand for years I absolutely believe bycatch of steelhead in the Fraser is a major issue so we'll just have to agree to disagree there.

You don't really think bycatch of steelhead in the pacific Ocean is more of a problem than bycatch in the Fraser do you? How many folks do you know have ever caught a steelhead in the ocean?

[Livewire322]

Sure it's alarmist.
Imagine if Canada triples it's population, what do you think will happen to the US?
It will triple too, most likely double.
Canada and the US will not be the way they are currently (border wise). There will be some border changes and integration.
I fully expect that there will be some Schengen style "free" movement of people and goods.
Which means development will also be rampant.
Hunting in the US in many states is nothing like hunting Canadian public land. Only some western states have public land the way we do.
US has already experienced some of it's major loses in terms of fishing. Columbia river for example.
We've lost the Fraser only about 10 years go and it will be a bit more to lose the Skeena.
But it will happen.
I consider the Fraser lost. I'm sure many would disagree.

US is not a third of Canadian land mass. Don't know where you got that. US is 5-ish percent smaller or so.
Plus US has more livable area than Canada by a large margin.
US climate is much better.
Unless you consider Tuktoyaktuk a livable area.

My bad, square miles vs square KM. My point still stands. The contiguous states cover less area than Canada and host a population of 328 million - they still have hunting opportunities. Will things change? Yes. Hunting opportunities today in BC are a shadow of their former states, but they are still great. Far more, the issue will be contesting with private land ownership, as is the case in many states and Europe.

Hospitable land isn’t the issue, look at cities like São Paulo and Hong Kong - 12.3 and 7.4 million people. Both cover half the area of the GVRD. Heck, Tokyo proper has a population of 13.9 million in an area roughly the size of the GVRD. People are stackable like lego.

As for your conjecture on a new quasi-schengen zone including the USA and Canada, keep dreaming. The proliferation of arms in the USA isn’t a problem that can be solved. I don’t care what bans the governments think up, people down there will not turn in their guns, and the Canadian population largely wouldn’t tolerate free flow of that over to here. And that’s just one barrier to it happening.

The simple fact is that there will still very likely be hunting and fishing opportunities in a Canada with 100 million people, just as there is in a USA with 328 million people.

[adriaticum]

Curious, do you fish the tidal Fraser? If so, surely you must have seen the commercial (when there used to be openings for them) and FN's throwing steelhead and Coho overboard haven't you? Because I've seen it first hand for years I absolutely believe bycatch of steelhead in the Fraser is a major issue so we'll just have to agree to disagree there.

You don't really think bycatch of steelhead in the pacific Ocean is more of a problem than bycatch in the Fraser do you? How many folks do you know have ever caught a steelhead in the ocean?


I agree with you to a point.
Yes it's reasonable to assume that chances of catching a steelhead from a Thompson run is greater in the Fraser, but we can't even fathom the amount of commercial fishing that takes place in Alaska and in the top 1/3 of the Pacific ocean.
Do you really think some Chinese commercial fisherman catching cod, or salmon, can tell a steelhead?
They just take the bycatch that they don't want and grind it into dog food.
Yes, I fish the Fraser and I haven't personally seen any steelhead caught in the nets, I've seen them dead on the banks.
Steelhead hang in the same places salmon hang in the ocean.
I would bet my money that more get caught in salmon nets in the ocean.
Although I have no way to prove it, other than sheer numbers.
At least our commercial fishermen and FN know what steelhead are and are required to release them.
Which is not the same for most of the other fishermen.
Fraser river fishermen and FN fishing in their own back yard are aware of the issues, while international commercial fishermen don't care about the isssues.
They just come to load up their boats and leave as soon as possible.

[Livewire322]

Frankly, FN bycatch is a small percentage of the problem.
It's a problem by not as much as commercial fisheries in the ocean.
By some estimates Ocean fish have declined overall by 50 percent in the past 40 years.
Significantly more in many areas/species.

But because Thompson steelhead was such a small run it's noticeable.
If the run was 3000 fish in 1970 and 100 fish in 2020, it's an 85 percent decline.
It follows a regular trend.
If we keep fishing international waters at the rate we are (China, Japan) the ocean is ****ed.

I would like to see bans on fishing and any exploitation of International waters.
Chinese and Japanese fishing fleets have been raping the oceans now more than ever.
Once they start building nuclear powered fishing vessels, they will be able to stay out in the ocean indefinitely.

To be honest Sea Shepherds, those aggressive environmentalist militants are starting to look more appealing to me by the day.

On this we agree. We should treat incursions of those fleets like the Argentinians do - send them to the bottom.

[adriaticum]

My bad, square miles vs square KM. My point still stands. The contiguous states cover less area than Canada and host a population of 328 million - they still have hunting opportunities. Will things change? Yes. Hunting opportunities today in BC are a shadow of their former states, but they are still great. Far more, the issue will be contesting with private land ownership, as is the case in many states and Europe.

Hospitable land isn’t the issue, look at cities like São Paulo and Hong Kong - 12.3 and 7.4 million people. Both cover half the area of the GVRD.

As for your conjecture on a new quasi-schengen zone including the USA and Canada, keep dreaming. The proliferation of arms in the USA isn’t a problem that can be solved. I don’t care what bans the governments think up, people down there will not turn in their guns, and the Canadian population largely wouldn’t tolerate free flow of that over to here. And that’s just one barrier to it happening.

The simple fact is that there will still very likely be hunting and fishing opportunities in a Canada with 100 million people, just as there is in a USA with 328 million people.



Well, I agree with you.
There will still be hunting and fishing, there just won't be much killing/catching.
All we have to do is lower our standards and it will all be ok.

Why should a Canadian live in a 1000 sqft home, when in Hong Kong families live in 200 sqft just fine.
My 2 bdrm condo is 1350 sqft.
Now all new condos 2 bdrms in are 800 or less.
In 20 years they will be 500 or less.
I really feel my white privilege obstructing my view. ;)

[adriaticum]

In 2021, the average living space of public rental housing tenants in Hong Kong was 13.5 square meter per person. In the same year, the proportion of households with living space per person below 5.5 square meters was 0.5 percent.

145 Sq Feet.

[Livewire322]

In 2021, the average living space of public rental housing tenants in Hong Kong was 13.5 square meter per person. In the same year, the proportion of households with living space per person below 5.5 square meters was 0.5 percent.

145 Sq Feet.

The topic isn’t living conditions, it’s hunting and fishing opportunities in our country/province.

As you’ve pointed out with the commercial exploitation of fisheries by certain countries, the growth of global population represents a clear threat to the natural world. I think that the growth of certain other countries is far more of a problem than the growth of our own to 100 million over the next 79 years.


Short of a good old fashioned war or plague, there is SFA that can be done to prevent the population explosion. China tried the plague route recently and it hasn’t done all that well at reducing the population significantly…

[IronNoggin]

... Its pretty obvious that when these lower Fraser FN bands and politicians say they care about recovering our salmon and steelhead populations that they're being entirely disingenuous and deceitful...

You are entirely correct.

Consider this into that picture, and perhaps the notion you present might take hold in an even larger audience:

https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=251775&ID=all

That "official opening" is nothing but a free-for-all rape & pillage fishery in the guise of "reconciliation".
Complete and utter BS.

Nog

[IronNoggin]

Frankly, FN bycatch is a small percentage of the problem.
It's a problem by not as much as commercial fisheries in the ocean.


... I would bet my money that more get caught in salmon nets in the ocean.


Your blind ignorance is showing through once again.
The bycatch of steelhead (sturgeon, etc etc) in FN fisheries is the main causal agent in dumping IFS into the the extinction bucket.
Period.

While there are indeed concerns relating to the overfishing by foreign fleets, they are not the main factor in the case of IFS by a long shot.

Siding with Watson and his wacked out cronies is not a solution.

Nog

[tubby]

Nog is 100% correct.

[Ride Red]

[QUOTE=adriaticum;2291045]Frankly, FN bycatch is a small percentage of the problem.

You’ve obviously never spent any time on the Fraser. I started fishing it in the ‘80s and always stop to see what the indians have on the beach, boats or in totes. Sure there target species at the peak of the run outweighs the bycatch, but there is still a representative percentage of other fish in the mix. This nonselective catch cannot be returned to the water as they’re already deceased and many times are tossed aside for the birds to peck at. It’s disgusting to see steelhead left to rot and no one cares one bit because there’s no monetary value. Get in a boat and see for yourself.

[adriaticum]

[QUOTE=adriaticum;2291045]Frankly, FN bycatch is a small percentage of the problem.

You’ve obviously never spent any time on the Fraser. I started fishing it in the ‘80s and always stop to see what the indians have on the beach, boats or in totes. Sure there target species at the peak of the run outweighs the bycatch, but there is still a representative percentage of other fish in the mix. This nonselective catch cannot be returned to the water as they’re already deceased and many times are tossed aside for the birds to peck at. It’s disgusting to see steelhead left to rot and no one cares one bit because there’s no monetary value. Get in a boat and see for yourself.


I didn't say it wasn't a problem, I said is a smaller problem than ocean over fishing.
Salmon and steelhead distribution in the ocean is generally the same and I think you, and most people, underestimate the impact a long gillnet has on the steelhead.
Like I said, I don't have any empirical evidence of this, but reading about the Alaskan salmon fishery I am convinced that it's many times worse than it seems and it will crash salmon stocks unless something is done soon.
Alaskan salmon fishery is a shit show.

[IronNoggin]

"The time has come people. We either go to the wall here and now or we fold our tent and abandon any notion that our elected governments understand the word conservation. Everyone has to be held accountable, regardless of ethnic origin and the politics of the moment. The only immediately available option to deal with the IFS crisis today and the Skeena situation almost certain to follow is to eliminate gill nets. If SARA is the only avenue to make that happen then governments must be forced to make that call. None of the other fluff we’re promised will happen is ever going to produce a detectable additional steelhead in less than 5-10 years, even if all the stops were pulled immediately. IFS do not have the luxury of time. Besides, what sense does it make to spend millions in attempts to sustain populations whose potential spawners will swim into gill nets before they ever see gravel?"

http://steelheadvoices.com/?p=2731

[IronNoggin]

Episode 32: A Beginner’s Guide to Extinction - A Look at BC’s Steelhead Crisishttps://www.thecutbanksconversations.ca/episodes/jz3a33s4l2ih09tagkwwdfh5wq9lbl-e4p86-dbaw6-74tlc-3pclt-ekb4e-jjkm4-43wzm-ser8t-jxa87-dny42-xkca8-wrpjw-egw53-4h7ms-6523s-m3p64-7zlct-xshar

[IronNoggin]

You Can’t Make This Up

Staring us in the face we have the most obvious and critical conservation issue in recorded history facing Interior Fraser Steelhead (IFS). The predictability of that scenario has been as reliable as any that has ever been made for a salmon or steelhead return on the coast of British Columbia. Think Nass, Skeena and Dean for openers. Then throw in the Columbia to the south of us. The pattern was consistent throughout. It that wasn’t evidence enough of what would follow for IFS, I can’t imagine what doubters could point to that might offer the most remote possibility otherwise. And what are the people us lowly taxpayers front the cost of managing fisheries doing to address the unprecedented and undeniable conservation crisis?

On October 22 the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) issued an update on the status of the Fraser chum salmon returns. That would be the stock/species that has become the single biggest problem for IFS in recent years because those (heavily enhanced) chums’ return timing overlaps IFS, especially the Thompson component, completely.

Let’s think about this for a moment. The chum return is so poor that it won’t support any fishing, including economic opportunity fishing by First Nations. Two sentences later, though, we see that blank cheque of food, social and ceremonial fishing is good to go for 10% of the worst run in a decade and one predicted to reach only 60% of its escapement goal BEFORE that additional 10% is removed. If you’re a chum salmon or one of the last remaining IFS co-migrants, what difference does it make for the label on the net that kills you? Ah, but DFO has its IFMP prescriptions to fall back on that are supposed to be the salvation for IFS. That would be those now three year old, carbon copied measures like a rolling window closure for 27 days (exactly one third of the run timing period for IFS) and all those totally ineffective tweaks of gill net use that have been loudly criticized by the First Nations most responsible for the fishing that can’t possibly be anything but a further nail in the IFS coffin. The steelhead escapement estimates of the past three years stand as irrefutable evidence in that respect.

What does it take for all the players to recognize a conservation crisis? The situation facing IFS is not some silly allocation debate, it’s conservation in the extreme. Independent of interest group, everyone says they believe in conservation. DFO’s own policy (not law) they’ve trumpeted for a couple of decades now says conservation first, FSC fisheries second and all the rest a distant third. A new federal Minister of Fisheries will be announced on October 28. We need to inundate that person with demands to walk his agency’s talk.

http://steelheadvoices.com/?p=2740#more-2740

[S.W.A.T.]

Cutbanks did a good conversion on this. Not all questions have simple answers. Very complicated situation and not one single person is to blame but none is one single group free of the blame. Perhaps if everyone could agree and come to terms with the fact there is a issue then Perhaps we could start having the conversation about how to solve the problem.

[Bugle M In]

Well, this whole issue might be complex.
But, when steelhead run up rivers at the same time Chum do, then "one solution" is very simple....no nets in river!!
Yes, there might be plenty more things to look at as to causes etc.
But short term, this should be implemented.
Period.

[adriaticum]

I am not very optimistic that these unique steelhead runs can be saved.
Hoards don't really care about, amazing, unique things.
It's kind of funny when you read about these environmentalists going ballistic when rare owl, or some endangered frog or salamander are killed, but when a fish that BC is known for the world over is going extinct nobody says anything.

[Bugle M In]

I am not very optimistic that these unique steelhead runs can be saved.
Hoards don't really care about, amazing, unique things.
It's kind of funny when you read about these environmentalists going ballistic when rare owl, or some endangered frog or salamander are killed, but when a fish that BC is known for the world over is going extinct nobody says anything.
Without a doubt, you are sadly correct.
They are much more concerned about "freeing brittany speers"!!
But then again, that is the general public.
This is a matter for the DFO/Government both federally and provincially to put their foot down, regardless of reconciliation or
unmarked graves or whatever else is stopping "common sense and real action".

[S.W.A.T.]

Without a doubt, you are sadly correct.
They are much more concerned about "freeing brittany speers"!!
But then again, that is the general public.
This is a matter for the DFO/Government both federally and provincially to put their foot down, regardless of reconciliation or
unmarked graves or whatever else is stopping "common sense and real action".

Not that I agree with nets at all but if you haven't listened to the episode on the cutbanks conversation I highly recommend it. The numbers are astonishing and some of the science regarding the information is very interesting.

[Bugle M In]

Not that I agree with nets at all but if you haven't listened to the episode on the cutbanks conversation I highly recommend it. The numbers are astonishing and some of the science regarding the information is very interesting.
Will do, just saw the link by Nog

[Bugle M In]

I think Nog has already mentioned this, but is was watching the Pacific Angler Report for last friday, and it does sound like
even the Chum run is pretty poor this year.

Hate to say this folks, by i wonder if we do need to "re-invent the wheel" for fishing on a commercial/FN level.
Maybe it is time to get rid of the nets altogether , offshore (sorry Nog!) and in river.
And i am serious with this next part.
Maybe we need a combined fishery of both groups (commercial/FN) but using some real high tech wheels at the mouth of all
our rivers working shoulder to shoulder:shock:
At least any non target fish caught in these wheel scoops can be released for the most part safely and on their way.
Work out the percentages of how much the commercial keep to sell, how much the FN keep to distribute amongst bands on a
particular river and whats left they can sell commercially.
At least we would have an accurate count of what is taken.
Maybe save those species that need saving.
Yup, it would mean a lot of boats up for sale.
Certainly a change in lifestyle for some.
But hey, all salmon/steelhead do have to go from Ocean to river.
Where better to catch them anyways.

I know that seems far fetched.
But if we dont really overhaul the whole system, from top down and come up with a much better way to harvest, than i see it
all going south real quick.
And i know, there are many issues...complex ones that create this crap.
But using nets, no matter whom, for salmon type species, just seems so old school and maybe not the way forward.
Too destructive and nobody knows who is doing what anymore.

Just my thoughts...
I might be totally wrong here but the bottom is falling out folks!

[IronNoggin]

Maybe it is time to get rid of the nets altogether , offshore (sorry Nog!) and in river.

I might be totally wrong here but the bottom is falling out folks!

Nothing to be sorry about.
I am an Area G TROLLER. No nets involved.

In your latter statement you are correct.
And DFO twiddles it's collective thumbs while Rome is burning...

Nog

[THE SWEDE]

That special interest group is out there netting below the Golden Ears Bridge today.. 58…57…56….55

[IronNoggin]

And we just got a new totally unqualified DFO Minister with a background in activism and reconciliation support.

What could possibly go wrong...

Nog

[Bugle M In]

I am surprised with so many private documentary people out there, that no one is doing a story on this and the cover up.
I talked to a couple who do documentaries, and it was right over their heads when i explained it to them.
They say there are plenty of stories already done on it.
I guess they were thinking salmon???

What is needed is someone big to do a story.
Someone who can do it well enough and get in on netflix etc.
Dont even know why are local big news channels aren't trying to "uncover" the story.
Losing Steelhead is just as bad as the carbon crisis and happening right here in our back yard.
Really puzzled these days.

[Bugle M In]

And we just got a new totally unqualified DFO Minister with a background in activism and reconciliation support.

What could possibly go wrong...

Nog
Yup, cant wait to see how the boys down at Pacific Anglers are feeling with this news.
Jason wont be happy.

[Keta1969]

Well, this whole issue might be complex.
But, when steelhead run up rivers at the same time Chum do, then "one solution" is very simple....no nets in river!!
Yes, there might be plenty more things to look at as to causes etc.
But short term, this should be implemented.
Period.

Or rods and "sport fisherman". Total closure.

[Bugle M In]

Or rods and "sport fisherman". Total closure.
When it comes to steelhead, and current situation, any honest angler would certainly stop.
The only time you might see them dipping the rods, is say on the Vedder where the ministry wants anglers to remove the
hatchery steelhead! (that's why they upped the limit to 2 per day)
But then again, hatchery steelhead might be the only steelhead around soon.
(I think they require 60 of them to keep the hatchery program going, but I am not sure if they like to capture wild steelhead, and thus keep the hatchery steelhead only one generation from wild, or if they use hatchery steelhead to continue the program???)

Also, i know most avid anglers would give up catching Chum, to also not accidently catch Steelhead!
They would give that up in a heartbeat if you gave them a Chinook Season back, or more than it is.

The bigger issue is folks that don't care about the Regs to begin with and basically poach away with their rods for anything and everything.
And the other group right now are the ones using their nets on the river to catch Chum.

As for the survival and competition in the ocean, well that's a whole different issue.
Much harder to contend with.
If these fish were on the list right now, as should be, then there could be no nets or angling allowed during their run.
The ethical folks understand that and would support it.
So, what does that say about the other groups and the government.
Who is the government supporting!!???
Thats not hard to figure out.
To scared to say and do anything, and what a story it will be that JT allowed Steelhead to go extinct in Canada.
In this day and age, it can happen here!
And we complain about other countries.....hmmmmm.

[Jack Russell]

Or rods and "sport fisherman". Total closure.
The Fraser is already closed to “sportfishermen” and rods. Been that way for some time now. No trout fishing either. Canadian anglers are taking it on the chin for a very small and insignificant impact that brings significant positives