Alberni Sockeye Forecast

[IronNoggin]

The number was presented to the SFAC at last night's meeting. At this point DFO is sticking with 600,000.

Some concerns noted regarding the lack of snowpack and potential for lethally warm water temperatures by mid-summer. That means the sox will stack up out in the Inlet most likely. Also means that serious consideration will be given to a somewhat later start for all sectors to allow "front end loading" of the fish into the lakes. Now to convince the local FN's to play ball with that, and perhaps, just perhaps we can start to rebuild this once HUGE run.

No news on the local returning springs as of yet beyond "it doesn't look very good". Just what DID they expect following four years of raping the run to death with seiners?? :evil:

Offshore springs and coho opportunities noted as Very Good - the former of course based on US origin fish.

More to come in the weeks ahead, but at least we now know there will be a recreational sockeye fishery this spring.

Cheers,
Nog

[Slee]

Do the natives in the US have the same rights on salmon as they do here?

[IronNoggin]

Do the natives in the US have the same rights on salmon as they do here?

Different management systems entirely. Down there the "Tribes" (as they are known) negotiated percentage harvest rates on their runs. Can't recall the actual number, but they are well enforced and stick with the number.

Here in BC most of the FN's (as we term them) do NOT have defined "rights" specific to the runs. Most haven't settled their Claims, which when accomplished will set that out in black & white (as in the case of the recently settled Hope Band case). No Court in the land may dictate terms of what those specific rights may be. In the case of fishing, this has been a damn tough issue. Even when FN's are charged, if the charge implies anything that might be construed as interfering with a right to harvest, no Court is willing to take the case on due to that. So, what we are left with is pretty much a free-for-all, even going so far as to see harvest rates that surpass Conservation concerns. A VERY Real Quagmire...

Case in point: Last year a local FN informed DFO that they intended to fish springs here 24/7 through the run were they not given an "economic opening". The way the system works is that DFO cannot issue an opening to regular commercial fishing NOR to FN economic fisheries without unleashing the other. The pressure the local FN leveled was intense, and in face of the potential to obliterate the run completely (something the FN's are capable of doing, and apparently willing to do to get their way) they threw it open for not only the FN's, but gillnets and seiners as well. The result was disastrous. Those openings (multiple btw) combined with an extremely overly-optimistic run forecast (based on returns from well afar from here) nearly did eliminate the run. Escapement was FAR below that for the given run size, and there are serious concerns regarding the magnitude of returns in the future.

Seems that in BC, FN's very much run the show, and do damn near whatever they please regarding harvest levels. Of course they are also first to play the Race Card whenever this God-Given Right is questioned. This type of behavior would NEVER be tolerated in the US.

Clear as mud?? :confused:

Nog

[Snuneymuxw Hunter]

Yes it may seem like the FN's are running the show.
It is Sad when you look back to the late 80's & early 90's & FN's participation in the salmon fishery was a BIG 3% total harvest and the commercial fleet made up 3/4's of the total catch.
And now FN's can't even fish for their 3% because that is all there is left.

I can't stand finger pointing but these are true facts.

Thanks to DFO's mismangement of all Resources.

[winchester284]

Thanks to DFO's mismangement of all Resources.

DFO is the puppet.... governments pull all the strings.