Thompson River- Endangered declaration

[BCWF]

http://cfjctoday.com/article/517443/...red-river-list


MLOOPS — The Outdoor Recreation Council has placed the Thompson River on its annual list of endangered rivers in British Columbia.

Rivers Chair Mark Angelo says one of the main reasons for the designation is because of the dwindling Thompson River steelhead salmon population.

Angelo says the population is about 400 fish total.

He adds several actions could be taken to help preserve the Thompson, such as enforcing stricter water licenses on its tributaries.

"Tributaries like the Nicola, close to Merritt, or the Deadman between Kamloops and Cache Creek, or the Bonaparte near Ashcroft, those are tributaries but they play a really important role in terms of rearing and spawning. They also get hit really hard from a water extraction point of view," said Angelo.

Angelo adds industrial operations like the KGHM-Ajax mine must be made to prove their operations will not contribute to leeching into the Thompson system.

[Wentrot]

How many Thompson steelhead are caught in nets and bonked by the meat heads flossing for salmon in the fraser I wonder?

[Big Lew]

The South Thompson River is a sad story really. I remember when it not only had excellent
fish populations, but was a beautiful emerald green in colour and so clear you could see the
rocks it flowed over. Then came the pulp mill and sewage from the expanding city of Kamloops
which filled the bottom of Kamloops lake with their polluting sludge until it poured out into the
river, coating everything with a slimy black-gray mess. Now even though there's been strides
to lessen that pollution, and the river runs much cleaner now, it likely will never be anywhere
as pristine as it once was. Take a drive by it and you can still see the gray crap on the shoreline
rocks...try to walk along those rocks when they're wet and you'll understand.

[dereke]

How many Thompson steelhead are caught in nets and bonked by the meat heads flossing for salmon in the fraser I wonder?

While I'm sure does happen far bigger issues have decimated this population and these actions are probably way too little and way too late...

[Whonnock Boy]

I've never heard of one Steelhead being caught by bottom bouncers, but I have heard of a lot of them being caught in nets, and being used for ceremonial purposes. The sport fishery will take its fair share in the way of catch and release mortality rates as well.

How many Thompson steelhead are caught in nets and bonked by the meat heads flossing for salmon in the fraser I wonder?

[guest]

Late Chum openings, set nets, drift gill nets by the KEEPERS of the LAND and those that don't manage them are the main problem with this Rivers demise. Again, mismanagement and no one with any guts to truly do something about it.

how truly sad, keep going Fed Gov , DFO and Gov of BC, you've done a great job so far ........ NOT!

[Wentrot]

I've never heard of one Steelhead being caught by bottom bouncers, but I have heard of a lot of them being caught in nets, and being used for ceremonial purposes. The sport fishery will take its fair share in the way of catch and release mortality rates as well.

I havn't seen it while on the river either however have seen several over the years on the fishing forums. I'm sure it's a drop in the bucket but can't help but wonder about the impact nets must take. I'm doubtful it's as insignificant as some may think.

[Whonnock Boy]

In regards to government, the blame should be directed at the federal level, as the province has no say in commercial and aboriginal fishery, and so far, our federal government has been doing business as usual in their infancy.

Late Chum openings, set nets, drift gill nets by the KEEPERS of the LAND and those that don't manage them are the main problem with this Rivers demise. Again, mismanagement and no one with any guts to truly do something about it.

how truly sad, keep going Gov of BC, you've done a great job so far ........ NOT!

[Big Lew]

I've not seen any studies on the impact of the massive pollution that filled the Kamloops Lake bottom
many years ago, but do remember people being warned not to eat fish caught in there. As a layman
though, I would think it had to have negative complications to migrating fishes when considering how
long they would be in the river and lengthy lake. Recently the indigenous net fishery in the lake seems
to be thriving, so hopefully it's not still a serious concern, but I personally won't eat any trout from the
system below Kamloops.

[guest]

In regards to government, the blame should be directed at the federal level, as the province has no say in commercial and aboriginal fishery, and so far, our federal government has been doing business as usual in their infancy.

true ...... A ton of thanks to DFO and the fed Gov. Yet the BC Gov continues with its pollutive ways to aid the Rivers.