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October 19, 2004
Press Release,
The greatest race of steelhead in the
world is in mortal danger. The most revered sport fish
in western North America is BC?s Thompson River steelhead.
It isn?t just changing ocean and climatic conditions
or environmental issues that threaten, but Government
mismanagement. Once again Federal and Provincial governments
are at odds and the ill-advised wishes of the DFO are
taking precedent. The cost is at the expense of one
of BC?s priceless natural resources ? the Thompson Steelhead.
The Thompson River has a predicted return
of fewer than 800 fish this year - this is an abysmal
state of affairs. The Provincial Fisheries Branch MWLAP
has ordered the river closed to fishing, as even the
minuscule mortality rate of a catch and release fishery
has been deemed unacceptable. As hard as it is to accept,
the necessity of the closure is brutally evident to
the sport fishing community.
The problem we have is with the actions
of the DFO, in particular the A/Area Management decision
to allow a chum opening on the Lower Fraser River on
Wednesday October 20. All the available research shows
that this is the peak migration window through the Lower
Fraser for Thompson Steelhead. We find this outrageous
and unbelievable. The DFO?s own test fishery has only
caught 3 steelhead, which extrapolate into the second
worst return in 26 years. Yet DFO shows absolutely no
concern and provides a commercial opening for chum salmon
If the return numbers of Thompson steelhead are so critically
low that a closure must be applied to the least effective
sector of resource users the sport fishers, how can
it be remotely justifiable that any other fishery ?
let alone a commercial one be allowed? Even the rationale
for Native ceremonial fish is superseded by conservation
needs. The fact that there is a surplus of chums, does
not justify the endangerment of a seriously threatened
run of fish like the Thompson steelhead.
When the DFO was concerned about Thompson
Coho, the entire commercial industry
ground to a halt to enable their recovery.
Yet, when a world famous, irreplaceable
steelhead resource is threatened in
the very same river - nothing happens. In fact, the
Federal Department that is supposed
to be the steward of the resource further threatens
it
by enabling more commercial openings.
It is no wonder that the sport fishing community
shakes it head with resignation and
disbelief when the DFO steps in.
In the case of Thompson River Steelhead
the Province has championed the needs of the fish. MWLAP
biologists in Kamloops have done everything in their
power to protect the fish and promote the recovery of
the flagship of Beautiful BC?s sport fishery - the Thompson
Steelhead. Yet, it seems at every turn the Federal Government?s
DFO has thwarted their efforts. DFO deems the needs
of an already heavily subsidized commercial fishery
take precedent over world famous natural resource.
The steelhead community, which is local
and international is outraged and flabbergasted by this
development. Furthermore, it appears that DFO has delayed
its public announcement of this opening so as to minimize
our ability to protest. This is unconscionable.
Yours sincerely,
Tyler Kushnir
Director, Steelhead Society of British
Columbia
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