This post is from our B.C. friend, Jason Assonitis, co owner of Bon Chovy Charters based in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The majority of the British Columbia South Coast from Port Hardy, Port Mcneil, Telegraph Cove, Campbell River, Comox, Pender Harbour, Nanaimo to Vancouver, Victoria and up around the corner to Sooke, Port Renfrew, Bamfield, Port Renfrew, Ucluelet, Tofino, Zeballos and Winter Harbour are facing extreme challenges from Draconian fishing closures from a super liberal, uninformed British Columbia Government.
Please read – like – share, help to get the word out!
TIME TO GET LOUD!
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has released their proposal for the upcoming 2019 sport fishing season. We have been given two options
Option A: April 1 – July 31 Chinook Non-Retention
Option B: April 1 – July 31 1 Chinook
Please help by emailing your concerns stressing the importance of not going with Option A. Salmon fishing is a way of life in British Columbia! This would be devastating to BC’s coastal communities. Going with Option A would destroy fishing lodges, fishing charter companies, tackle retailers, hotels, restaurants, sea plane companies, boat dealers, marine supply shops, fuel docks, marinas and the list goes on!!
It is time for the DFO led by Minister Jonathan Wilkinson to know that enough is enough. It is time for a government with some teeth and conviction to right this sinking ship of management. It is depressing listening to Department of Fisheries and Oceans employees feel virtually helpless due to years of budget cutbacks. Now is the time to adopt management strategies based on science with FUNDING, not politics. The importance of recreational fishing to the social and economic fabric in BC is MASSIVE.
DFO has put restrictions on the South Coast for at least 15 years now to try and get more early timed Chinook back to the Fraser River. Obviously the last 15 years of restrictions has done nothing to help and neither will these silly proposals. We have done our part for 15 years to no avail . Many of our other systems are seeing great returns of fish . So why not the early Fraser River Fish ? It certainly isn’t sport fishing ! Time to invest in science, habitat, and hatcheries where needed. The policy of managing by 1000 cuts and hoping for the best is not cutting it anymore and the coast is plunging into crisis.
Many of our other systems are seeing great returns of fish . So why not the early Fraser River Fish ? It certainly isn’t sport fishing !
PLEASE EMAIL NOW AS THERE ARE HIGH LEVEL SFAB MEETINGS GOING ON THIS WEEK.
DFO.PacificSalmonRMT-EGRSaumonduPacifique.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Jeff Grout
jeff.grout@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
AND
min@dfo-mpo-gc.ca
Honorable Jonathan Wilkinson J
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