It was once the money season on the North coast, but lately it’s been anything but and if the salmon cycle tea leaves are correct, salmon season 2008 will be a disappointing one for all stakeholders.
A DFO forecast paints another long and frustrating year for fishermen in British Columbia’s salmon industry, as DFO suggests that opportunities for sport, commercial and aboriginal food fishing will be exceptionally rare in the Fraser River, the Skeena, and the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Sockeye will be at it’s low ebb in 2008, with predictions that the scenario next season will be quite similar to this year, which saw reduced catches for the fleets and less and less hours worked for shore workers.
Already talks have been held to go over the dire situation and decisions will have to be made regarding reductions, or outright closures to some sectors of the industry.
The Vancouver Sun’s Business writer Scott Simpson examined the latest offerings from the Vancouver headquarters of DFO Pacific.
Dismal forecast for Salmon populations next year
By Scott Simpson
Vancouver Sun
Friday, November 30, 2007
VANCOUVER - Things are going from bad to worse for Pacific salmon.
Just weeks after the close of an exceptionally poor year, a 2008 forecast by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans suggests that opportunities for sport, commercial and aboriginal food fishing will be exceptionally rare in the Fraser River, the Skeena, and the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Sockeye in 2008 will be at the low ebb of their four-year cycle of strong and weak runs and the department suggests about two million of the prized red-fleshed salmon could come back to the Fraser this year.
That's no better than the disastrous season just past, in which the Fraser commercial fleet was entirely excluded from the sockeye fishery and got only a brief, late-season opening for low-grade chum.
Prospects for chinook, the most sought-after Pacific salmon for its combination of size, sporting qualities and taste, are equally grim for many runs.
In an interview on Thursday, DFO division manager Brian Riddell said he expects even the constitutionally protected aboriginal fishery for food, societal and ceremonial purposes will take a hit.
He said the department has already held discussions with the commercial and recreation-tourism sectors of the fishery and they're aware that "they are going to be looking at some reductions."
He said the debate is focusing on whether to shut the fishery down entirely for those sectors, or provide a few limited opportunities.
"What is the least problematic or negative response you could take? You could take a major cut for one year and get good recovery - economically that might make very good sense but that's always an extremely tough decision to make."
Cheam First Nation member Ernie Crey, a former member of the Fraser Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission, is warning aboriginal fishermen to lower their expectations.
"What I am trying to tell the Fraser tribal nations is that in order to preserve our right to fish, we will need to conserve the Fraser's salmon runs," Crey said in an interview.
He also said it would be unfair of the fisheries department to let the process drag out until next spring, both for aboriginals and for fishing guides and charter boat operators - and called for decision in the near future on chinook fishing in 2008.
"DFO needs to throw the flag down on the play right now. It's not wise, it's not fair to let things drift closer to May 1 and let the charter operators and the anglers think that come May 1 they are going to be back in the water fishing for chinook.
"It's not fair to the charter operators because they do a lot of advertising. A lot of them are building a business and a way of life around the fishery."
Conservationist Craig Orr, executive director of Watershed Watch Salmon Society, said "there are some grave, grave concerns for the future of chinook."
"We have to have a full commitment from government on the wild salmon policy. We are seeing some lip service around it but we're not seeing enough funding," Orr said in an interview.
Sportfishing Defence Alliance spokesman Bill Otway said he's not convinced the fishery will be as weak as DFO predicts.
In an interview, Otway said he expects enough fish coming back to the Fraser to support recreational fisheries for both sockeye and chinook.
Otway also suggested it would be prudent for the department to take a more proactive approach to preserving weaker stocks through the use of artificial enhancements such as hatchery fish.
A DFO forecast paints another long and frustrating year for fishermen in British Columbia’s salmon industry, as DFO suggests that opportunities for sport, commercial and aboriginal food fishing will be exceptionally rare in the Fraser River, the Skeena, and the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Sockeye will be at it’s low ebb in 2008, with predictions that the scenario next season will be quite similar to this year, which saw reduced catches for the fleets and less and less hours worked for shore workers.
Already talks have been held to go over the dire situation and decisions will have to be made regarding reductions, or outright closures to some sectors of the industry.
The Vancouver Sun’s Business writer Scott Simpson examined the latest offerings from the Vancouver headquarters of DFO Pacific.
Dismal forecast for Salmon populations next year
By Scott Simpson
Vancouver Sun
Friday, November 30, 2007
VANCOUVER - Things are going from bad to worse for Pacific salmon.
Just weeks after the close of an exceptionally poor year, a 2008 forecast by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans suggests that opportunities for sport, commercial and aboriginal food fishing will be exceptionally rare in the Fraser River, the Skeena, and the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Sockeye in 2008 will be at the low ebb of their four-year cycle of strong and weak runs and the department suggests about two million of the prized red-fleshed salmon could come back to the Fraser this year.
That's no better than the disastrous season just past, in which the Fraser commercial fleet was entirely excluded from the sockeye fishery and got only a brief, late-season opening for low-grade chum.
Prospects for chinook, the most sought-after Pacific salmon for its combination of size, sporting qualities and taste, are equally grim for many runs.
In an interview on Thursday, DFO division manager Brian Riddell said he expects even the constitutionally protected aboriginal fishery for food, societal and ceremonial purposes will take a hit.
He said the department has already held discussions with the commercial and recreation-tourism sectors of the fishery and they're aware that "they are going to be looking at some reductions."
He said the debate is focusing on whether to shut the fishery down entirely for those sectors, or provide a few limited opportunities.
"What is the least problematic or negative response you could take? You could take a major cut for one year and get good recovery - economically that might make very good sense but that's always an extremely tough decision to make."
Cheam First Nation member Ernie Crey, a former member of the Fraser Panel of the Pacific Salmon Commission, is warning aboriginal fishermen to lower their expectations.
"What I am trying to tell the Fraser tribal nations is that in order to preserve our right to fish, we will need to conserve the Fraser's salmon runs," Crey said in an interview.
He also said it would be unfair of the fisheries department to let the process drag out until next spring, both for aboriginals and for fishing guides and charter boat operators - and called for decision in the near future on chinook fishing in 2008.
"DFO needs to throw the flag down on the play right now. It's not wise, it's not fair to let things drift closer to May 1 and let the charter operators and the anglers think that come May 1 they are going to be back in the water fishing for chinook.
"It's not fair to the charter operators because they do a lot of advertising. A lot of them are building a business and a way of life around the fishery."
Conservationist Craig Orr, executive director of Watershed Watch Salmon Society, said "there are some grave, grave concerns for the future of chinook."
"We have to have a full commitment from government on the wild salmon policy. We are seeing some lip service around it but we're not seeing enough funding," Orr said in an interview.
Sportfishing Defence Alliance spokesman Bill Otway said he's not convinced the fishery will be as weak as DFO predicts.
In an interview, Otway said he expects enough fish coming back to the Fraser to support recreational fisheries for both sockeye and chinook.
Otway also suggested it would be prudent for the department to take a more proactive approach to preserving weaker stocks through the use of artificial enhancements such as hatchery fish.
