Mixed reaction to Fishery changes

The various stakeholders are expressing a variety of opinions over Loyola Hearn’s recently announced plans to revise the current way of doing business in the Pacific Fishery.

From declaring it as a step in the right direction to suggesting that it hold’s no real promises, the reaction has been mixed to say the least.

In fact, it seems for the most part to be very much of the same debate from years gone by, all be it with a few new twists thrown in for good measure.

The Daily News took a look at the differing points of view in their Wednesday edition.

SALMON FISHERY CHANGES A ‘STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION’
The Native Fishing Association is welcoming federal ‘reintegration’ plan
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Pages one and three

Monday’s announcement from the federal government to reintegrate British Columbia’s salmon fishery has been met with mixed reactions from stakeholders.

Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn announced the federal government’s $175 million plan to end the current climate of conflict and distrust between fishing groups, particularly First Nations and commercial salmon fleets.

“I think it’s a positive thing,” said Edwin Newman, chairman of the Native Fishing Association.

“For a long time now, the coastal Aboriginal community has been suffering, because every management program DFO puts in place is designed for somebody in the industry, and Aboriginal people have been known to be pushed out.

“And there’s a lot of poverty on our reserves, and this is a step in the right direction if we can make it work,” he said.

“What it’s designed to do is help our people move, and that’s what we’ve been pushing them to do. And even though it’s not enough, I feel it’s a step in the right direction.

But Phillip Eidsvik, spokesperson for the B. C. Fisheries Survival Coalition feels the announcement holds no real promises.

“You have to get by the rhetoric of the news release. There’s nothing in that news release that’s going to improve the management of the fishery,” he said.

“The thrust of it is to transfer some licences and quota from the public fleet to Aboriginal fishermen, and that’s fine,” said Eidsvik.

“But we’d like to see a well managed fishery that makes money for everybody regardless of their race.”

Yet there are fishermen who feel that the reintegrated fishery will be a positive step toward a more sustainable industry.

“It look hopeful, like there might be some resolution to what a lot of us saw originally as Harper’s desire to quell the worry on the part of commercial fishermen as to how many fish are being taken on the Fraser by the Native fishermen.,” said John Wright, fisherman and secretary of the Golf Trollers Association.

“Proper counting of the fish is extremely important for the resource and for fair sharing. There’s not money put into that, and everybody recognizes that. There’s not a person that lives on the river or observes Native fishing that ever thought there was any proper counting going on.”

While many people feel it is still too early to tell exactly what measures the federal government will implement, Eidsvik doesn’t see many positive implications for the fishery.

“There’s a lot of people in our industry who have been badly hurt by the management of the fishery for the last 15 or so years, and some people that ant to get out of the fishery and this is an opportunity for them,” said Eidsvik.

“I think most fishermen would be a lot happier with an effectively managed fishery that made money for people so they wouldn’t have to get out. And that’s really the key for us, and so far this does not deliver that.”

Even though Minister Hearn spoke of a single fishery in which all Canadians could fish sustainably an in harmony, Eidsvik doesn’t buy it.

“Unfortunately, it’s smoke and mirrors. This news release shows that this minister has caught on quite well to the smoke and mirrors trick the government can use.

“There’s nothing in that release that ensures Canadians can fish together. And I think the litmus test will be on the Fraser River this summer when they arrest people for not being the government’s preferred race.”