January 1 2008

Hello to all our regular members and a big howdy and thank you to all of you new members. Apologies for the long silence between updates, but our Alliance is run by volunteers and most were very busy during the Skeena Steelhead season.

But we are back and ready to continue the struggle of conserving our steelhead and salmon resource on the Skeena. And although we have been quiet, it does not mean nothing has been going on. This newsletter is our attempt to bring everyone up to speed on what has been happening since the summer.

The obvious starting point would be the announcement in August by DFO North Coast Director Seigi Kriegl that DFO would be amenable to an independent review of their management practices on the Skeena fishery. This is a first, but major, step towards changing the management status quo and came as a result of our direct lobby efforts. All your letters and e-mails criticizing DFO and supporting fish stock conservation made a difference! Congratulations and thank you to everyone who took the time to write, or e-mail, DFO and the Provincial Fisheries branch. This shows we can make a difference.

Unfortunately, the fall Skeena fishing season brought everyone a dose of reality with it’s challenging conditions. Although not unexpected, due to the low Tyee Index numbers, the lack of early September fish caused great concern among anglers and conservationists in the watershed.

While the angling community was out trying to enjoy the fall fishery, both levels of government (DFO- Province) committed to talks directed at the Independent Scientific Review and converting the fishery to sustainability in the long term. The second of the formal meetings was held this week in Vancouver and a joint news release is to be expected say sources from government. We will keep you posted on further happenings with this important issue when they become available.

The Independent Scientific Review is only one of a multitude of important issues facing both the Provincial Fisheries Branch and the Dept. of Fisheries & Oceans. It is becoming increasingly apparent that major changes in fishery management and opportunity are on our doorstep. The following is a list of the major factors which are currently driving change.

Climate Change

Changing ocean conditions driven by climate change are seen as the most significant factor to decreasing salmon populations on our coast. 2007 saw a collapse of Fraser River stocks with little or no access to harvest for any interests including First Nations. The Skeena only had a run of 50,000 four year old sockeye (usually the dominant age class) in 2007 causing serious concern amongst fisheries scientists and managers highlighting very poor ocean survival rates. DFO is extremely concerned about the very real impacts from climate change and have stated that a precautionary management approach will have to be taken to ensure wild salmon survival.

Marine Stewardship Council Certification

The four British Columbian sockeye fisheries are currently in the final stages of becoming certified as sustainable. Certification is extremely important because it is the only way to maintain access to European and other major markets. In late August the draft certification came out which recommended a conditional pass for Skeena sockeye. The conditions will require the Department to set minimum and target escapement goals for all Skeena sockeye salmon including the endangered Nanika and Kitwanga runs. The Marine Stewardship Council conditions will have to be met within five years.

Gitanyow Legal Action

In July the Gitanyow First Nation group filed legal action against DFO stating that they were allowing overharvesting of Kitwanga sockeye by the commercial fleet. The Gitanyow estimate the historic run size of the Kitwanga sockeye at about 30,000 fish, but say in recent years the return has averaged less than 1,200. In 2007 the return was only 240. DFO is facing a huge amount of pressure from this legal action and a reduction in marine harvest is the only tool they will have to reduce Kitwanga sockeye interception since these endangered fish migrate with the enhanced Babine sockeye. This will also have major ramifications for steelhead as the early run steelhead timing is the same as Kitwanga sockeye. The NCSA and other sport fishing and Conservation Associations are mobilizing to formally support this action in Court.

Independent Science Review Panel

In late August DFO announced that it was going to initiate an independent science review of Skeena Fisheries management. This review will comprise a panel of world class fisheries scientists who will dissect the current fisheries management practices and will be administered at the Pacific Salmon Foundation. The panel will make recommendations on how to improve harvest activities by all interest groups to protect weak stocks of Skeena salmon. The review will involve both the Ministry of Environment and DFO and will likely be completed by this spring. Minister Loyola Hearn has committed to discussing the results of the review in the development of the 2008 fishing plan. It is widely understood that the Independent science review panel recommendations will be a significant factor in guiding future management and harvesting decisions.

Independent Economic Development Study

An independent economic development study is currently being undertaken which will thoroughly examine the current economic structure of Skeena salmon fisheries. This study will focus on both the commercial and recreational sectors and touch on first nations fisheries. Alternative economic structure for both the commercial and recreational sectors will be investigated to see if there are other systems which could increase benefits to our local salmon fishing industries and communities. This study is also being administered by the Pacific Salmon Foundation. It is possible that the findings from this study could be used to alter the current management and economic structures of the fishery as it exists today.

Implementation of the Wild Salmon Policy (WSP)

The goal of the WSP is to restore and maintain healthy and diverse wild salmon populations and their habitats. The department has stated that this policy will be implemented. This will undoubtedly have an effect on how mixed stock fisheries such as the Skeena gill net fishery is managed in the effort to reduce the by-catch of weak salmon stocks.

Pacific Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (PICFI)

PICFI is a new initiative aimed at achieving environmentally sustainable and economically viable commercial fisheries. Support for First Nations’ involvement in the fishery is a central component to this initiative. The Government of Canada has committed $175 million over five years to implement the initiative. PICFI builds on fisheries reform work begun in response to the 2004 reports of the First Nations Panel on Fisheries and the Joint Task Group on Post-treaty Fisheries, as well as subsequent discussions in a wide variety of forums that have confirmed the need for PICFI. The initiative will include mechanisms for license retirement, license diversification; support for FN owned and operated businesses and reforms to improve sustainability and viability.

There have been numerous articles in magazines and newspapers recently about the Skeena issue. Some of them are:
Trout Magazine

Northword Magazine

Wild on the Fly

Salmon Trout Steelheader

Native Fish Society Newsletter

So, as you can see a lot has been going on. There are a lot of very important issues that DFO has to deal with prior the 2008 commercial fishing season. Obviously, not all these processes will be complete prior to the commencement of commercial fishing, but our Alliance will be strongly urging interim measures be utilized to start the process of change.

What you can do:

DFO is Being Audited.

“Madame Sheila Fraser, Auditor General of Canada is undertaking an audit of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada’s Habitat Management Program effectiveness, success and ability to conserve, project or compensate for loss of viable, productive habitat in Canada.

“Please contact the audit team responsible for Fisheries and Oceans. They would be happy to speak with each of you to ensure broad community input and submissions to inform this process and add to the findings. You may contact either the audit Principal, Mr. Eric Hellsten at (604)666-7600 or the audit Director, Mr. John Sokolowski at (604)666-7608. They are both located in Vancouver at 250-757 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 1A1.”

Commissioned by:
Sheila Fraser, FCA
Auditor General C.D.
Howe Building, 240 Sparks Street, West Tower
Ottawa, Canada K1A 0G6

sheila.fraser@oag-bvg.gc.ca

Telephone 613-992-2512
Facsimile 613-957-4023

So if you have a beef with DFO, here’s your chance to really make a difference. Internal government auditors have extensive investigative powers — it’s not just economics and finances, they can poke into all sorts of stuff. If enough people come up with enough war stories, Madam Sheila Fraser could well feel justified in expanding her mandate into overall DFO (in)activities, including the huge bugbear of enforcement. In other words, the auditor general could very well come to the conclusion that DFO is not fulfilling its mandate to preserve our “resource.”

Support your local DFO community advisors, your thinly stretched DFO enforcement officers, and us dedicated volunteers… And make those DFO head-office bureaucrats and their elected minister in Ottawa sweat. Speak Up!

Our Annual General Meeting

will be held on Sunday January 13th at the Northwest Community College in Hazelton starting at 10:00 am and we urge you to attend if possible.
2008 membership fees will be due at that time .

Please keep checking the website for the latest information and be prepared to voice your concerns if the 2008 fishing plan does not include changes that will benefit steelhead.

Please forward this newsletter to anyone who cares about wild steelhead and salmon.