Recent NCSA Inquiry about steelhead for 2009

Here's an e-mail inquiry we sent to the respective lead people in DFO and MOE regarding steelhead management for the upcoming 2009 commercial fishing season in Skeena. We also cc'd the inquiry to all the upper Skeena town councils, Chambers of Commerce, MLA's just for their general interest and to keep those folks informed.
With the inquiry, we'd like to know how the two agencies worked together to formulate management actions that would eliminate the impact of commercial fishing on valuable Skeena steelhead. We sent this inquiry because there is no commitment in the 2009 IFMP to lessen any impacts at all. In fact, the 2009 IFMP ( Fisheries Management Plan) might be worst for steelhead in years...almost like DFO are going backwards in their management.
It appears, yet again, that DFO have absolutely no interest in dealing with Skeena steelhead. This is unbelieveable really after all the debate and dialogue since 2006 but not totally unexpected. This just reinforces the appearance that DFO's entire rationale is to facilitate commercial fisheries....and steelhead only get in the way of that function.
As for the inquiry......you guessed it...no reply yet from either bureaucracy.


To: Al Martin ; Farlinger, Susan
Cc: info@nathancullen.ca ; manager@houstonchamber.ca ; general@smithers.ca ; chamber@tourismsmithers.com ; amaitland@village.hazelton.bc.ca ; info@telkwa.com ; dr79@telus.net ; executivedirector@terracechamber.com ; info@doug2009.ca ; Robin.Austin.MLA@leg.bc.ca

Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 7:54 AM

Subject: re: Skeena steelhead objectives for 2009 IFMP

Susan Farlinger Regional Director
Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
200-401 Burrard Street Govt
Vancouver, BC Office 604-666-0753

Al Martin,Executive Director
Fish,Wildlife,and Ecosystems
Ministry of Environment
P.O.Box 9394 STN Prov
Victoria, BC
V8W 9M1 250-387-3637


Dear Mr Martin and Ms Farlinger,

As representatives of the two government agencies responsible for managing steelhead in the Skeena, could you please inform the public of the outcome of the recent meeting of senior fishery managers with regard to steelhead objectives in the 2009 Integrated Fisheries Management Plan?

As you are no doubt aware, Skeena steelhead are of special interest to our organisation and all the communities and businesses that the cc'd recepients of this e-mail represent.

We are very interested in the outcome of this special meeting and hearing how your two agencies have worked together to ameliorate the negative impacts of the commercial fishery on valuable Skeena steelhead.

Thank you very much in advance for your detailed response on this important matter.

Yours truly,

Keith Douglas
Chairperson
North Coast Steelhead Alliance
Smithers,BC