Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Fishery Notice: Seine Update & Sockeye Decreasing

Looks like the Skeena sockeye return is faltering with this Fishery Notice that more 'assessment' is required. 'Assessment' translates into: we need to wait for some fish to show up.
The most recent North Coast Update mentioned big tides possibly playing a role in the paucity of fish and that now a pulse of fish might be seen with the big tides regressing....Sounds like wishful thinking.
Yet another season might come to a quick end after a quick beginning. Our steelhead will benefit from the lack of commercial activity...and yet again the only factor to benefit steelhead is low sockeye numbers....No DFO management actions taken in 2011 would have significantly benefitted steelhead. DFO even refused to apply the so-called short set/short net technique for the gillnets.
Possibly yet another year wasted with no movement on the steelhead bycatch issue by DFO....who have done nothing at all on this issue since the 2006 fiasco year. It appears the DFO goal is status quo...and they seem quite successful at achieving it.

Category(s):
COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Seine
Fishery Notice - Fisheries and Oceans Canada
 Subject: FN0591-COMMERCIAL - Salmon: Seine - Area A - Area 4 - Assessment
         
Area 4 Sockeye

The Area 4 seine individual transferable quota fishery for sockeye will close as planned at 22:00 hours Wednesday July 20.  Assessment continues in Area 4 but the estimated Skeena Run size has been decreasing.  A further announcement for ITQ sockeye for seines will be made on short notice if the run size increases.

No comments: