Seems it’s now the Skeena River’s turn to experience a sockeye crash. Pre-season predictions suggested somewhere between 600,000 – 800,000 sockeye. Current in-season estimates are now just over 400,000 and all targeted fisheries on sockeye have been closed – .
Here’s an idea… let’s launch another multi-million dollar judicial inquiry that results in hundreds of recommendations that never get implemented…
| Category(s): | ABORIGINAL – General Information |
| Subject: | FN0702-ABORIGINAL- General Information- Area 3 to 5- Skeena sockeye retention and gillnets prohibited in First Nations Food, Social and Ceremonial Fisheries |
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Returns of sockeye to the Skeena River continue to be at extremely low levels. As of today, the mid-point run estimate is in the low 400,000 range. First Nations that harvest Skeena sockeye have been consulted and agree that this return size is a conservation concern. Therefore, starting at 00:01 hours Tuesday August 6, 2013, the following measures will be in place: 1. For Area 4, Area 5-1, 5-2, 5-3, 5-10, and 5-11, and Area 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, and 3-4: -Retention of sockeye will not be permitted; -Use of gillnets will not be permitted; -Fishing for other species using gear types other than gillnet will continue to be permitted, in accordance with communal licences. 2. For the Skeena River from the Area 4 commercial boundary (Mowitch Point to Vetch Point) to the confluence with the Babine River and up to the Babine weir: -Retention of sockeye will not be permitted; -Use of gillnets will not be permitted; -Fishing for other species using gear types other than gillnet will continue to be permitted, in accordance with communal licences. 3. For the Babine weir and Babine Lake: -The Babine weir will be closed for large sockeye harvesting; -Only jack sockeye will be harvested at the Babine weir; -Large sockeye will be harvested in Babine Lake; -Fishing for other species will continue to be permitted, in accordance with communal licences. |
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