This is a copy of a letter to Kelly Binning, salmon officer with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, that was also sent to The Chief as a Letter to the Editor.
Dear Kelly Binning,
This is on behalf of the Squamish to Lillooet Sport Fish Advisory Committee (SL-SFAC). We feel that there is minimal evidence that supports the sustainable harvest of pink salmon returning to the Squamish River in 2017.
The economic benefit, as well as the ecological benefit to the area, is much greater than the value to the commercial fishery.
Flood events:
There were five major flood events with gravel movement between September 2015 and January 2016 where the Squamish River had over 700-cms flows. These events were at a critical time in the development of the young salmon and it is safe to say many were lost.
Escapements:
Spawning escapements do not support a harvest. Spawning escapements measured in the outmigration of pink fry in the spring of 2016 were 25 to 30 per cent of what the numbers were in 2014 and 2012. This is coming from data that is taken by BC Hydro Rotary Screw Trap that has been run on the Cheakamus River. These escapement numbers agree with the loss due to the gravel moving events.
Ecosystem Benefit:
The salmon return to the Squamish system has a direct effect on the recovery of the grizzly bear population in the South Coast. Any large removal of pinks from the ecosystem harms this recovery.
Economic benefit to Squamish:
The returns of pink salmon to the Squamish river play a significant role in bringing tourism dollars to Squamish. Anglers come to enjoy both catch and release and retention fishing when open. Those same anglers may hire a guide, purchase gear at a local shop, buy gas and food, and possibly stay overnight at one of our local accommodation providers. This is a direct injection of funds into the local economy.
We are not opposed to an opening when there is enough pinks to adequately seed the watershed and when DFO has the science to back it up.
We believe that a science-based approach to the calculation of sustainable harvest of Squamish River pinks is required. If DFO wants to do an assessment of the pink stocks, it should be done by an ocean seine where sampling is done in different areas of Howe Sound, allowing for the enumeration of the stocks without harvest similar to what is done on the North Coast.
We do not believe that having a pink fishery in 2017 is congruent with DFO responsibilities to manage the stock and we feel that by having a fishery DFO is turning assessment over to commercial interests. We also believe that the commercial vessels are incapable of following any rules regarding a fishery based on the cancellation of the last fishery due to violations.
In summary, due to lack of information regarding the number of pink salmon returning to the Squamish River, the economic benefit to the local economy and the benefit to the local ecosystem and specifically the recovery of South Coast grizzly population – we feel that a harvest is not in our best interest at this time and we do not support one.
Others interested in writing to Kelly Binning regarding the commercial opening of the pink salmon in Howe Sound can email [email protected].
Clint Goyette wrote this letter on behalf of the Squamish to Lillooet Sportfish Advisory Committee.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
