A protest fishery by sports anglers on the Fraser River was averted on the weekend when the department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada suddenly posted notices allowing recreational fishing for Chinook salmon.
The Fraser River Sportfishing Alliance had been pressing DFO for months to get a Chinook opening on the river and tensions were rising because while First Nations were allowed to fish, sports anglers weren't.
On Thursday, the FRSA sent out a statement urging anglers to show up at the Island 22 boat launch in Chilliwack on Monday morning, to go fishing despite the DFO closing.
"This action was deemed necessary in reaction to [DFO's] refusal to recognize our rights as anglers and Canadian citizens," the FRSA stated. "We have been denied access to our negotiated allocation of Chinook stocks. … This lack of an opening jeopardizes a recreational fishery worth in excess of $100-million annually to Fraser River communities."
It was surprisingly tough talk from a group that prefers consultation over confrontation, and it could have led to some of its members receiving heavy fines had they been caught fishing during a closed period.
A clash on the water was averted, however, when DFO authorized recreational fishing for Chinook in several areas on the river, starting early Monday morning.
It is unclear, however, how long the recreational fishery will last.
"The Department will continue to review stock status and environmental information on a regular basis and should environmental conditions change or concerns on impacts due to fishing activity occur, this fishery may be closed on short notice," warns the DFO notices.
"All may find it interesting that these notices come out after all our news releases," Rodney Clapton, a spokesman for the FRSA said in an e-mail to members after the recreational opening was announced Friday. "Regardless the bottom line is the good news … that the river is opening."
In an interview, Mr. Clapton said the call for a protest was made only after months had passed in which the FRSA couldn't get a clear answer from DFO on whether any sport fishing for Chinook would be allowed this year.
Earlier in the year, Aug. 1 had been discussed as starting date. But formal approval just never came.
"We got back to DFO 10 days ago to say 'Look, what is going on … are we getting a fishery Aug. 1 or not?' They said 'Well, it's being discussed; we'll get back to you.'"
The FRSA directors ran out of patience on the eve of the long weekend.
"We'd heard nothing … so we said screw it, we can't wait any longer. If we don't do something, we are not going to have a fishery this summer at all," he said.
Chinook salmon start returning to the river as early as April, and in years past, sports fishermen have been allowed to begin fishing May 1st. But as stocks dwindled, DFO began imposing closings, pushing back the opening date to allow fish to pass through the lower Fraser and reach spawning beds upstream.
Mr. Clapton said sports anglers accept conservation closings, but find it hard to do so when First Nations are fishing, with an aboriginal catch of 2,600 Chinook recorded to July 10.
Jennifer Nener, director of salmon for DFO, said Chinook are allocated on a priority basis, with First Nations getting the first opportunity to fish, once conservation concerns have been met. Sports and then commercial fishermen are next in line.
But it is an extremely difficult balancing act for fisheries managers, who have to decide who gets to fish when, while trying to ensure enough salmon get upstream to spawn.
Ms. Nener said DFO delayed announcing the sports fishery until the last minute so the decision would be based on the latest available data.
She said the opening wasn't made to head off the protest, but came only when fisheries managers felt a sports fishery could take place without jeopardizing the run.
Ernie Crey, Chief of the Cheam band, said First Nation fishermen and recreational anglers need to work together on the river to ensure there are enough salmon for all.
"Everyone would like to get out and fish these Chinook, but some of the runs are precarious and the stocks need to be managed carefully," he said. "The need is great, but the fish are few."
Mark Hume