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Old 07-09-2018, 02:27 PM
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Brandonkop Brandonkop is offline
 
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Default Fishing Closures for Killer Whales May Alter Where you Fish

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/consult...ssion-eng.html

If you enjoy fishing vancouver island from Tofino to Sooke and around the south end you may want to take a look at this. They are looking into closing a huge area to fishing for finfish where whales don't even show up very often. If you want to have a say July 11th is the dead line. I got the rest off another site.

The WCFGA is calling on all members to respond to an invitation for input to DFO on revisions to the Critical Habitat Section of the Species at Risk (SARA) Recovery Strategy for Northern and Southern Killer Whales. Input must be provided by July 11, on a prescribed online comment form.


As our members know, this is a similar “consultation process” to what was used to arrive at the eventual implementation of a SRKW Refuge Area Recreational Fin Fish Closure in Areas 20, 18 and 29. The current practice is to use Area Refuge Closures as opposed to implementing equally effective 400m bubble zone strategies. Going forward, one of the likely outcomes of expanding the critical habitat to include Swiftsure to LaPerouse Banks will result in similar Area Refuge Recreational Fin Fish closures (closed to all fishing). Once these are in place it is highly probable the closures become permanent.



We have reviewed the science associated with the SARA Recovery Strategy and have several concerns with assumptions and weak scientific facts being used to support the expansion of the Critical Habitat within the Recovery Strategy. Please use these response points when you complete your online comment:


“B.C.’s tidal water recreational fishery, combined with the freshwater fishery, is the largest and most valuable in Canada, valued at $18 billion annually. DFO issues over 350,000 tidal licences per year collecting $7.3 million in fees and the fishery employs around 8,400 British Columbian’s (as of 2012).”
Area SRKW Refuge Recreational Fin Fish Closures will cause significant socio-economic harm destroying jobs and economic spin off activities in small coastal communities like Ucluelet, Port Alberni, Bamfield, Port Renfrew, Sooke and Victoria.
Killer whales are only very rarely present on LaPerouse Bank, and there is no documented evidence from passive acoustic monitoring to clearly demonstrate this is actually critical habitat. DFO science is making an assumption that because areas of LaPerouse Bank are important areas for commercial and recreational Chinook fishing that they area similarly important to killer whales.
According to Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM), killer whales are only present on Swiftsure Bank 43% of monitored days between May to September – broad Area Refuge closures impact recreational fishing opportunity during significant periods where the whales are not present.
There is no comparative analysis that demonstrates the effectiveness of Area Closure vs a mobile “bubble” strategy
More effort is required to scientifically determine if indeed there is any less benefit to be achieved using a “bubble” strategy which is less impactful – striking a balance between protection and economic activity
In the past ______ years, I have fished areas of LaPerouse Bank, and observed killer whales only ____ times. (your observations are very important)
In the past ______years, I have fished areas of Swiftsure Bank, and observed killer whales only ____times. (your observations are very important)
Given these observations, there is little scientific data to support expanding the critical habitat areas, especially on LaPerouse Bank where killer whales are very rarely encountered and there is no scientific evidence to support DFO Science claims.

Here’s DFO’s request for input – please take time to write in your input:

Why we are seeking input?

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and the Parks Canada Agency (PCA) would like your feedback on the revised critical habitat section (section 7) of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) draft Amended Recovery Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Canada.

Key points for discussion
The draft Amended Recovery Strategy updates the critical habitat for Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales based on new science advice
It identifies two additional areas of special importance as proposed critical habitat for Resident Killer Whales. These include:
waters on the continental shelf off southwestern Vancouver Island, including Swiftsure and La Pérouse Banks (important for both Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales)
waters of west Dixon Entrance, along the north coast of Graham Island from Langara to Rose Spit (important for Northern Resident Killer Whales)
The amendment also provides clarification of the functions, features and attributes for all critical habitat identified for Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales
How to provide input
The deadline for submitting comments on section 7 (critical habitat) of the draft Amended Recovery Strategy is July 11, 2018. Please note, feedback is only being sought on section 7 (pages 55 to 68); feedback on other sections will not be considered at this time. If you choose to submit comments, please use the online comment form.

After we have received your feedback and finalized the draft Amended Recovery Strategy, a proposed document will be posted to the SARA Public Registry for a 60-day public comment period. The Government of Canada will then have 30 days to incorporate comments before posting the final document on the Species at Risk Public Registry.

Here is the Comment Form Link Address:

http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/consult...ssion-eng.html
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Old 07-09-2018, 03:03 PM
IronNoggin IronNoggin is offline
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Judging from the ZERO response rate, it would appear nobody here gives much of a damn...

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=347402

We ARE fighting this tooth and nail.
Those who appose our way of life certainly appear to be more energized, more organized, and therefore more effective than us. But we continue to try...

Cheers & Thanks for making the point (again...)
Matt
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Old 07-10-2018, 01:22 PM
IronNoggin IronNoggin is offline
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Just in the off case anyone is even slightly interested...

Deadline for comments is TOMORROW Folks.

Fed's fast-tracking us right into oblivion it seems...

Nog
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Old 07-10-2018, 01:37 PM
59whiskers 59whiskers is offline
 
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Does this closure apply to all humans? This will get more political for sure.
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Old 07-10-2018, 01:39 PM
IronNoggin IronNoggin is offline
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Originally Posted by 59whiskers View Post
Does this closure apply to all humans? This will get more political for sure.
No, the usual sector that receives exemptions from these sort of things will again be exempt if this flies.

But in the interest of keeping this thread on track, let's simply view that as an FYI moment...

Thanks,
Nog
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Old 07-10-2018, 01:40 PM
2 Tollers 2 Tollers is offline
 
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Fill out and sent in. Hope it helps
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Old 07-10-2018, 01:59 PM
IronNoggin IronNoggin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2 Tollers View Post
Fill out and sent in. Hope it helps
Thank You Sir!!

Absolutely every single person that comments will help!

Appreciated!
Nog
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Old 07-10-2018, 07:21 PM
SlimChance SlimChance is offline
 
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Filled out and submitted.


Couple questions for those more familiar:

Have they provided any numbers as to how much they expect fisheries closures will effect populations?

Have they done anything else to create better habitat for the whales?

From what I could read it didn't appear so.
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Old 07-10-2018, 07:38 PM
Marty S Marty S is offline
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I should have asked first, Noggin... can you give us some pointers?

This is what I wrote, hop it helps someone who's at a loss of what to say. Something is better than nothing



Question 1:
Yes, it is very important to weigh in the necessary amount of protection based on science versus the desired over-protection by "environmentalist" anti-consumption groups. It is not neccesary to shut down the entire coastline to accomplish management for a small number of whales in an extremely large area, the closure seems only to cater to the animal rights movement based on human emotion,and not science.

Question 2:
Yes, I am a sport fisherman and it is imperative that the government allows the sport fishery to remain open. Closing the area down will cause un-necessary heavy pressure in other areas of the west coast and un-necessarily create problems elsewhere. The chinook salmon fishery in the north is currently in a state of concern from poor management decisions of the DFO and does not need additional heavy fishing pressure. The west coast sport fishery generates both massive amounts of income and jobs for both the country of Canada and province of British Columbia, and as well as intense pleasure by those persons who partake in the fishery.
Please recognize the importance of sport fishery and strive to keep it compatible with whales as it has for many, many decades.

Question 3:
(quotation of draft)
3.3.1 Global
Little is known of the historic abundance of Killer Whales, except that they were “not numerous” (Scammon 1874). Since the early 1970s, photo-identification studies have provided reasonable population estimates for Killer Whales in the near-shore waters of the northeastern Pacific (Washington, BC, Alaska, and California), and similar work is now underway in several other coastal regions (e.g. the Gulf of California, the Russian Far East, New Zealand, Patagonia, Iceland, and Norway). In other areas line transect surveys have been used to provide population estimates. These include the Antarctic (25,000 whales, Branch and Butterworth 2001) and the Eastern Tropical Pacific (8,500 whales, Wade and Gerrodette 1993). As such, the worldwide abundance of Killer Whales is probably between 40,000 and 60,000 whales (Forney and Wade 2006). Trend data for Killer Whales are generally not available, with the exception of Killer Whales in BC (discussed below) and southern Alaskan Residents (population thought to be generally increasing, Matkin et al. 2008) and for a small population of Transients in Prince William Sound (AT1s, currently in decline, not likely to recover, Saulitis et al. 2002).


Section 3.3.1 is reason and proof enough that this whole process is a sham and does not represent sound science. Science must be proven without a reasonable doubt prior to enacting heavy and likely permanent restrictions. Top of the food chain predatory species are never overly abundant, nor should they be, it is basic management that the predators remain in check that they do not put un-necessary strain on prey species.


3.3.1
"...Little is known of the historic abundance of Killer Whales, except that they were “not numerous” (Scammon 1874)..."

In all likelihood, as a top of the food chain predator, the killer whale was never abundant even when the prey species were very abundant.

WE MUST NOT MAKE SUCH AN OVER-RESTRICTIVE POLICY/LAW IN LIGHT OF SUCH POOR, SUBJCTIVE, AND MOST SPECUALTIVE "SCIENCE".




3.3.1
"...As such, the worldwide abundance of Killer Whales is probably between 40,000 and 60,000 whales (Forney and Wade 2006)..."

The world population of killer whales remains stable as it likely has been throughout history.

We must not make sweeping decisions such as this proposed policy/draft document proposes with so much speculation included.

As the policy states, the Canadian populations have been increasing slowly and implies this whole new policy is both redundant, over-restrictive, and un-necessary.

The draft document identifies that the government would like to see an increase in the prey species(salmon). This can easily be achieved by reining in the commercial harvest of salmon, particularly of breeding stock in native nets. The native sustenance fishery can continue, however, the commercial aspect of the native fishery must stop. The government needs to restrict the natives in order to manage the resource.

As the recreational fishery dwarfs the commercial fishery in terms of money generated, it is desirable to continue the sport industry which employs the most people and generates the most income. If anything should be restricted, it should be the commercial fishery as it impacts the last number of people and generates the least income.
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Old 07-10-2018, 08:08 PM
Somehunter Somehunter is offline
 
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Filled out
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Old 07-11-2018, 12:04 AM
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HalfBreed HalfBreed is offline
 
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Done and done.

Next I won't be allowed to surf where I grew up surfing.

This is getting ridiculous. I'm slowly beginning to hate where I grew up.
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Old 07-11-2018, 10:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IronNoggin View Post
Judging from the ZERO response rate, it would appear nobody here gives much of a damn...

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=347402

We ARE fighting this tooth and nail.
Those who appose our way of life certainly appear to be more energized, more organized, and therefore more effective than us. But we continue to jtry...

Cheers & Thanks for making the point (again...)
Matt
Those who appose our way of life ! Kinda sounds like the pipeline protesters holding the economy of all of Canada up.
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Old 07-11-2018, 10:20 AM
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Ken07AOVette Ken07AOVette is offline
 
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Done.

The only chance we have sad as it is is to spit in a cup and send it to one of the ancestry places and hope we can get one of the special cards.
I'm not trying to be funny or anything. I'm not kidding.
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Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck
I wasn't thinking far enough ahead for an outcome, I was ranting. By definition, a rant doesn't imply much forethought.....
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Old 07-11-2018, 12:09 PM
IronNoggin IronNoggin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SlimChance View Post
Have they provided any numbers as to how much they expect fisheries closures will effect populations?
No, not at all. They are "guessing" that since these areas are important to those who fish for salmon, that they must therefore be important to the whales in question. And they actually admit doing so with no information for the vast majority of these areas to justify that position.

Since the whales' use of the areas is simply conjecture, they do not go any further and suggest anything like how such closures might be expected to effect the whale populations in question. Certainly not in terms of numbers...

Quote:
Have they done anything else to create better habitat for the whales?
Absolutely nothing.
The coalition of the 5 greenie NGO's that have threatened them with a lawsuit has them running very VERY Scared. The result is this knee-jerk reaction we have before us today. And that is simply all it is, a reaction to appease the squeaky wheel greenies, based once again not on proper science, but guesswork. No other considerations are being given at this point in time beyond closures of even more areas...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Marty S View Post
... As the recreational fishery dwarfs the commercial fishery in terms of money generated, it is desirable to continue the sport industry which employs the most people and generates the most income. If anything should be restricted, it should be the commercial fishery as it impacts the last number of people and generates the least income.
Very good responses all the way down to this one.
I do understand what you were getting at, however this is a misplaced sentiment in this particular matter.

The recreational catch of springs has far surpassed that of the commercial troll fleet for a great many years now. Simple fact. The commercial fleets have been greatly reduced in numbers, and their quotas slashed to what used to suffice for a week or two. Area G Troll this year received a total of 15,000 chinook. The recreational fleet is geared to harvest between 50 & 60,000.
Both sectors are in this together. For perhaps the first time I am aware of it, commercial interests and recreational are standing shoulder to shoulder to collectively combat this foolishness. As they should IMHO.

The only thing I might add is that these areas are largely being selected based on guesswork. The proper science has not been conducted. To suggest limiting access to the five coastal communities whose very existence relies on that access, based on conjecture, borders on criminal.

Many Thanks to those that stood up and got their comments in. It is truly appreciated! It seems these days more and more our governments seem to believe they can simply govern us like sheep, with no consideration of the consequences of their actions. Many are starting to rebel against such control, and demanding accountability. My hat is off to those from here who join us in doing so in these matters!!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Habfan View Post
Those who appose our way of life ! Kinda sounds like the pipeline protesters holding the economy of all of Canada up.
Like it was fishermen and their communities who were protesting?
Methinks NOT, and that would make your reluctance to help out brothers in need based on ignorance, no?

Deadline for Comments is TODAY Folks!

Again, many Thanks to those who chose to help us fight this nastiness...
Matt
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