A POLICY FOR MAINTAINING A HEALTHY SPORT FISHING INDUSTRY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA (2007) The Chamber is concerned about the negative impact the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) management policies are having on the BC sport fishing industry. Proper escapement of steelhead and sport salmon needs to be implemented in the department’s management plans to ensure a healthy sport fishing industry.
Many of our members own businesses throughout the province which are dependent on these fish for survival. Our world-famous rivers attract thousands of people each year to our communities driving our tourism economy. The sport fishing industry brings in $214 million annually and employs 6,700 people throughout the province. In recent years the industry has been faced with declining runs of steelhead and salmon due to inefficient numbers being allowed back to the spawning streams to ensure long-term survival. In response many industry members have seen a decline in bookings due to poor fishing. In addition, the province has been seeing a steady decline in sales of fresh water sport fishing licences over the past several years.
DFO has been developing tools to reduce by catch in the commercial net fisheries over the last decade. These include tangle tooth nets, weed lines, half-length nets/20-minute sets and proper brailing techniques. To be effective, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has to make all of these selective fishing measures mandatory as opposed to the current practice of making many of them voluntary. In addition, it is critical that proper enforcement takes place to ensure these measures are followed.
We believe proper management tools will ensure that both the commercial and sport fishing industries can coexist and prosper well into the future.
THE CHAMBER RECOMMENDS
That the federal government:
1. implement the tools it has developed in response to conservation concerns; and
2. ensure that the sport fishing industry be given equal priority to the commercial industry to ensure its long-term viability.
