Natives warn against overfishing record sockeye run

A B.C. First Nations fishery advisor is warning against allowing commercial fishermen to scoop up as many sockeye salmon as possible during this year' massive salmon return on the Fraser River.

Some commercial fishermen have been pressing to increase catches with estimates the return could reach 30 million fish, arguing the salmon should not go to waste.

But Ernie Crey of the Sto:lo First Nation says it's arrogant to think that most of the fish need to be hauled in to levels approaching what he calls a "maximum sustainable yield".

He says it would be arrogant and "stupid" to overfish in order to put a smile on the faces of shareholders in fish companies and retail stores.

Crey says the surplus fish that reach spawning grounds mean more food for bears and eagles, while their decaying bodies enrich stream banks and nearby forests.

This year's sockeye salmon run on the Fraser River is the largest since 1913 and while the fish are abundant, the surplus has forced prices down by as much as 25 per cent.

Comments are now closed for this story

rense
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To see what an uniformed fool Crey is, here are some quotes form an interview in the Straight on August 28, 2009:"The fisheries advisor to the Sto:lo Tribal Council, Ernie Crey, says that Fraser River Sockeye is now commercially extinct.""We need to face up to the facts about Fraser sockeye. The summer of 2010 could be a bust for Fraser sockeye and, we already know that the following two summers will take us back to two successive low cycle years for sockeye."Kind of easy to be a so-called advisor when you get your government cheque, paid in part by fishermen, on a regular basis regardless of the fish population.

nvcc
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I am flabbergasted at all the racist remarks.

Shmoked Shalmon
said
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We no are shalmon. Please stop fishing for are shalmon and we'll remove all rusty cars, dead appliances, rotting furniture, and dangerous pit bulls from our frontyards!!!

MikeInBC
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Jordan said: "The First Nation people of this land are the caretakers of the land "Jordan have you ever taken a drive through a reserve. What do you think of their caretaking when you do?

Jordan
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To I Wonder:The natives have been rightfully awarded the right to hunt and fish all year because they, unlike western society, have been able to establish sustainable hunting and fishing practices. They understand that 30 million fish this year does not mean 30 million fish for the next. Many native people still utilize the practice of hunting and fishing to provide food for their families. The practice of hunting and fishing in no way compares to the consumption rate of farm raised fish or other meats. The First Nation people of this land are the caretakers of the land and have understood the concept of sustainability long before that idea was a thought in the western perspective way of life. That is one small reason why the native people have the rights they do.

tl
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That is ironic, considering they catch as much as they want then sell on the road, or off the reserves all over BC. It is especially an issue on the Island. I also see "Sockeye Salmon for sale" signs locally. I live in the Okanagan. I have read news stories stating there must be enough provided for their consumption and tribal customs; it is almost as if the gov't is tuning a blind eye to the practice of selling it out of their deep freezes. This has been going on for decades BTW.

sean
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So any fish that doesn't end up in a cooler is waste ? Of course , what was I thinking ?? Never mind the fact that these fish , after their death add valuable nutrients to the streams in which they spawn - supporting everything from stonefly nymphs to rainbow and bull trout to bald eagles and black bears and numerous species of trees . If it doesn't put money in somebody's pocket , it's a waste . What a sad world we live in .

BC
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The natives are some of the worst violators of fishing laws, and the DFO does nothing.Fishing to feed your family is one thing, when you have commercial boats hauling in hundreds of pounds everyday of the year day and selling it , that;s abusing the fish stocks.

I wonder
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To JordanI believe the point being made is they shouldn't be allowed to fish all year. Why should they have anymore rights than anyone else has to access fishing salmon? If they are going to rely on fish for food then I guess they don't need to hunt all year round then eh????

Doug # BC
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Yes Kathy.I also took grade six science.While what you say is true,according to my six grade science teacher,just because "some|" is a good thing,it's never right to assume that "more" is even better.To many fish in small steams,by all accounts,reduces the percentage actually get to spawn,and by some accounts,decreases the survival rates of those that do.WIth a run this large there will be plenty of rotting fish when the spawns die off.We'd be far better off if we knew exactly how many is the optimum number, and exactly how many have made it to the spawning grounds.Notwithstanding your comment,I'd still prefer to see some of these fish go to feed the homeless and the hungry in East Vancouver,rather than serve a very minimal purpose by rotting.A purpose that is already being fulfilled by millions of other fish.Or is food for the homeless less palatable if it doesn't come out of my tax dollars? I still believe there are enough fish this year to share with hungry people who need food.Food they are very unlikely to be able to afford any time soon.

Paul
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I love how everyone is talking about these fish like they're money in the bank. Might I remind you that last year they estimated 10million Sockeye would return to the Fraser and only 1 million made it. That's a huge margin of error. I firmly believe they have no idea how many Sockeye will return this year. I'm sure the actual number will be a lot less than 30 million. They just estimate these high numbers to justify more commercial fishing.

Mark5
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This is the year there should be a ban on fishing altogether. These fish are like planting seeds for the following years. If we allow them to do their thing without interference, perhaps the runs will increase even more every year. We must look to the long term strategy here instead of being dumb and just taking as much as we can now. This could be a major turning point in the fish populations if we do not screw it up because of greed and immediate need.

Jordan
said
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First off, the First Nations are permitted to fish all year round, however, the amount of fish a family may take in a year does not nearly come close to the amount commercial fisheries take in half a year or even a month. Secondly,The First Nation people have utilized salmon as a basis of their economy for centuries and not until commercial fishing has there been a risk in endangering salmon and other species that live within the ocean environment. Native people across this country respect and cherish their relationship with the salmon, whether as received as a gift from a neighboring community, or required as a source of nutrition, we all pray for and respect the gift from our Mother Earth and know that if the salmon were to go extinct, other species would soon follow.

Kathy
said
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Doug Salmon do not just rot on the spawning grounds, they return important nutrients to the eco system - mother nature wastes nothing. With water temp high in the rivers and low water levels, the more salmon that are allowed to try to get to the spawning grounds the better chance the run will survive another good return in four to seven years.

Bill Smithe
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Oh Boy ! After growing up on the river and seeing what I've seen , isn't that like the pot calling the kettle black ? Good grief !

Jim-Surrey
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Now that is really funny as they are famous for over fishing as they do it all year round! What a dumb statement on their part!

Doug # BC
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While I respect the rights of First Nations to address the issue of fishing,this comment makes little sense for two reasons I can think of.First,since to many fish in the spawning grounds this year WILL NOT increase the run next year,letting them rot on stream banks is ridiculous.Assuming higher than average numbers spawn this year,we should be able to see a good run 4 years from now.NOT next year. This fishery must be preserved,and even enhanced if possible.Biut it's very clear that the science is not there to guarantee anything.By all acoounts,if either the global warming alarmists, or the over fishing alarmists,or those who blame fish farms were right,these fish would not be here.This year,if anything,just proves fisheries scientists don't know as much as they think they know. Could it be that the chief is trying to start a turf war? Yesterday I heard a different First Nations chief complaining about the fish the sports fishers are taking.Really?? That looks like a pitance compared to either the commercial or the First Nations fishers. To bad though.Even at a time of plenty we find ways to fight amongst ourselves.What chief Crey omits from his comments,is the First Nations history,recorded by First Nations people, is rife with stories of years when the salmon just did not return.And long before the were sports fishers,commercial fishers,and even immigrants from foreign lands. We don't like to admit it,but our knowledge is still lacking in to many ways to know for sure why this is.Whales and dolfins in English Bay? What does that say? Are these issues related?DFO doesn't seem to know.I sure don't.I just have more questions tha no one can answer.

Danny
said
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Natives are complaining about over fishing - isn't that a little ironic????

clark
said
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When will we ever learn to let nature look after itself,without interference by man.Set an acceptable quota and keep to it.DO NOT OVERFISH.

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