VANCOUVER 鈥� The newly elected Liberal minority 颅government needs to deal with the 颅devastating impacts of a 颅closure of the commercial salmon 颅fishery in sa国际传媒 this year, say 颅commercial fishermen.
鈥淭he industry needs immediate relief,鈥� said Arthur Black, a seine fisherman who took part last week in a foiled attempt at a protest flotilla.
The flotilla of commercial fishing boats was to converge on False Creek harbour to try to raise public awareness about their plight, but winds prevented most boats from 颅getting there.
Those who did make it to False Creek said their livelihoods have been threatened by a聽fiat issued by federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bernadette聽Jordan, who was defeated in the election. Her decision closed about聽60% of the fishery to commercial 颅fishermen.
鈥淎t the swipe of a pen, the minister took all these fisheries off the table and eliminated the income for all these fishermen,鈥� said Andy Olson, executive director of the Native Fishing Association. 鈥淚t was clearly politically motivated.
鈥淭here鈥檚 an election this year, and they felt that they could get some political ground by 颅making this decision and making it seem like they were 颅protecting salmon. Well they didn鈥檛 颅protect the salmon from all the 颅recreational fishers. Those 颅fisheries still happened.鈥�
Greg Taylor, senior fisheries adviser for Watershed Watch Salmon Society, defended DFO鈥檚 decision, saying the closures were necessary to protect declining salmon stocks. He criticized DFO fisheries managers for going 鈥渞ogue鈥� last week when they announced a commercial opening for Fraser River pink salmon.
鈥淭he Fraser River commercial pink salmon fishery will catch sockeye and steelhead from several populations classified as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in sa国际传媒,鈥� he warned.
Commercial fishermen have been largely shut out of sa国际传媒鈥檚 sockeye salmon fishery in the past, but this year鈥檚 closure has been particularly devastating. They spent thousands of dollars gearing up for a fishing season that was cancelled at the last minute.
鈥� Business in Vancouver
