Submitter: David Pedersen

Community: Tofino

Date Submitted: August 27, 2023

Summary:

The commission should investigate the reporting, monitoring and policing of the sport fishery, which likely takes more salmon than it is allotted, as well as the sale of sockeye salmon by First Nations to the general public. The commission should also consider pollution in the Fraser River and competition from ranched salmon as potential causes of the decline of sockeye salmon.

Submission:

Hello

I have many friends that sport fish for Sockeye Salmon. I also have talked to many people that sport fish for Sockeye Salmon.

It is very common talk for sports fisherman to only claim the limit of the fish that are allowed and not actually claim the limit they really caught. So I went and watched for myself at the dock were the boats come out in Port Alberni. I know this is not the Frazer River but this may interest you anyways.

In the time I watched not one boat or boat cooler was checked. I observed people reach in the cooler on the boat and take out the required amount they needed to claim and clean the fish and report the fish.

Now knowing what I have seen and heard there is no possible way that the amount that is reported and the amount that is actually taken from the sea is correct. Matter of fact from what I have heard from friends and people that I have talked with most people take double to tripple what they are legally allowed to take if they can catch them.

They hide them on the vessel and carry on. Some people just take a bunch of different trips out on the water just to reduce the risk of getting caught.



On another note.

I agree with first nations being allowed to fish salmon for food fish. But to sell it on the street corner with cardboard signs to who ever will buy it? ( PORT ALBERNI)

In Port Alberni there are signs all over the place at first nation homes selling fresh Sockeye Salmon. Is this even allowed??

If this is allowed how are the numbers being recorded.

Where is the food safety traing for the consumer. how is it being monitored or audited.

Why are there different rules for first nations supplying for human consumption then other outlets that have to follow Canadian Food Inspection Agencies.

There are vehicles on the side of the road with coolers or there are coolers on the front lawns of homes or there are first nations people sitting in lawn chairs on the side of the road beside a cooler selling these fish.

Who counts them.?/ Are they processed in a compliant processing faucility? Who audits them? Are they above the law?

Its important to note that I have 1/16 first nations blood and I do not judge people by the color of the skin.

However I believe in a fair playing feild.



where did all the sockeye go the public asks.

Should it not read how is the sockeye really being reported, monitored and policed?



There is no one cause, there are many casues I am sure of this.

Polution on the frazer river. My god man.

Tell me this. Who on the Frazer river has a permit to discharge effluent from processing or manufacturing. Can MOE actually tell us exactly who and what is being discharged exactly??



I have talked with industrial plumbing and pumping companies and I was amazed to hear that many companies that discharge to the enviroment. (ie. the sea water)

These companies, the ones that have permits have to meet a standard of only so many parts per million of the pollution to meet the permit. Well it was amazing to hear that most of these companies only need to pump from the sea to add seawater to the discharge so to dilute the water to meet the discharge requirements. So in fact they only have to add sea water and reduce the amount of removal or treatment just by adding seawater before the dischrge outflow so to meet the regulations. hmmmmmmmm????



Think about it people! who is to blame. Many things are effecting the decline in Sockeye.



What about all this sea ranching of salmon in the USA. HOW MANY MILLIONS OF FISH GET RAISED AND RELEASED TO THE OCEAN. to feed on the food supply every year and then they return to the same river they left from and are all seined by commercial fisherman and sent to market. Is that not fish farming without a contaiment net.hmmmmmm?



Its always about money in the end.



Market competition,costs of production, monitoring, verifying, training, policing, playing feild consistency, you name it.



it all costs money and everybody wnats to point the finger at everybody else.

Why not we just start to admit our own faults in all this and clean up this mess.

Why not hold everybody accountable and start enforcing compliancy for all water sheds.

Better monioring of all industry, More accountabilty. equal playing feild for evrybody.



I know.I know!! Thats crazy Talk,



David Pedersen