CrisD Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 I have copied this post from another board: A chance for all our voices to be heard at once. Most of us are well aware that steelhead stocks in B.C. are. declining and that very little help is being given to these fish from the government. In light of the upcoming Provincial election, at their monthly meeting, the directors and officers of the Steelhead Society agreed, that there is an important window of opportunity for all BC steelheaders to voice their displeasure with the mismanagement of steelhead stocks. We feel that a mass e-mail campaign is a great way to start the ball rolling. The provincial election is scheduled for May and politicians have their ears open now, more than at any other time, to the voice of the voters. Below you will find a copy of all the current BC MLAs’ email addresses, including those of the premier and the opposition leaders. On Feb. 1, 2009 we are asking all of you who are concerned with the plight of steelhead in the province to email a letter to every MLA in the province. A deluge of e-mails voicing the concerns of voters on one day cannot be ignored. Again, Feb. 1, 2009 is the day. Below is a brief form letter that can be copied and pasted, making it easy for those who are pressed for time or not quite sure what to say. It is recommended that people try and write their own individual letters as those do hold a bit more weight than a form letter. Jason Tonelli, the President of the Steelhead Society, will be writing a separate letter on behalf of the Society that further outlines our concerns. This is a chance to grab the ears of those in government that we should not pass up. We strongly encourage all who are willing to participate to spread the word of this e-mail blitz. I would also like to ask that any discussion that follows this stay positive and constructive. Thank you. Brian Braidwood Vice President Steelhead Society of BC As a steelhead fisherman in British Columbia, I am extremely concerned by the provincial government's complete neglect of the plight of this great fish. Thanks to a steady pattern of government cut backs, there is an incredible lack of core funding available for this resource. After an election promise of the “the best fisheries management, bar none” I would have expected to see more funds made available for protection and enhancement of steelhead in the province. Instead I have seen the opposite. The number of people assigned to steelhead management throughout the province has dwindled to an embarrassing few. A mere fraction of what there once was. Once there were more people working on steelhead management on Vancouver Island then there now are in the in entire Province. "The best fisheries management bar none"? I am still waiting for that to happen. Steelhead are an extremely valuable recreational sport fish. To many, the pursuit of them is a way of life! I, and a multitude of others, travel all across this great province in pursuit of steelhead. Along the way we spend money in local tackle shops, hotels, pubs and restaurants, often in small towns during off-peak seasons. Gas is put in vehicles; boats and motors are purchased. All of this money is spent in the pursuit of steelhead, providing employment and income to local BC residents and businesses. For many of these businesses, steelheaders are the major source of income for much of the off-season. Anglers travel from all over the globe to come to BC and fish for the largest wild steelhead to be found on earth. Will they (and the funds they bring) still come, once the steelhead have been ignored into extinction? The amount of money that recreational fishing contributes to the provincial economy is very significant, but if the fish disappear, so too will that revenue. It seems that the economic benefits of the recreational angling for steelhead are totally ignored by the government when it comes to investing money into the fishery that generates such considerable value! The government insists anglers purchase a fishing license and a steelhead tag in order to fish for steelhead. This should mean that the government is responsible for steelhead, yet the government is ignoring this responsibility! The anglers of this Province have long been fighting for this fish, spending their own money and time with little or no government support. Is this government willing to increase the funding for steelhead protection? Funding for more staff dealing with steelhead issues, funding for necessary habitat work, funding for studying, and stocking steelhead. These fish are in dire straits and need the government’s help. The party that commits to support these fish will be the one supported with a vote from me! scott.fraser.mla@leg.bc.ca mike.dejong.mla@leg.bc.ca john.vandongen.mla@leg.bc.ca dennis.mackay.mla@leg.bc.ca raj.chouhan.mla@leg.bc.ca richard.lee.mla@leg.bc.ca john.nuraney.mla@leg.bc.ca harry.bloy.mla@leg.bc.ca bob.simpson.mla@leg.bc.ca charlie.wyse.mla@leg.bc.ca barry.penner.mla@leg.bc.ca john.les.mla@leg.bc.ca norm.macdonald.mla@leg.bc.ca stan.hagen.mla@leg.bc.ca diane.thorne.mla@leg.bc.ca douglas.routley.mla@leg.bc.ca guy.gentner.mla@leg.bc.ca val.roddick.mla@leg.bc.ca bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca maurine.karagianis.mla@leg.bc.ca rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca claude.richmond.mla@leg.bc.ca kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca al.horning.mla@leg.bc.ca sindi.hawkins.mla@leg.bc.ca mary.polak.mla@leg.bc.ca john.horgan.mla@leg.bc.ca randy.hawes.mla@leg.bc.ca michael.sather.mla@leg.bc.ca leonard.krog.mla@leg.bc.ca ron.cantelon.mla@leg.bc.ca corky.evans.mla@leg.bc.ca chuck.puchmayr.mla@leg.bc.ca gary.coons.mla@leg.bc.ca claire.trevena.mla@leg.bc.ca katherine.whittred.mla@leg.bc.ca daniel.jarvis.mla@leg.bc.ca ida.chong.mla@leg.bc.ca tom.christensen.mla@leg.bc.ca rick.thorpe.mla@leg.bc.ca richard.neufeld.mla@leg.bc.ca blair.lekstrom.mla@leg.bc.ca bill.barisoff.mla@leg.bc.ca mike.farnworth.mla@leg.bc.ca iain.black.mla@leg.bc.ca nicholas.simons.mla@leg.bc.ca shirley.bond.mla@leg.bc.ca pat.bell.mla@leg.bc.ca john.rustad.mla@leg.bc.ca olga.ilich.mla@leg.bc.ca linda.reid.mla@leg.bc.ca john.yap.mla@leg.bc.ca murray.coell.mla@leg.bc.ca murray.coell.mla@leg.bc.ca david.cubberley.mla@leg.bc.ca george.abbott.mla@leg.bc.ca robin.austin.mla@leg.bc.ca kevin.falcon.mla@leg.bc.ca sue.hammell.mla@leg.bc.ca harry.bains.mla@leg.bc.ca jagrup.brar.mla@leg.bc.ca dave.hayer.mla@leg.bc.ca bruce.ralston.mla@leg.bc.ca gordon.hogg.mla@leg.bc.ca spencer.herbert.mla@leg.bc.ca jenn.mcginn.mla@leg.bc.ca wally.oppal.mla@leg.bc.ca shane.simpson.mla@leg.bc.ca david.chudnovsky.mla@leg.bc.ca adrian.dix.mla@leg.bc.ca carole.taylor.mla@leg.bc.ca jenny.kwan.mla@leg.bc.ca gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca carole.james.mla@leg.bc.ca rob.fleming.mla@leg.bc.ca katrine.conroy.mla@leg.bc.ca ralph.sultan.mla@leg.bc.ca joan.mcintyre.mla@leg.bc.ca harry.lali.mla@leg.bc.ca Quote
Guest Sundancefisher Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 Directed at BC. What board did this come from? Don't get me wrong but I love the fact you British Columbians are looking for us Albertans to help you but..... Where were you when the BC government started treating Albertans like third class fishing citizens. We have been penalized left right and center in the SE corner of BC and now probably other areas if not already. Do you really feel that the steelheads are the property of Canadians? Is your organization in favor of having Albertan fall under the same regulations as average BC residents when it comes to fishing for them in the rivers? Will you amend your letter accordingly to protect all Canadians right to fish for a species that lives most of its life in the ocean? Are you also willing to start a letter writing campaign to bring Albertans back to BC to fish? The anti non-BC fishing rhetoric has got to end somewhere. What says you? Sun Quote
JMasson Posted February 1, 2009 Posted February 1, 2009 Directed at BC. What board did this come from? Don't get me wrong but I love the fact you British Columbians are looking for us Albertans to help you but..... Where were you when the BC government started treating Albertans like third class fishing citizens. We have been penalized left right and center in the SE corner of BC and now probably other areas if not already. Do you really feel that the steelheads are the property of Canadians? Is your organization in favor of having Albertan fall under the same regulations as average BC residents when it comes to fishing for them in the rivers? Will you amend your letter accordingly to protect all Canadians right to fish for a species that lives most of its life in the ocean? Are you also willing to start a letter writing campaign to bring Albertans back to BC to fish? The anti non-BC fishing rhetoric has got to end somewhere. What says you? Sun Well said, Sun!!!!! I would be more than happy to send an e-mail to all of those MPs but what's in it for me/ us (Albertans, in general)? If the Skeena AMP is passed into law then it would virtually prevent me from coming to fish for steelhead in BC. At this stage in my young life I cannot afford to pay the increased licensing/ guiding fees that would almost certainly be required. Why should I write a letter to a provincial government in support of an initiative to save a threatened species of fish when that same government (and anglers from that province) would seek to limit my ability to angle for said species? I have read the threads on the FlyFish in BC forum and there are a fair few there that support the AMP....I would hazard a guess that well over 50% are in support of it. I would imagine you'd be hard pressed to find a regular contributor on this board that would not want to back the SSBC but like I said earlier....what's in it for us? James Quote
headscan Posted February 2, 2009 Posted February 2, 2009 Sundancefisher and JMasson, did you guys fill out the petition and response form in this thread: http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=6401 Yes, all Canadians who are not B.C. residents (not just Albertans, so don't make it an "everyone is against us poor Albertans" thing) could get shafted if the Skeena AMP goes through. But just complaining about it on FFC isn't going to make a bit of difference, which is why the petition and response forms in the above thread are important. For what it's worth, I'm pretty certain that there are members of the SSBC executive who are opposed to the Skeena AMP too. As for the "what's in it for me" attitude, well, that's a good part of why the steelhead populations are in so much trouble to begin with. Sorry, but your reasoning here just astounds me. How about putting the self-serving attitudes aside for a bit to help save the fish, then you can worry about your access to them and how much it'll cost you. Why should I write a letter to a provincial government in support of an initiative to save a threatened species of fish when that same government (and anglers from that province) would seek to limit my ability to angle for said species? So if you can't fish for them you'd rather see the population decimated so nobody else can either? If they aren't around any more, then the Skeena AMP becomes irrelevant doesn't it? Quote
Guest Sundancefisher Posted February 2, 2009 Posted February 2, 2009 Sundancefisher and JMasson, did you guys fill out the petition and response form in this thread: http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=6401 Yes, all Canadians who are not B.C. residents (not just Albertans, so don't make it an "everyone is against us poor Albertans" thing) could get shafted if the Skeena AMP goes through. But just complaining about it on FFC isn't going to make a bit of difference, which is why the petition and response forms in the above thread are important. For what it's worth, I'm pretty certain that there are members of the SSBC executive who are opposed to the Skeena AMP too. As for the "what's in it for me" attitude, well, that's a good part of why the steelhead populations are in so much trouble to begin with. Sorry, but your reasoning here just astounds me. How about putting the self-serving attitudes aside for a bit to help save the fish, then you can worry about your access to them and how much it'll cost you. So if you can't fish for them you'd rather see the population decimated so nobody else can either? If they aren't around any more, then the Skeena AMP becomes irrelevant doesn't it? Sadly I am sure the BC anglers out emailed us on this one. I would be surprised if Albertans are fishing for the same runs as BC residents in a couple of years. Quote
hydropsyche Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 As for the "what's in it for me" attitude, well, that's a good part of why the steelhead populations are in so much trouble to begin with. This just goes to show the old adage "The more friends a river has, the better" is true. Does it matter where the friends come from? The recent rush to AMP's only serves to reduce the number of friends a river has. To come onto this board to ask those targeted for exclusion to come to the rescue is....I can't seem to find the right word for it. Yes. I care about the plight of the Steelhead. I also care about the plight of the Manatee but with the AMP coming on board, they both have about the same relevance to me. Quote
KingSalmon Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 I agree with headscan on this. Put your personal little indifferences away, and do something for the good of the fish. Do you want to see the end of native steelhead runs? The fact that we still have these amazing fish is a miracle after all the crap that they've been through. Treasure what you have, because a few wrong moves later and its all gone. It's called fishing, not bitching... Quote
maxwell Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 thats a good one tim will halfto use that!!!! Quote
SilverDoctor Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 I'm of the same mind. I'm disappointed with the treatment of Alberta fishers as I grew up in that province and still support it through property taxes and a number of other things business endeavors like gallery sales. But the important thing is the fishery. I did write my letters. Quote
hydropsyche Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 do something for the good of the fish. What have you done lately for the good of the manatee? Just Kidding!!! My point is human nature is human nature and the crafters of the AMP should consider human nature for what it is. Who knows, if/when the AMP becomes a gold mine, the government might then pay attention (politicians being human too) because $ and votes count to them, not the plight of the manatee. However, if the river banks are empty, no one will be writting letters. There is no way I'm suggesting we spite the steelhead for personal gain. Heck, we should all be writing letters for environmental reasons at the least. Likewise, the BCSS, when crafting the AMP, should not be thinking about personal gain. I'm not suggesting they are, but again, human nature is human nature and guides are human too. Quote
headscan Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 Likewise, the BCSS, when crafting the AMP, should not be thinking about personal gain. I'm not suggesting they are, but again, human nature is human nature and guides are human too. To the best of my knowledge the AMP was not crafted by the BCSS. Whistler and uliwon probably have much more knowledge about this than I do since they are or have been associated with the BCSS. I think the AMP was put forth by the MOE based on input from local residents and some guides. http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=6625 http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=6401 http://speypages.com/speyclave/showthread.php?t=30954 Quote
markd Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 It's pretty apparent who has had the pleasure of catching chrome before, and who hasn't (or who would like to)...Whether or not the AMP goes into play, steelhead are truely the most amazing freshwater species, and are worth protecting and saving. Quote
hydropsyche Posted February 3, 2009 Posted February 3, 2009 MOE makes it offical but I doubt they were the instigator. I found a good website that shows who the movers and shakers are. http://www.noelgyger.ca/quality-waters.htm = link Quote
reevesr1 Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Wow, I gave the website a quick read. Last few lines were impressive. Being considered are: # limit number of guides and clients during specified time periods, # limit guide authorization and review guided allocation, # no guiding, # guided only for non-BC residents. So I find it interesting that these people are asking for help with fish management from another province? Seriously? I try to be pretty inclusive in my thinking about this sort of thing, and want to give the benefit of the doubt. And while I agree that we should do whatever we can to help the fish, I hate it that anyone who could draft the above as possible recommendations would EVER benefit from an increase in fish population. While I'm sure there are things like this being considered in other places, I personally have never heard anything like it. They don't deserve the fish, IMHO. One of the most selfish things I've ever read. From my perspective, this has nothing to do with preserving the fish stock for the sake of the fish, only for the sake of the "stakeholders." And I use that term very loosely. And to all the Albertans reading this, please don't ever consider anything like this here. You have a wonderful resource that anyone should be able to share. Just because BC is doing it doesn't mean you have to. Quote
Hawgstoppah Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Just shut up for a minute and write a letter. THEN hope and pray that the idiots who came up with the AMP can see what damage it's going to do LONG TERM... to the fishery, and the tourism dollar for BC. Heck... I've already had old clients from days gone by get a hold of me asking me if I am still guiding this year becuase there DONE with BC's B.S.. Quote
reevesr1 Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Just shut up for a minute and write a letter. THEN hope and pray that the idiots who came up with the AMP can see what damage it's going to do LONG TERM... to the fishery, and the tourism dollar for BC. Heck... I've already had old clients from days gone by get a hold of me asking me if I am still guiding this year becuase there DONE with BC's B.S.. Did you just tell me to shut up?? Quote
Hawgstoppah Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Until you've written a letter, yes. After such time... flame away... Quote
headscan Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Rick, I agree the Skeena AMP is b.s. and is not about conservation. In fact it was never about the fish so much as the "angling experience" for some locals and a few guides with their own interests in mind. The BCSS is a different group and the letter writing campaign is unrelated to the AMP, which is why I supported this campaign and sent negative feedback about the AMP. It's unfortunate that for some reason people posting to this thread are equating the two. Remember that there are steelhead in other systems than the Skeena. The response form period for the Skeena AMP ended Nov. 30th, but you can still sign the petition against it here: http://www.opposeskeenaamp.com/ Quote
reevesr1 Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 Rick, I agree the Skeena AMP is b.s. and is not about conservation. In fact it was never about the fish so much as the "angling experience" for some locals and a few guides with their own interests in mind. The BCSS is a different group and the letter writing campaign is unrelated to the AMP, which is why I supported this campaign and sent negative feedback about the AMP. It's unfortunate that for some reason people posting to this thread are equating the two. Remember that there are steelhead in other systems than the Skeena. The response form period for the Skeena AMP ended Nov. 30th, but you can still sign the petition against it here: http://www.opposeskeenaamp.com/ Headscan, I am woefully ignorant of the different steelhead organizations and apologize for any mixing of the two groups. Quote
hydropsyche Posted February 4, 2009 Posted February 4, 2009 I didn't confuse the two. I just pointed out that the success and proliferation of AMP's may adversely affect the success of this and any future letter campaigns. From the link given: "Missing from the Photo but these people also contributed greatly: Dave Narver, BC Wildlife Federation, Paul Bech, Steelhead Society, " I'm assuming the Steelhead Society is the one and the same. This doesn't mean they are for the AMP. They may be a voice against. Does anyone know their stance? Here nor there, this was a hijack from the original intent of the thread and I'm sorry. I'll shut-up now. Quote
JMasson Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 Just shut up for a minute and write a letter. THEN hope and pray that the idiots who came up with the AMP can see what damage it's going to do LONG TERM... to the fishery, and the tourism dollar for BC. Heck... I've already had old clients from days gone by get a hold of me asking me if I am still guiding this year becuase there DONE with BC's B.S.. I have written letters so I feel as though I can offer my opinion on the matter. I am also a member of a few smaller organizations that are dedicated to preserving salmon and steelhead stocks in BC and the Pacific Northwest in general. I am thinking long term. Possibly in a different way than others are but long term, all the same. Groups like the SSBC need to make a stand against the AMP lest it spread to the rest of the province. What comes after that...lotteries for BC residents then what, Riparian leases and limited access private streams? Don't be so naive to think that this could never happen. It happened in several states which had laws protecting against such things. All it takes is some lobbying power and the right (or possibly wrong) people in government to change laws. Hydropsyche, I haven't seen or heard of any public statement (either for or against) the Skeena AMP on behalf of the SSBC. I am also fully aware that the SSBC and those who came up with the AMP are not the same group and I never suggested that they were. Quote
Hawgstoppah Posted February 7, 2009 Posted February 7, 2009 I am thinking long term. Possibly in a different way than others are but long term, all the same. Groups like the SSBC need to make a stand against the AMP lest it spread to the rest of the province. What comes after that...lotteries for BC residents then what, Riparian leases and limited access private streams? Don't be so naive to think that this could never happen. It happened in several states which had laws protecting against such things. All it takes is some lobbying power and the right (or possibly wrong) people in government to change laws. amen to that. Quote
uliwon Posted February 9, 2009 Posted February 9, 2009 As now Past President of the SSBC, I will add that we do not make it our business to get involved in issues relating to anything other than conservation of the species and its habitat. Like many NGO's, we were/are invited to many different meetings/committee's etc where Steelhead are an issue, including the quality waters issue....hence Poul Bech's name being listed. We all love fishing for Steelhead and many directors (I'm good at this one!) will vent persoanally about issues relating to angling all the time...that is a different matter...(I rage about the lack of the bait ban on the Thompson all the time, but I speak personally....I am entitled to my own opinions last time I checked) I guide on the Skeena...so do I want less pressure? you bet, I have to deliver a quality experience to my clients much the same as one does on the Bow. Do I want to limit other Canadians? NOPE...non-residents Aliens that camp out on the water, or worse, illegally assist buddy's all season long...YUP Steelhead face any more perils than trout...high seas survival, habitat logged to death, commercial interception, native netting.... We are taking about all Steelhead...Vancouver Island, Thompson, Skeena, QCI...its a bigger issue than the Skeena AMP...WAY bigger. Its user pay world in BC these days...expect to shell out more bucks to fish for something if you expect Government to protect it... Quote
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