Vancouver Saltwater Salmon Fishing Report
As you likely know, we did not get the Howe Sound opening for 1 hatchery chinook a day, 62-80cm from April 1st to May 31st. To say I am disappointed and frustrated would be an understatement.
I met with some of the Fisheries Ministers’ staff in person yesterday for an hour. I stressed the importance of this opening to Vancouver anglers, and was told the Minister is looking at it. There is a potential for a decision to be made next week, albeit late, but at this point I am not going to hold by breath.
The DFO has had these proposals for over a year and in some version or another for 3 years. For them to not be able to make a decisive decision on April 1, 2023 demonstrates where public access to sustainable chinooks stocks is on their priority list. Clearly quite low and apparently a trip a to Norway and Iceland in the last week of March to talk to fish farming companies was more important than dealing with chinook management in her own back yard.
In the meantime, we are under the same draconian regulations as last year around Vancouver, no fishing for chinook. That means no catch and release. If you want to fish for chinook C&R you will need to cross over into Area 17.
We have some Avid Angler permits so we will be out there doing some sampling to further bolster the already strong DNA data that shows stocks of concern are not present at this time.
Besides the chinook scenario, other things are going okay, and by that I mean crabbing and prawning. Both have been pretty good lately.
Lingcod and rockfish will open in Area 17 on May 1st as well. I would imagine chinook fishing is going to be very good as well in that area, it will be catch and release, but it seems there are lots around. There have also been a lot of juvenile coho around, a promising sign for the Strait of Georgia coho fishery which opens for retention June 1st in most areas.
Regarding the SRKW and Fraser Mouth decision, the goal for DFO to make an announcement was April 19 but I was told this is going to be delayed. This will be a big decision, so stay tuned.
In the meantime… See you in the shop or on the water.
Jason Tonelli