The federal government is investigating what anglers in Northern B.C. are calling a deceitful act of illegal salmon fishing involving a Terrace-area lodge and leaders of high-profile American conservation organizations.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans investigated the complaint Aug. 12 on the Ecstall River, a lower tributary of the Skeena roughly 40 kilometres southeast of Prince Rupert. Officers observed fishing in the closed river but did not lay charges when the party presented a food-fishing permit issued by the local Lax Kw含羞草研究社檃laams band.
The Komaham Lodge, a private retreat owned by Bass Pro Shops, which hosted the group, later said the fishing was part of joint research project with the band on low salmon stocks.
During the DFO含羞草研究社檚 second consecutive year of extreme conservation measures prohibiting all recreational fishing for chinook salmon throughout the Skeena watershed, the incident has prompted calls for action from several B.C. conservation groups, and outraged the local angling community.
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含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a joke. It含羞草研究社檚 window dressing of the highest order,含羞草研究社� said Bob Hooton, a local angler and retired biologist and former B.C. environment ministry fisheries section head for the Skeena region.
含羞草研究社淭here was never an intention to do research, it was just a cover to do what they really wanted to do 含羞草研究社� rip out a bunch of chinook salmon.含羞草研究社�
In a letter responding to concerns from anglers, the Komaham Lodge identified some of its guests as a former director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, now CEO of Ducks Unlimited, and the president of the Congressional Sportsmen含羞草研究社檚 Foundation.
Guido Rahr, president of the Oregon-based Wild Salmon Center, was identified as giving a presentation to the group, but in an email to Black Press Media he clarified his participation was by phone. He has never visited the Komaham Lodge, he said.
Efforts to reach other members of the party were unsuccessful.
The lodge含羞草研究社檚 letter defended the fishing as part of a project to build relationships with local First Nations by gathering and sharing much-needed data on king and silver salmon (the American names for chinook and coho) as no return or spawning data is available for many lower tributaries of the Skeena River. The letter stated the Lax Kw含羞草研究社檃laams had freely issued the six-day fishing permit for the 含羞草研究社渃utting edge含羞草研究社� study.
In an email Komaham Lodge management maintained the primary goal of the gathering was to help find positive solutions to the salmon crisis.
含羞草研究社淭he Komaham Lodge donated the lodge and trip expenses to host the Congressional Sportsmen含羞草研究社檚 Foundation in an effort to advance key conservation issues,含羞草研究社� the email read.
含羞草研究社淭he Lodge openly communicated with the DFO and First Nations and obtained necessary permits. A First Nations fisheries biologist accompanied the group.含羞草研究社�
But federal fisheries含羞草研究社� North Coast Acting Director Amy Wakelin, speaking for the vacationing director, Colin Masson, denied the department含羞草研究社檚 involvement, further adding they were unaware an arrangement had been made between the other parties.
含羞草研究社淲e have not approved any scientific research on the Ecstall,含羞草研究社� Wakelin said. 含羞草研究社淣ormally people would submit an application for a scientific licence and that did not happen.含羞草研究社�
In regards to the permit, she added, First Nations are allowed to designate persons to fish on their behalf for food, social and ceremonial purposes, but a catch-and-release research exercise as described by the Komaham Lodge would not qualify.
含羞草研究社淲e don含羞草研究社檛 believe that the designation in this instance was consistent with the intent and spirit of bringing food into the community,含羞草研究社� Wakelin said.
Representatives from Lax Kw含羞草研究社檃laams could not be reached for comment.
In an email to Hooton Aug. 21, prior to going on holiday, Masson wrote Bass Pro Shops had contacted an employee at DFO regarding the concept of a research project. He went on to write that Lax Kw含羞草研究社檃laams later acknowledged they were trying to develop a working relationship with the Komaham Lodge in an attempt to build an assessment program.
Anglers and conservationists worry arrangements like these will do nothing to advance understanding of threatened salmon stocks, but rather allow wealthy anglers a way to circumvent conservation laws.
This perception only deepened when a photo of nine private jets, parked at the Terrace airport, began circulating on social media at the time of the fishing excursion.
| This photo of private jets parked at the Terrace airport began circulating on social media mid August (Facebook photo) |
He added angling in a closed area can be justified by collecting meaningful biological data, but pointed out the data collected in August consisted only of length and weight measurements 含羞草研究社敽卟菅芯可鐪hardly useful for population estimation, the purported objective.含羞草研究社�
Hooton, who含羞草研究社檚 led efforts among Northwest anglers to get answers and assurances from DFO, said the scenario is the first he含羞草研究社檚 seen after a 37-year career with the province含羞草研究社檚 fish and wildlife section.
含羞草研究社淣othing comes close,含羞草研究社� Hooton said. 含羞草研究社淚 wouldn含羞草研究社檛 have spent any time on this if I thought the outcome would be inconsequential. This is precedent setting. No doubt about it.含羞草研究社�
Meanwhile, lawyers for the SkeenaWild Conservation Trust, which describes the Skeena river system as one of North America含羞草研究社檚 last remaining intact watersheds, are looking into the legality of the Lax Kw含羞草研究社檃laams permit.
含羞草研究社淪o far DFO is saying they don含羞草研究社檛 think it含羞草研究社檚 illegal and that it含羞草研究社檚 just a loophole in the permit system, but含羞草研究社t becomes the Wild West of fisheries management, where if you have some sort of arrangement or you have money to purchase one of these permits from a First Nation, you essentially have the same rights as First Nations to harvest fish,含羞草研究社� said Executive Director Greg Knox
含羞草研究社淲here does it end? Who含羞草研究社檚 accountable, ultimately, to managing the resource and ensuring the salmon populations are protected?含羞草研究社�
quinn@terracestandard.com
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