Is the sun setting on opportunities for non-resident Skeena anglers? Cam Miller photo.
The British Columbia Ministry of Environment (MOE) has spent the last year digesting non-resident angler input and has just released the “Phase II Consultation Report” on the Angling Management Plan.
Recommendations from those drafting the plan still include guided-only rivers, limited entry lotteries, time restrictions, and increased fees. Non-resident anglers have been given another narrow window of time in which to make themselves heard. They have an opportunity to let the Ministry of Environment and Tourism know what they think of this plan.
Generally speaking, the non-resident perspective on the AMP is this:
- Crowding is not a problem on the Skeena River System - the system is vast, and there are many options.
- As it stands today, the quality of the angling experience is excellent.
- The current non-resident licenses are high. For a non-resident to fish for a single day on a class 1 river, the license would cost $180. To fish for a week on a Class 1 river, and a week on a Class 2 river would cost $560 for a non-resident and $76 for a resident. To put this in perspective, a full fee commercial gillnet license costs $710.
- If any of the suggestions of the draft AMP are imposed, non-resident anglers will spend less time and money in BC.
If you're a non-resident angler that values the Skeena experience, you can help make a difference by following the steps at Steelhead Paradise to contact Environment and Tourism Ministries and share your thoughts. We understand that the decision will be made on November, 21st.