The managment of the commercial net openings that are currently occurring in British Columbia defies all common sense when it comes to protecting wild steelhead. In this particular case, the gill net fishery for chum salmon in the Dean Channel and the dropping of the weedline netting technique requirement.
From the North Coast Steelhead Alliance -
Allowing non-selective gillnetters into an area holding much more valuable summer run steelhead to target a fish that is worth pennies per pound. Where is the logic in that? In terms of management economics, it would appear cheaper to pay the 30 or 40 gillnetters to stay home than pay for the management time spent on this fishery in addition to the loss of incredibly valuable Dean river summer run steelhead.
The North Coast Steelhead Alliance reports and provides analysis on all the North Coast net openings, take a read but be prepared to tear your hair out.