Fisheries minister’s comments on Skeena sockeye ‘asinine’

Federal fisheries minister Gail Shea’s comments about Skeena River sockeye salmon returns show why regional management is needed, said the New Democratic Party MLA for Stikine, Doug Donaldson.

“Maybe the salmon will return a year later,” Shea said in an interview on CBC radio’s All Points West during her visit to Prince Rupert yesterday.

LINK (Via: The Hook)

If you're a non-resident Skeena lover, you have less than two weeks to voice opinion.

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.

Send the MOE an email now

What? Sean Hannity wasn't available?

Just a couple of days until the American Museum of Fly Fishing's Angler's All Presentation featuring former Vice President Dick Cheney as the keynote speaker! 

We just went to the AMFF site to check on any last minute updates and we find out that warming up the stage for Dick will be former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson, current Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi, and the former bow tie wearing, Dancing with the Stars dropout and Fox News commentator, Tucker Carlson. When you've already got Cheney as your keynote guy why not add a few of his friends?

The Wyoming Senate contingent can warm up the audience with how they helped Dick turn Wyoming's Powder River Basin into a forest of Halliburton drilling rigs and toxic alkaline holding ponds. Maybe Mr. Enzi can proudly share with the audience his 18% environmental voting record rating from the League of Conservation Voters? Tucker Carlson can then charm the crowd with how he is truly the face of the Fly Fishing Museum demographic. You know it was tough growing up as a kid whose Dad is the U.S. Ambassador to the Seychelles and with a Mom who is heiress to the Swanson Food conglomerate fortune. How many times poor Tucker had to beat up the other kids in Blue Blazers who made fun of his brother, Buckley Swanson Peck Carlson. Finally, Tucker can offer up some pointers on how not to do the Cha Cha at the next singles dance down at the yacht club.

Dear museum execs and trustees,

If you're going to defend your Cheney invite by claiming your not a political organization, you should not torpedo that defense by inviting his political allies and commentators from "news" organizations that defended his shitty environmental policies.

Watch Tucker and Begala get their heads handed to them by Jon Stewart on Crossfire... the show was cancelled soon after this exchange.

It's the go-to setup if you're on the Gallatin with, say, the President and you have two hours to get him on a fish

An Outside On-line interview with Dan Vermillion of the Sweetwater Fly Shop who guided Obama on the Gallatin a few days ago.

LINK

President Obama the Fly Fisherman

President Barack Obama will fulfill one of his lesser known campaign promises today during his trip to Montana: He’s going fly-fishing.

LINK (Via: The NY Times)

On Oregon Timber

 

The Obama administration is withdrawing a controversial Bush-era logging plan for millions of acres of federal forests in western Oregon.  More on here on Oregon Live.

I'm actually sitting in a Yachats, OR cafe (southbound to Cali) trying to get a read on local opinion.  Seems they're more proud of their french toast.