FYI

British Columbia Steelhead Anglers:

The forwarded e-mail at the end of this communication is the start of a process initiated by a few of our BC angling"friends" who haven't refined their sharing skills, and by numerous Skeena System guides who are troubled by the presence of non BC anglers fishing waters that they feel deserve priority for their clients and their personal business interests. As you can surmise, these individuals have an extremely strong voice, have established a significant momentum and will do whatever is necessary to achieve their agenda of restricting our opportunity to fish the Skeena System rivers. If you have any doubts regarding the likely outcome of this matter, consider the fact that the Stakeholder Based Working Group that will draft the final proposed new regulations is comprised of 3 local anglers, 2 local guides, a hired facilitator and a Ministry of Environment staff member. The Group contains no representative of the local businesses, no local community organizations and no advocate for the interest of the unguided non BC anglers. Though the decision on the exact method of restriction has not been completed, it appears that their primary goal is to limit non BC anglers to 8 days per year per Skeena System river or a blanket 8 day period only. This is being supported by the fabricated contention that there is an over crowding condition on the Skeena System rivers that is resulting in a "degraded quality of angling experience".

The BC Ministry of Environment, Fish and Wildlife Branch, produces detailed statistics covering annual angling effort and catch reports for all of the provincial rivers and streams known to host Steelhead. In the Skeena reporting region, the statistics are startling. From fall 2002 through fall 2005, there has been a 34.6% decline in the number of angling days on the Bulkley, 33.0 % decline on the Kispiox, and 51.6% decline on the Morice. The report on 2006 has not yet been produced; however 2006 was considered by most anglers to be a poor Steelhead return year with significantly less angling pressure than 2005. 2007, as we all know, saw very few anglers on the Skeena System due to further significant declines of Steelhead. One of the well established guide operations had approximately two thirds of it's 2007 clients cancel their bookings and abandon their deposits. No doubt the decrease in angling days from fall 2002 through fall 2007 is of a magnitude well in excess of 50% on all of the Skeena System's premier rivers. Yet, despite those statistics, a group of BC anglers and guides are adamant that the rivers are becoming over crowded, with non BC anglers, and consequently experiencing a "degraded quality of angling experience". As dedicated Steelhead anglers, I am certain that we all understand the current distressed state of the resource and the related human dynamics driving the desire to take our traditional fishing opportunities.

Clearly, the only significant means that we have in defending our freedom to fish the Skeena System rivers is through soliciting the support of the Skeena System merchants with whom we conduct business. The sooner that those merchants are informed of the probable restrictions that will be imposed on their customers and the sooner that they commence attending the meetings and voicing their objections, the greater the chance we will have to disrupt the taking of our fishing opportunities. The merchants need to recognize that nearly none of their customers will be willing to bear the time, energy and travel expense of driving 4 to 5 days to fish only 8 days regardless of the unpredictable river condition during the fall months. Communication objecting to any restriction being placed on non BC anglers should definitely also be lodged with the presidents of all of the Chambers of Commerce of the cities/townships listed in the following meeting schedule. The merchants and Chambers of Commerce need be informed that, instead of an over crowded condition on the Skeena System rivers, there in indeed a precipitous drop in the number of anglers visiting their rivers and communities. The merchants and Chambers of Commerce also need to be strongly encouraged to lobby their MLAs (their regional political representatives) to exert pressure on the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Tourism to protect their business interests and our angling opportunities. Attached is a list of the Skeena System Chambers of Commerce. Please communicate with them and any merchants that you have patronized.

Any effort undertaken by you to help preserve our BC angling opportunities will be appreciated by all of us "aliens". PLEASE NOTE, that passing this communication on to all past, present and possible future BC Steelhead anglers, and asking them to assist in lobbying the Skeena System merchants and Chambers of Commerce, will help immensely.

It would also be very helpful to add to your communication that this whole issue is, as documented to be, not rooted in over crowding, but borne of the catastrophic decline in the numbers of Steelhead escaping into the Skeena System and its headwaters and the neglect of the government entities entrusted to protect this priceless resource.

Please scroll completely through the following communication to view the scope of the matter that is confronting us.

Best regards,
Keith Beverly


Skeena Quality Waters Strategy

Many waters in the Skeena River system have been cited as having persistent steelhead angler-use issues — crowding, illegal guiding, etc. — and a degraded quality of angling experience.

In response to these concerns, the Ministry of Environment is implementing the Quality Waters Strategy in the Skeena River watershed. The strategy is a community engagement process, utilizing input from provincial, regional and local recreational angling sectors to identify waters of concern that require new or revised regulations.

The end product of the engagement process will be Angling Management Plans (AMPs) that will recommend revisions to current sport fishing regulations as they pertain to steelhead angler-use issues on the Skeena. The AMPs do not address steelhead populations and conservation issues.

The following table outlines the public and stakeholder involvement process.

Community Engagement Timeline
Phase 1
Jan 17-22/08

Stakeholder meetings

Informal sectoral meetings to identify problems and suggest solutions (Smithers, Houston, Hazleton, Terrace, Kitimat and Prince Rupert)
Feb 7-12/08 Stakeholder meetings Same as Jan 17-22

Feb 25/08
Feb 26/08
Feb 27/08
Feb 28/08
Feb 29/08

March 1/08 Public Meetings
Houston – Seniors’ Centre
Smithers – Hudson Bay Lodge
Hazleton – Kispiox Valley Hall
Terrace – Coast Inn of the West
Kitimat – Kitimat River Lodge Community Centre
Prince Rupert – Highliner Plaza

Open house: 5–7 pm; public meeting 7–9 pm
Open house: 5–7 pm; public meeting 7–9 pm
Open house: 5–7 pm; public meeting 7–9 pm
Open house: 5–7 pm; public meeting 7–9 pm
Open house: 5–7 pm; public meeting 7–9 pm

Open house: 12–2 pm; public meeting 2–4 pm
Mar 31/08 Consultation report Summary of public and stakeholder meetings
April-August/08 Draft AMPs Developed by stakeholder-based Working Group
Phase 2
Sept-Nov/08

Stakeholder meetings

Same as Phase 1 but to review draft AMPs
Nov 2-8/08 Public meetings All six communities
Nov 30/08 Consultation report Summary of public and stakeholder meetings
Early 2009 Finalize AMPs Working Group
Fall 2009 Approval of regulation changes Ministry of Environment
2010 Regulation changes implemented Reflected in Synopsis

The Skeena Regional Quality Waters Management Committee, a local group of resident anglers and licensed guides, has been meeting for the past two years with the Ministry of Environment to oversee the Quality Waters Strategy, the community engagement process and the development of AMPs. The committee has identified the following rivers as a priority for dealing with angler-use issues:

Babine
Bulkley and Morice
Kalum
Kispiox
Kitseguecla
Kitwanga
Lakelse
Skeena IV (downstream from Kitwanga)
Skeena IV (upstream from Kitwanga)
Suskwa
Zymoetz I and II