Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Skeena Steelhead Conservation
I didn't really expect to catch much when I decided to go fishing last Saturday, rather, I viewed it as an opportunity to practise my double spey casting techniques and to enjoy the steady step and cast of steelhead fly fishing as I worked down through the run. As fate would have it though, a magnificent Steelhead decided to grace her presence and took my black and blue tube fly for a good run. It was not a large fish, at 6 or 7 lbs, but it held some significance - it was my first Summer Steelhead of the year, and for lack of a better phrase, it made my day. What did distract from my overall experience with this fish, however, was the net marks seen on its flank - areas where its shimmering scales were ripped off -a common occurrence seen on steelhead during the peak of the commercial fishing season.
To date, the return of summer steelhead to the Skeena River and its tributaries has been above average, and our fishing thus far has seemed to reflect this. Whether plunking on the lower river, or fly fishing our favourite riffles and pools, there seem to be fishable numbers of steelhead and, optimistically, we hope that this trend continues into late summer and fall. However, commercial fishing interests seem intent on maximizing the extraction of enhanced sockeye salmon to the detriment of other non-target species, most notably steelhead and summer run coho salmon.
It's the same old story - one of blatant ingnorance of the very principles that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) themselves created to minimize the impacts on steelhead and other non-target species. And while I could go on about all the bureaucracy, political interference and lack of enforcement that seems to surround commercial fishing each year, rambling or complaining to like minded individuals might not change things much. By forming a united stand on these issues and taking action though, we can have a positive influence on steelhead and salmon in the Skeena. In case you haven't done so already, I highly recommend joining and supporting the North Coast Steelhead Alliance (NCSA) - a group whose voice continually fights for the preservation and conservation of these wild fish. The NCSA can be reached via their website at www.ncsteelheadalliance.ca. Also, for timely and up to date information regarding the commercial and tyee test fishery this season, be sure to check out the NCSA blog site at www.skeenafisheriesblog.blogspot.com.
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