[slough shark]

Originally Posted by wind drift

Our province’s policy states that conservation of fish is top priority, then treaty rights, then recreation. Too bad conservation hasn’t been job #1 to date. Note that industry or agriculture doesn’t show up on the list.

To be clear, I support pulling all the levers, not just the fishing control lever. It appears there is agreement on this. However, because previous governments were ineffective and let fish conservation slide to the bottom of the real-life priority list for making decisions, the basic problem now is that none of the levers have been pulled hard enough to keep our native trout from showing up on the lists of species at risk. So, now more levers have to be pulled, and harder. In order for that to happen, and for it all to work, we all have to get over blaming others and get on with it. We could argue about blame and proof until the last Athabasca rainbow dies. Do we really think that industry will get on board with a recovery program if anglers are still allowed to fish, even if the science shows that catch and release kills only 1or 2% of fish caught? If we anglers say we won’t support 5 year suspensions on fishing until we have proof that culverts will be fixed, or sediment controlled, etc., where does that leave us? Pretty much nothing will happen. Finally having to close a watershed to angling is a long needed wake up call for everyone.

You think that if we as anglers support this bogus 5 year closure it will buy us “social license” to ask companies fix the habitat they have fragmented? I’m guessing you know that term well as I’m guessing who you work for uses that all the time (how’s that working getting all the pipelines built without constant opposition and court dates). We know what the main issues are and that they need to be addressed and if we are being honest some rivers will never return with the bull trout, they are simply being out competed by other species. Why don’t you go tell your boss that instead of closing the rivers implore anglers to pressure companies to do the right thing and fix some of the habitat issues. While you’re at it tell them to hire some more f&w officers to enforce the existing rules.