July, 1998
Vancouver, British Columbia
Measures Include Reduced Fishing Fleet and Temporary Agreements with Washington to Limit Catches
At the end of July about 1,100 commercial salmon fishermen in British Columbia had agreed not to fish this season. Skippers have hung up their nets in exchange for $6,500 grants from Ottawa, and next year many of these boat owners may sell their fishing licenses back to the government and give up fishing altogether. The popularity of the $6500 grants reflects reduced numbers of fish in the region, low market prices for salmon, and financial competition both from larger vessels and from Americans catching fish that British Columbians say are bound for Canadian rivers. The Canadian government offered the grants as part of a long-term effort to reduce the number of people relying on fishing for a living.
Many British Columbia coastal towns rely on salmon fishing for economic stability, but too many boats are competing for a dwindling number of fish as they head for BC's coastal rivers. |
Canada further demonstrated concern for the salmon fishery by agreeing to a temporary reduction in fishing quotas this summer. In an agreement with Washington, Ottawa announced in late June that it would reduce its catch of Fraser River and Puget Sound salmon by 22%-50%, with numbers varying between fishing regions. In return American boats would reduce their catch of Fraser River salmon by 22%. While this agreement reflects only a few fish stocks and lasts for only this year, it could be a landmark in cooperation between the two countries, which have had bitter conflicts and confrontations over declining salmon stocks in recent years.
British Columbian fishing communities fear that the reduction in fishing activity will endanger small fishing-dependent towns on the coast of BC and Vancouver Island. The 1,100 boats not fishing this summer represent about 40% of the province’s salmon fleet, but most are small vessels, mostly based in small towns in northern BC and western Vancouver Island. The government has also earmarked $200 million for buying back salmon licenses, and most observers expect that the permanent reduction, like this summer’s temporary reduction of the fleet, will hit small towns hardest. Many British Columbians fear that a reduction in the number of fishing boats will simply produce a concentration of power in the hands of large, corporate vessels.
However, economic hardship is nothing new for many small fishing communities. For years competition has been rising, prices have been low, and fish stocks have been falling. Saving more fish may mean harder times for small fishing towns. But the one recognized fact is that without these conservation measures both the towns and the fish could soon disappear.
To read more, see
Environmental Science, A Global Concern,
Cunningham and Saigo, 5th ed.
Canadian cod fishery decline: page 213
Fish farming (alternative fishery source):
page 218
Environmental Science, Enger and Smith,
6th ed.
Fishery management: pages 201-203
For further information, see these related web sites:
Background on BC salmon fisheries
Lots of information on Pacific Salmon
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