April
5, 2017
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONSERVATION GROUPS
REQUEST MORE CHANGES FOR
STRIPED BASS ANGLING
New
Brunswick Wildlife Federation and Miramichi Watershed Management Committee, two
organizations involved with consultation regarding the striped bass fishery for
the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence population would like to acknowledge the
Department of Fisheries and Ocean’s improved management plan for the 2017
fishery with its modest increase in harvest limits, but today suggested more
changes should take place now before the season opens.
NBWF
President Charles LeBlanc and Watershed Committee President Debbie Norton both
noteD that at DFO’s Recreational Fish Committee meeting last December, conservation
groups were unanimous in asking for a bag limit of three Striped Bass per day
with a possession limit of six throughout the Gulf region. This request was
based on the science of abundance of
which there has been high numbers in the past few years.
Norton
says the new bag limit of two is an improvement throughout the entire region
with the exception of the Miramichi prior to June 15 which remains at one. She
also pointed out that our organizations had also asked that the upper slot limit
be eliminated for 2017, again based on science and the principle of harvest
based on abundance. We felt that with such excessive numbers in the Gulf that
this was no longer required.
Most
importantly, LeBlanc stated, our members are discouraged with the closing of
the Northwest Miramichi for a three week period. This area has been open to
fishing under the same regulations as the rest of the Gulf area in previous
years and the stock numbers continue to grow each year. Therefore, we believe
that there is no science to support such a closure. Further, this was not
discussed in any detail at the DFO Recreational Fish Committee meeting last
December. Surely, if the Department had any concerns about fishing in that
popular angling area over the past several years, it should have been raised at
that meeting and the background science, if any, discussed. We are unaware of
any such science and do not understand why the area should be closed. We
request that the Northwest area be open for fishing as it has been in the past.
Both
Norton and LeBlanc stated our organizations believe that all management must be
grounded in science and based on the harvest by abundance principle. Our groups
salute the areas of the new management plan which adhere to this principle and
respectfully request DFO Minister Dominic LeBlanc to address the above areas,
which are not science based and thereby restore appropriate angling for the
entire season in the Northwest Miramichi.
Contacts:
Charles LeBlanc – 506.859.1240
Email:
Charlie LeBlanc <cleblan618@rogers.com>
Debbie Norton
506.627.6492
Email : adventures@upperoxbow.com
There's nothing wrong with a feed of bass when they are 10X (minimum) more abundant than required to sustain the population ---- THE 3 WEEK CLOSURE TO THE BASS FISHERY ON A PORTION OF THE NORTHWEST MIRAMICHI IS NOT SCIENCE BASED ---- IT'S POLITICAL.
DFO Management
Frederic Butruille
frederic.butruille@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
ph: (506)851-7358
Minister of Fisheries & Oceans
Dominic LeBlanc
dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca
ph: (506)533-5700
Member of Parliament (Miramichi)
Pat Finnigan
pat.finnigan@parl.gc.ca
ph: (506) 778-8448
