I received this message from David Whyte of the FB group, New Brunswick Recreational Anglers (Miramichi River Systems) on the upcoming 3-week striped bass closure on the Northwest. David lays out the history behind this closure and goes on to explain why it is unnecessary and not based in science but rather (and sadly) politics. In implementing this closure, DFO is getting out of their responsibility of actually managing the fishery while ignoring all inquiries by all groups to justify their position. Like I said before -- DFO, SHOW ME THE SCIENCE!
Here's David's message, please share and talk about this with other anglers, and take some time to call or write DFO and the Minister.
"DFO are trying to implement a closure on a portion of the Northwest Miramichi River for 2017. They had tried this back in 2012 without success so now they are suggesting a smaller portion of the spawning grounds for striped bass to be closed for certain amount of time without scientific information to support this cause. Why close an area down when numbers of striped bass have rebounded back from a mere 2000 spawners, in 1999, to in excess of 318000 currently WITHOUT ANY CLOSURE?
DFO will avoid answering all of our questions.
This is an all to familiar action from any government authority, which is not the intended duty for that specific position, whatever it may be.
CLOSURE OF A SPAWNING GROUND MEANS NO ACCESS FOR ANYONE! PERIOD!
MAKE IT CLEAR! There cannot be a any exceptions!
Next year, maybe sooner, DFO intentions may decide to extend boundaries as they have done in the past.
This can be done with ease once ANY closure is implemented within the system on a species or its habitat.
CLOSURE IS DFO'S EASIEST SCAPEGOAT ! ! ! !
THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL TO UNDERSTAND.
This choice allows them to close the door on a wrongful decision made by a prior Minister and his management staff. It allows them to breech contracts and bypass all consultation processes back in 2012. It allows DFO NOT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE for their actions!
Therefore CLOSURE IS UNACCEPTABLE!
The best management for the fishery IS APPROPRIATE AND UNBIASED MANAGEMENT! PERIOD!
Community pride and unity. Pride and passion for a heritage and what a community may stand to gain OR lose. This alone should always triumph over politics, as it is the true sense of Democracy that our forefathers had put into place for fairness and equality where majority rule.
GREED, has turned this true form of democracy into a game, to where the APPOINTED persons in key positions try forming new ways to bend the rules to their advantage for certain agendas or gains. To have precedence set so that bent rule then becomes law.
Who posed the proposal of river closure in the first place. Nobody here!
DFO officials have tried using the online surveys as another way to enforce their decision where he claims 54% were in favor of some type of protection of the habitat. This is without being consulted on accurate accounts, measures or science. Clearly DFO's mind is set on closure of any type so they can get their foot in the door and eventually do what they had set out to do some time ago. It NEVER ends!
MAKE IT KNOWN THAT there is a far better management plan that includes MORE RETENTION FOR THE WHOLE SOUTHERN GULF REGION and more importantly, NO CLOSURE! !
A few of us suspect that DFO tactics are going to include an increase in the retention amounts to sweeten the pot, they have already given us the whole season to retain (as it always should have been) BUT it will come at the cost of closure. WHICH, LEFT UNADVISED, the majority will jump all over immediately without giving it a second thought as to the big picture. We can control the outcome by NOT being pushed, coerced or dictated to but in fact giving DFO a better management offer. There are MANY other management efforts that can be implemented without closure.
RIVER CLOSURE IS MANAGEMENT FAILURE!
It has to be made known BEFORE all of this takes place. BEFORE majority rule on matters that really do not affect them at all and DFO make the citizens of Miramichi look greedy and unreasonable.
AVOIDING ACCOUNTABILITY is and always has been their tactic. They spend more effort on trying to get out of something or cover it up than sucking it up and moving forward to better manage and properly consult with ALL stakeholders. Basically, they spend good taxpayers money to do less than their job!
David Whyte"
A late Northwest Miramichi bass from October 2016
A dead bass I found floating at Salmon Brook pool on the Cains river, summer of 2016
(you know there are too many when...)
How to fillet a striped bass:
Please contact the following people to let them know how you feel about the 2017 striped bass regulations:
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
Here's David's message, please share and talk about this with other anglers, and take some time to call or write DFO and the Minister.
"DFO are trying to implement a closure on a portion of the Northwest Miramichi River for 2017. They had tried this back in 2012 without success so now they are suggesting a smaller portion of the spawning grounds for striped bass to be closed for certain amount of time without scientific information to support this cause. Why close an area down when numbers of striped bass have rebounded back from a mere 2000 spawners, in 1999, to in excess of 318000 currently WITHOUT ANY CLOSURE?
DFO will avoid answering all of our questions.
This is an all to familiar action from any government authority, which is not the intended duty for that specific position, whatever it may be.
CLOSURE OF A SPAWNING GROUND MEANS NO ACCESS FOR ANYONE! PERIOD!
MAKE IT CLEAR! There cannot be a any exceptions!
Next year, maybe sooner, DFO intentions may decide to extend boundaries as they have done in the past.
This can be done with ease once ANY closure is implemented within the system on a species or its habitat.
CLOSURE IS DFO'S EASIEST SCAPEGOAT ! ! ! !
THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ALL TO UNDERSTAND.
This choice allows them to close the door on a wrongful decision made by a prior Minister and his management staff. It allows them to breech contracts and bypass all consultation processes back in 2012. It allows DFO NOT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE for their actions!
Therefore CLOSURE IS UNACCEPTABLE!
The best management for the fishery IS APPROPRIATE AND UNBIASED MANAGEMENT! PERIOD!
Community pride and unity. Pride and passion for a heritage and what a community may stand to gain OR lose. This alone should always triumph over politics, as it is the true sense of Democracy that our forefathers had put into place for fairness and equality where majority rule.
GREED, has turned this true form of democracy into a game, to where the APPOINTED persons in key positions try forming new ways to bend the rules to their advantage for certain agendas or gains. To have precedence set so that bent rule then becomes law.
Who posed the proposal of river closure in the first place. Nobody here!
DFO officials have tried using the online surveys as another way to enforce their decision where he claims 54% were in favor of some type of protection of the habitat. This is without being consulted on accurate accounts, measures or science. Clearly DFO's mind is set on closure of any type so they can get their foot in the door and eventually do what they had set out to do some time ago. It NEVER ends!
MAKE IT KNOWN THAT there is a far better management plan that includes MORE RETENTION FOR THE WHOLE SOUTHERN GULF REGION and more importantly, NO CLOSURE! !
A few of us suspect that DFO tactics are going to include an increase in the retention amounts to sweeten the pot, they have already given us the whole season to retain (as it always should have been) BUT it will come at the cost of closure. WHICH, LEFT UNADVISED, the majority will jump all over immediately without giving it a second thought as to the big picture. We can control the outcome by NOT being pushed, coerced or dictated to but in fact giving DFO a better management offer. There are MANY other management efforts that can be implemented without closure.
RIVER CLOSURE IS MANAGEMENT FAILURE!
It has to be made known BEFORE all of this takes place. BEFORE majority rule on matters that really do not affect them at all and DFO make the citizens of Miramichi look greedy and unreasonable.
AVOIDING ACCOUNTABILITY is and always has been their tactic. They spend more effort on trying to get out of something or cover it up than sucking it up and moving forward to better manage and properly consult with ALL stakeholders. Basically, they spend good taxpayers money to do less than their job!
David Whyte"
A late Northwest Miramichi bass from October 2016
A dead bass I found floating at Salmon Brook pool on the Cains river, summer of 2016
(you know there are too many when...)
One of the best ways to enjoy striped bass:
Please contact the following people to let them know how you feel about the 2017 striped bass regulations:
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
