Salmon Anglers support the document “28 Reasons to Support Salmon Management and Conservation” (A rebuttal to “28 reasons to oppose the live release of grilse")

(picture by Paul W Elson or Stephanie Groom-Elson)

Subject: Salmon Anglers support the document “28 Reasons to Support Salmon Management and Conservation” (A rebuttal to “28 reasons to oppose the live release of grilse")

Document link: https://goo.gl/EeKIlA

To whom it may concern,

We, the undersigned, are a group of Atlantic salmon anglers from NB, NS, PEI, NL and the United States who are in support of DFO's positive action of ceasing grilse harvest in 2015. We hope this repeats for the 2016 season and carries forward until returns achieve conservation levels and river by river management is implemented to ensure angling harvest is responsible, measurable and sustainable. Although we're not the authors of the attached rebuttal, it DOES represent our views and we believe it should be a strong factor when considering the management strategy for the upcoming salmon fishing season(s). A single season of mandatory catch and release does NOT take into consideration the life cycle of Atlantic salmon. (Video of life cycle:  https://goo.gl/TyWFQk)

We acknowledge the following since the implementation of mandatory grilse release in 2015:

- The change has caused much discussion among many user groups.
- Arguments have been championed by a well-known member of the salmon fishing community I.E.  “28 reasons to oppose the live release of grilse”
- Those arguments have received a lot of attention and fanfare.
- It could therefore be imagined that these arguments are representative of all salmon fishermen.
- These arguments ARE NOT representative of all salmon fishermen.
- Catch and Release is a valuable conservation measure that is required to save the future of Atlantic Salmon.
- Catch and Release is not the only conservation measure that is required to save the future of Atlantic Salmon.
- It is our privilege to angle for Atlantic salmon, not our birthright nor that of anyone else (First Nations excluded). Conservation trumps all.
- When returns are not meeting conservation minimums, every fish counts - including grilse.

We wish to note the following exception to point number 15's rebuttal, where the authors recognize and accept that C&R is the "last step before a total closure". Total closures have not been proven to "limit harm" to salmon populations in any way. Total closures, as a means of population recovery, are ineffective and in the era of conscientious C&R anglers, total closures will actually INCREASE harm by taking away the interest in volunteering, involvement with NGO's, fundraising and poaching deterrence. We reject this "old way" of management and take offence to the very idea of total closures.  The only type of closure we agree with is the temporary warm water protocol, triggered during hot summer weather where river levels are low and water temperatures are high. C&R salmon anglers should be officially recognized in management policy, as a positive force for conservation through their involvement with NGO and volunteer groups as well as being a deterrent to poaching, etc. If C&R angling goes, interest will cease and there will quickly be no salmon left to manage.

In closing, it is our sincere hope that the document “28 Reasons to Support Salmon Management and Conservation” receives the same distribution, fanfare and consideration as the previous, and arguably misguided “28 reasons to oppose the live release of grilse”. In writing their rebuttal, the authors have focused on fact and logic to back their arguments instead of the repetitive and emotional rhetoric used in the document opposing grilse release. We wish to offer our thanks to the authors who took much time and effort in crafting this excellent response. It was necessary for someone to produce and broadly distribute a rebuttal so that the other side of the argument, but more importantly Atlantic salmon, could be represented in this discussion. We also wish to thank the men and women who work for salmon conservation, many of whom do so as volunteers and ALL of whom are working towards more salmon in our rivers for everyone. A short time ago, Canada elected a new Federal Government who were given a clear mandate in the Atlantic provinces. We heard much about how things were going to change and also of the commitment to evidence-based decisions while assuring scientists would be un-muzzled and listened to. It is unimaginable how DFO, under the former government, would cease harvest while simultaneously allowing C&R angling (proving the value of anglers) only to turn around and allow retention one year later. How could this be considered without evidence of any river reaching healthy salmon populations? How could one year of catch and release achieve this outcome, considering the lifecycle of the Atlantic salmon?

We are engaged and we expect real movement and implementation of the 2015 Ministerial Advisory Committee recommendations.

Sincerely, the undersigned: 

(Alphabetical)

Wayne Ackley
Marshfield Maine, U.S.A

Rob Agar
Fredericton, N.B.

John Alward

Moncton, N.B.

Mike Bardsley

Bedford, N.S.

Rene Battah
Caraquet, N.B.

Bob Bissett
Fall River, N.S.

Kevin Branch

Burton, N.B. 

Andrew Chandler

Rothesay, N.B. 

Steven Clapperton
Antigonish, N.S. 

Jean-Claude Cormier

Quispamsis, N.B. 

Aurele Daigle

Smithtown, N.B. 

Paul Daigle
Nauwigewauk, N.B.

Steve Delaney

Nauwigewauk, N.B. 

Will Doyle

Quispamsis, N.B.

Stephen Drage

Halifax, N.S. 

Paul P Elson

Saint John, N.B.

Paul W Elson

Saint John, N.B. 

Stephanie Groom-Elson

Saint John, N.B. 

Bill Ensor
Saint John, N.B. 

Dave Flanagan

Red Bank, N.B. 

Gary Fraser
Middle River, N.S.

Julian Furlaga
Moncton, N.B. 

Karol Furlaga
Moncton, N.B. 

Andrew Giffin
Sussex, N.B.

Joe Gillis
Summerside, P.E.I.

Steve Gillis

Quispamsis, N.B. 

Howie Gould

Saint John, N.B.

Joe Gould

Saint John, N.B. 

AJ Greenhow

Springhill, N.S. 

Brad Hill

Fredericton, N.B. 

Kris Leblanc

Memramcook, N.B. 

Paul Leblanc

Dieppe, N.B.

Brad Leger

Fredericton, N.B. 

Bill Lendorf

Saint John, N.B.

Kim Colello Macgarvie
Cape Breton, N.S.

Rod MacQueen
Fredericton, N.B.

Taylor Main

Cornwall, P.E.I. 

Derek Martin
Moncton, N.B. 

Syd Matchett

Trout Brook, N.B.

Michael McKinnon
Middleton, N.S.

Blake Milbury
Bear River, N.S.

Andy Miller

Smithtown, N.B. 

Darrin Moran
Moncton, N.B. 

Don Moroz
Moncton, N.B.

Erik Neilson
Waterville Maine, U.S.A. 


Andrew O'Hanley
Quispamsis, N.B.

Gord Osmond
Cape Breton, N.S.

Brandon Paterson

Steeves Settlement, N.B.

Roland Pentz

Wabush, NL

Gordie Richard
Moncton, N.B.

Brett Silliker

Lyttleton, N.B. 

Larry Shortt
Lower Sackville, N.S.

Chris Sinclair

Charlottetown. P.E.I. 

Paul Smith
Pictou County, N.S.

Vincent Swazey

Boisetown, N.B. 

Gary Tanner

Bennington Vermont, U.S.A. 

Leigh Voutier
Sydney Mines, N.S. 

Paul Westbury
Blackville, N.B. 

Mark Willigar

Springhill, N.S. 

(59 people so far)

(picture by Paul P. Elson, Jeff Allen or Gary Tanner)

Last trip of June!

With dirty weather on the way and the inevitable crowds of a long weekend we decided to head fishing on Wednesday evening instead of Thursday or Friday as we normally do. Dad, Joe and I hit the road shortly after supper and we were to meet Brad at the camp. Bill was to head up on Thursday evening. 

We saw a pair of black bears on the 123 at the powerline. There must have been some good eats there as the smaller bear that was closest to the road would hardly lift his head as I whistled/yelled to him. He had a very nice and prominent white V on his chest but I was unable to get a picture of it.

NOM, NOM, NOM...

We arrived at the camp got settled in, and started discussing our strategy for the morning ... we reviewed the river gauges over and over and finally settled on a trib, one that had a big raise but appeared to be close to cresting... well at least until the rains began the next morning *rolls eyes*. I like to swing big flies so big water  is where I prefer to be! 

The alarm went off at 6:00 and we were on the road by 7:00 and on the river by 8:00. Before driving into our fishing destination we stopped off at Debbie's http://www.upperoxbow.com/ to get some intel. "Spring high", she said and more rain was in the forecast.. she also mentioned that we might run into Brett. We chatted for a few minutes before deciding it was great weather to be a fish! It was nice seeing you, Deb - i'll see you folks again soon. 

Into the wilderness we headed... about a half hour later we arrived and decided to split up with Dad & Joe fishing the lower, upper pool and Brad and I to the upper, upper pool - does that make sense? Oh and did I mention that the water was high? Somewhere during our first pass Brett arrived with several sports who he put on the middle pool. I walked down and chatted with him for a few minutes before heading back up to finish my pass.... Thursday was perfect for the old 'dark day, dark fly' thing so I had my trusty long-hackled shady lady on with the magic white tail.... in fact, it stayed on all day until Brad and I fished the MSW later that afternoon. As I was nearing the tail out of the pool I tightened up on a very pissed off, raging 16-18lbs of silver - this fish instantly took off jumping and thrashing it's way out of the pool and into the rapids... It took me to my backing with the the hardy screaming all the while before another big jump and a thrash right in the rapids and then my line went slack.... What a rush! Brett yelled up "I'm going to tell Paul you lost that fish!" and I'm sure he did :)

Brett and his group left and we figured it was time for lunch. We had a quick break and I decided I was going to fish all the way down the lower pools as quickly as I could. The other lads decided to stick with the upper pools and I can't say as I blame them. I got all the way down around the corner and was hooking trout and parr pretty much on every cast... At least with the parr all I had to do was give them a bit of slack and they would remove themselves. 

So on down I fished towards the lower end of the last pool where even in the high water it was quite well defined: (and people say there isn't enough water for spey rods here, the fools! heh, heh!)

Right about here I felt what I thought was a trout for a split second, and then a bit more weight - a grilse! And then airborne silver! Woohoo! I was by myself and determined to at least get a picture so I found a great little spot with a soft grassy bottom and landed it. 

 

This is where I have to get a little preachy... this fish along with all other salmon/grilse I'm fortunate to hook and land was released unharmed... the day and age of killing and tagging fish by recreational anglers is over... people need to wake up and get a clue that these fish are far too valuable to be killing and their very existence could depend on the releasing of yes, EVEN GRILSE! I'm seeing pictures of young people with tagged fish online and think to myself who is bringing these kids up? Young catch and release anglers are the future of Atlantic Salmon fishing in North America and if you're teaching your kids to kill a fish it's time for YOU to wake up!

Here's a recent press release by the NBSC asking for anglers to voluntarily release their grilse this year after the horrible 2012 returns and the recent actions by Greenland who may up their catch to 75 metric tonnes in 2013... our salmon are in trouble folks.. 

http://www.nbsalmoncouncil.com/pressjune242013.pdf

There, now that that's off my chest I can get on with the rest of the report....

I released the grilse, which took off like he was shot from a gun and headed back up river where I found Brad swinging a muddler over the middle pool. I arrived just in time to get a pic of this nice little brookie he landed and released. We do on occasion keep a few trout for the pan but today wasn't the day:

Shortly after this we were all pretty much ready to hit the road for the camp to get dried off and warmed up. Brad and I were going to hit the MSW at his uncle's pool later that day. 

To be continued....