Sport Fishing Advisory Board

Overview:

The Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB) has been an advisory body to Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on recreational issues since 1964. In the early years, the SFAB dealt only with salt water sport fishing issues and was made up primarily of representatives from the BC Wildlife Federation and independent anglers (e.g. Roderick Haigh-Brown, Lee Straight) appointed by the Minister of the day.

In its current form, the SFAB usually meets twice a year (in the late spring and mid winter) to discuss and advise DFO on recreational fishing plans, recreational fishery regulations, and any areas of concern to the recreational fishing community. The SFAB has also been recently asked by the provincial government to become the official advisory process regarding non-tidal anadromous recreational fisheries.

There are approximately two dozen community based advisory committees, made up of representatives of local recreational fishing interests. These local committees choose a representative to the next level of the process, the north and south coast regional sub-committees of the SFAB, which also meet twice a year, spring and fall. The local reps are joined there by representatives from the principle province wide angling advocacy groups ( BCWF, SFI, BCFFF, BCDF etc) and recreational fishery panel representatives to the Pacific Salmon Commission. As a general guideline, the composition of all levels of the SFAB is made up of one-third secondary (i.e. those individuals whose primary income is derived from sport fishing) and two-thirds primary (i.e. those anglers who are not financially dependent on the fishery for their livelihood).
 

The regional north and south coast SFAB sub-committees choose from amongst themselves the seven best individuals, plus the sub-committee chairman, to represent their area on the main Board. These 16 individuals from the core group of the SFAB main board, where they are joined again by rep resentatives from angling and sector advocacy organizations and appointees to the Pacific Salmon Commission from the recreational fishery.

There are also sub-committees and working groups of the SFAB to address shellfish and groundfish; chinook and coho; sockeye and steelhead; and statistics/licensing. The SFAB also has representatives who participate in the Halibut Advisory Board and the West Coast Vancouver Island Aquatic Management Board.

For more information on the SFAB and the SFAB process, please contact:

Upper Fraser River/Interior (above Hell’s Gate):
Elmer Fast : 250-851-4878

Lower Fraser River (below Hell’s Gate):
Linda Stevens : 604-666-6509