DFO MINISTER RECEIVES REPORT ON 2004 FRASER RIVER FISHERY

VANCOUVER – The Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) today released the post-season review report on the management of Fraser River salmon stocks in 2004.  

“I would like to thank Chief Justice Bryan Williams and the Integrated Harvest Planning Committee for their hard work on an issue of great importance to British Columbians and to the Government of Canada,” said Minister Regan.  “I look forward to reviewing the report.”

Mr. Williams was appointed by the Minister as an independent chair to lead the review, conducted by the Integrated Harvest Planning Committee.  The purpose of the post-season review was to focus on the potential causes of the discrepancy between in-season and post-season estimates of the numbers of sockeye salmon returning to the spawning grounds in the Fraser River. The possible causes identified were adverse environmental conditions of high water temperatures and low water levels, the accuracy of the salmon abundance estimates, and possible unauthorized harvesting.

There has been an opportunity for public input through meetings conducted over the past two months in Vancouver, Prince George, Kamloops, Nanaimo, Surrey and Chilliwack.

The post-season review is one of a series of initiatives that the Department is conducting on the West Coast in order to provide increased certainty of achieving conservation objectives and increased stability for First Nations and other harvesters.

Other initiatives include:

• Consultations on the Wild Salmon Policy,
• The Species at Risk Act,
• Pacific Region Fisheries Reform (in response to the Joint Task Group and First Nations Panel reports),
• Modernizing habitat management, focusing on high priority areas and introducing more effective ways of responding to salmon habitat issues and,
• A regional review of catch monitoring, data management, and enforcement.

The department is also reviewing the report by the Standing Committee on Fisheries (SCOFO) on Fraser River salmon and will be assessed together with the 2004 Post-Season Review. A detailed response will be prepared after the Minister has reviewed and analysed the report.  

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The 2004 Post-Season Review can be viewed at:

http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/publications/2004psr/default_e.htm

Backgrounder: http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/release/bckgrnd/2005/bg006_e.htm

For more information:

Lara Sloan

Communications

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Ph 604-666-0903

Cel 604-868-3162