The MARTINZ Critical Review - Ep#99 - An unfortunate tale; The collapse of the Skeena Steelhead fishery - with Bob Hooton, MSc

The MARTINZ Critical Review

In this episode we return to the roots of the podcast and we examine the precipitous decline in Skeena Steelhead numbers, and seek to understand why this has happened, and what management initiatives must take place more or less immediately to conserve these precious populations. We will also look at similar population trends up and down the North American Pacific coast to put this issue into perspective.

We did experience some connectivity issues in this episode, please be patient.

Today we welcome Bob Hooton back to the program. Bob is a retired fisheries scientist who dedicated 37 years of his life to fisheries management in British Columbia, focusing primarily on Steelhead conservation. His long career included a 13 year tenure at the head of the fisheries section in Smithers over-seeing the Skeena region, and his final 9 years of service were spent at the head of the Fish and Wildlife Section for the Vancouver Island Region.

Following his retirement Bob authored two books covering the history of Steelhead management in BC. The first was entitled “Skeena Steelhead - Unknown Past, Uncertain Future”, and the second book was published to complete the saga with specific reference to a dozen of BC’s premiere Steelhead streams entitled “Days of Rivers Past”. I believe that Bob has a third book on the way covering the mighty Thompson River.

To this day, Bob continues to spread the wild steelhead conservation gospel to anyone that will listen, and actively blogs on his website steelheadvoices.com.

Proposed solutions summary:

1. Limited Entry Opportunities via lottery system for anglers during the prime times and prime locations

2. Enforce strict gear limitations on all sport anglers, fly fishing only sections, restrictions on terminal gear size right down to hook size and potentially even sink rates of fly lines

3. Reduce amount of guided pressure via license buy out or rod day re-purchase programs

4. Limitation on what areas can be accessed by what form of water craft, complete closure in some areas

5. Adopt a "Conservation First" mandate for all users of the resource, conservation partnerships developed between Native groups and Sport Anglers with our without government agency involvement.

6. Immediate end to all non-selective in-river harvesting activities, gill-nets must be banned immediately

7. These goals must be adopted and maintained for a 10-15 year time period with annual monitoring and a willingness to impart stricter measures if escapement levels continue to decline.

Reports referenced in this episode:

Steelhead Bycatch and Mortalities in the Commercial Skeena Net Fisheries of British Columbia from Observer Data: 1989 to 2009 https://www.env.gov.bc.ca/skeena/fish/sk_other_%20reports/5-Comprehensive%20Review%20of%20Skeena%20Observer%20Programs%20(20-Aug-2010).pdf

THE GEOGRAPHY OF SALMON FISHING CONFLICTS: THE CASE OF NOYES ISLAND
https://open.library.ubc.ca/media/stream/pdf/831/1.0106666/1