CORNER BROOK, N.L. — If the Atlantic salmon angling management plan for this coming season remains the same as it was for last year, the Citizens Outdoor Rights Alliance (CORA) says it won’t be sitting by idly.
The alliance feels the way salmon angling is managed by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans discriminates against retention anglers.
Last summer, DFO implemented conservation measures that limited anglers to retaining one fish all season long. Anglers who catch and release fish were required to limit that practice to releasing three salmon per day.
CORA and its members have concerns that the catch-and-release regulations are not being followed by anglers and not being enforced by DFO.
The organization held a meeting in Deer Lake this week to discuss a number of issues related to angling. Chief among them was what the plan will be for retention fishing this coming season.
The early indication from DFO is that anglers should expect to be allowed to retain only one fish again this coming season.
“We’re going to wait until the plan is announced, but if it turns out to be status quo, then we will be calling emergency meetings across the province and there will be some strong action taken this summer,” said Gary Gale, CORA’s chairperson.
He would not specify what action would be taken, but Gale said the membership will be organizing efforts to oppose what it feels is mismanagement of the stock.
Gale said DFO considers its approach to salmon angling management as precautionary, but CORA doesn’t see it that way.
It’s generally accepted that there is a roughly 10 per cent mortality rate from catch and release practice. Gale said, if anglers are catching and releasing more fish than they are supposed to, then the mortality rate is also going to be higher than expected.
Retention anglers like himself want to be allowed to take more than one fish, said Gale, since catch and release anglers are killing more than they are allowed to.
Better yet, said Gale, DFO should pour more resources into monitoring and enforcing the catch-and-release regulations.
“All we want is a fair and balanced management plan,” said Gale. “But where is the rationale to have a catch-and-release program in place that is not regulated and there has never been a fine issued? Why sanction a practice you’re not regulating or enforcing? It’s a stupid management practice that has to change.”
