Pacific Wild’s Top Ten Arguments Against the Strait of Georgia Herring Fishery

Did you know, 4 out of 5 Pacific herring fisheries in British Columbia have collapsed due to population concerns? The Strait of Georgia holds the last remaining commercial fishing grounds. Here are our top 10 arguments against the Strait of Georgia herring fishery.

March 11, 2019

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Earlier this year, Pacific Wild and 180+ other organizations across the labor, health, education, and environmental sectors, in solidarity with First Nations, signed on to the ‘United We Stand For Old-Growth Forests’ Declaration sending a unified call to the @BCNDP to accelerate action for old-growth. ⁠
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September 2022 marked the 2nd anniversary of the British Columbia government's release of the report of its Old-Growth Strategic Review (OGSR) panel, “A New Future for Old Forests”. The report recommended immediate action to stop the logging of the most at-risk old growth forests in BC. It called for a major shift in BC forestry practices, namely to “Declare conservation of ecosystem health and biodiversity of British Columbia’s forests as an overarching priority and enact legislation that legally establishes this priority for all sectors.” Additionally to have involvement of First Nations communities, the inherent rights and title holders of this land.⁠
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Click the image in the link in our bio to read the full declaration. ⁠
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#United4OldGrowth #AncientForests #OldGrowth #BritishColumbia #BCPoli #SaveOldGrowth⁠
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Image by: @iantmcallister

Are you passionate about creating visually impactful and compelling stories to inspire greater protection for coastal ecosystems and wildlife? Do you have experience documenting, storing, analyzing, organizing, and cataloguing digital assets? Are you a self-starter who is able to work independently, yet collaboratively as part of a team? Come join us!⁠
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We are currently hiring for a full time Video Editor with with strong visual storytelling, video editing, asset management and post-production skills to support our conservation campaigns. ⁠
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If you, or someone you know, would be a good fit, please see the image in our link in bio for more details. Deadline for application is February 26 at midnight. ⁠
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#hiring #bcjobs #victoriajobs #greenjobs #enviromentaljobs #videoeditor

Pacific Wild’s Marine Scientist was recently interviewed by the @C.V.Record on the upcoming herring roe season. Last year, Minister of Fisheries Joyce Murray announced a 50 per cent reduction in the herring quota in the Strait of Georgia (SoG). Last year, only 3,470 of the 7,850 tons of the total allowable catch was harvested by the commercial sein and gillnet fleets. ⁠
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“This year’s estimated median spawning biomass is 10,330 tons less than 2022 — an estimated decline in herring biomass two years in a row within the SoG. The harvest rate has been provisionally set at 10 per cent for the 2023 sac roe fishery within the strait. However, the range at which herring is expected to return (36,412 to 135,049 tons) is concerning.” ⁠
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The quota for the SoG has been set at a maximum of 6,625 tons. If only 36,412 tons (the low end of DFO’s prediction) return to spawn, 6,625 tons would represent an 18% harvest rate which has already been identified by DFO Science as over-harvest. ⁠
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Last year’s herring spawn saw smaller and younger returns in the SoG, and an inability to fulfill the allotted quota. In the absence of a coast-wide moratorium, and given the state of the 2021/2022 catch, it is apparent that even a 10% allowable harvest rate is too high and not representative of a precautionary approach.⁠
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Read the full article, click the image in our link in bio.⁠
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#BIGlittlefish #PacificHerring #MarineConservation⁠
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Image by @josh.deleenheer.photography

Yesterday Pacific Wild sent an open letter sent to Premier David Eby requesting the release of all pictures and videos pertaining to the B.C. wolf cull. The government has publicly confirmed to news outlets that photos of wolf kills exist and have been taken during the wolf cull which are retained by various public servants.⁠
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These images will provide evidence on the ethical controversies of the wolf cull and speak directly to the field-level killing practices used. Although the government has routinely stated the killing of wolves is humane and ethical, the shootings have largely been done in a secretive manner with little oversight.⁠
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In an attempt to obtain these images, Pacific Wild filed a freedom of information request for all photos and videos of the government sanctioned wolf kills. In late December 2022, we were informed that a preliminary search revealed the government had at a minimum of 600 photographs and 14 videos relating to the cull. Pacific Wild was requested to pay a preliminary fee of $810 dollars for the government to continue to search its own records systems. Although the fees have been paid, we believe that it is not necessary to force all information to go through a lengthy process of information requests when information is critical to public discourse and interest.⁠
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Read the full open letter on our website. Find the link attached to the image in our link in our bio. ⁠
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#SaveBCWolves #WolfCull #WildlifeManagement ⁠
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Image by: @iantmcallister⁠

One of the critical habitats that Pacific herring use in B.C. is nearshore coastal waters. These areas, such as eelgrass beds and kelp forests, are characterized by shallow waters and high productivity and are important for spawning and feeding. Studies have shown that Pacific herring also use estuaries, bays, and other sheltered areas during their early life stages for protection and foraging opportunities.

Very soon, Pacific herring will return to nearshore coastal waters in the millions to spawn. The herring spawn, and the feast that follows, fuels life on the B.C. coast, providing the first bounty of the new year for hundreds of marine and terrestrial species. But salmon, whales, wolves, birds, and bears are not the only ones hungrily awaiting the return of the herring.

Right now, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) are seeking feedback on the Draft 2022/2023 Integrated Fisheries Management Plan for Pacific Herring. Join us in standing up for Pacific herring by urging DFO to move towards ecosystem-based management (EBM), integrate more traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into management, support the legal and constitutional rights of First Nations in managing herring populations in their respective territories and allow our herring stocks to recover.

Click the image in our link in bio to send a letter to DFO and help us protect #BIGlittlefish 🐟

#PacificHerring #HerringHabitat #MarineConservation

In the 18th and 19th centuries, sea otters were hunted to the brink of extinction as their fur was highly valued in the international trade market. The Pacific sea otter population plummeted, with population numbers dropping from an estimated 150,000 to less than 2,000, having a ripple effect on the entire ecosystem. Sea otters play a “keystone” role in maintaining the health of kelp forest ecosystems by controlling the numbers of herbivores, like sea urchins. In the absence of otters, entire kelp beds may disappear.

Now sea otters are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Canadian Species at Risk Act which prohibits hunting of sea otters in British Columbia, allowing their populations to recover.

Today, large rafts of sea otters can be found as far south as Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island. Sea otters have been slow to re-populate their historical
range along the Pacific coast. They are a non-migratory species, typically occupying small overlapping home ranges throughout their lives and exhibiting high site fidelity.

#MarineMonday #MarineEducation #SeaOtter #KelpForest

Footage by @iantmcallister

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