SKEENA STEELHEAD

Turning of the tide?

TERRACE -- There finally may
be light at the end of what has
been a long,. dark tunnel for the
Skeena summer run stcethead.

‘I’m pleased and guardedly op-
timistic we are going to achieve
some increased success,” says
provincial ‘Fisheries branch‘ direc-
tor David Narver.

The optimism comes after a fall
and winter which saw numerous
meetings involving the branch,
the -federal Department of
Fisheries and Oceans , and sports,
commercial and native fishermen.

And it has been fuelled by the
initiatives and concessions which
have emerged from those StS-
sions,

The Skeena summer steelhead
mun has been in trouble for years.

Over that period, each poor
return set off another round of
charge and counter charge be-
tween commercial and up-river
fishermen,

‘And nothing changed,

Until this season, that is. Narver

said all those with an interest in
the fishery are now involved in a
concerted effort to turn things
around.
“Indicative of the progress made
was the recent Steelhead Conser-
vation and Research program an-
nounced last month by the North
Coast Advisory Board (NCAB),

That body represents all the
major northern
fishery organizations.

The program calls for commer-
clal fishermen operating in out-
side waters to tag and release all
steelhead they find in their nets

commercial —

‘fishermen themselves,

that are ‘in good shape and
vigorous.”’

Steelhead in poor shape will be
held in on-board tubs equipped
with circulating pumps until they
are fully revived and then
released,

The procedure for boats operat-

ing in the lower Skecna will see -

live steelhead held in the tubs un-
lil. taey are picked up by a
retricval boat.

That boal will deliver them to
one of two barges capable of
holding up to 1,000 steelhead for

offshore waters tended to be close
to the surface.

Therefore, the steelhead would
pass aver the nels while the
deeper-swimming salmon would
still be caught.

Narver said initial tests here last
year had been inconclusive. but
the technique had proved success-
ful elsewhere.

On the central coast, for exam-
ple, weedlines had been used on
the approaches to the Dean and
Bella’ Coola Rivers.. The result
had been increased numbers of

Several thousand tagged steelhead in the river system
by season’s end would provide “a wealth of informa-
tion’ on stock numbers and distribution.

five days. The fish will be held
there until that particular com-
mercial. opening is over, then

. tagged and released to make their

way upstream.

Pointing out the program is
being paid for by the commercial
Narver
suggested they would be spend-
ing those dollars (the NCAB
estimates a total cost of $2 mil-
lion} unless they were convinced
it was going to work.

There will also be more in-
tensive testing of weedlines, a
$100,000 program likely to be
financed by the province. |

He explained that involved
sinking gillnets by one mere on
the theory steelhead in the outer

steelhead in the river and’ the
same or even slightly higher com-
mercial salmon catches, |

That did. not automatically
Inean, however, the system would
be equally successful up here.

That was because the target
species for the Skeena commer-
cial fishery were pinks and sock-
eye while chum salmon were the
predominant specie further south,
There was also a difference in the
clarity of the water between the
two locations, he added.

In the river itself, Narver said
the Fisheries branch wit] spend
approximately $200,000 doing an
intensive stock assessment.

Juvenile steelhead will be the
focus in two or three main

tributaries of the Skeena while a
greatly increased tagging pro-
gram will provide valuable in-
formation on adults.

As well as the tagging being
done by the commercial flect, the
program will also involve native
fishermen and angling guides.

As a regult, he anticipated there
being several thousand tagged
steelhead in the river system by
season's end, fish which would
provide ‘a wealth of informa-
tion’ on stock numbers and dis-
tribution.

Narver emphasized ibe
“‘tremendous co-operation and
interest’’ fram native bands along
the Skeena.

For example, at Moricetown
Falls for example -- traditionally
an extremely active area for the
native food fishery -- ‘‘there will
be a major altempt to use more
dip nets there than gaffs or snag-
ging which is a major change.”’

He suggested that change would
result in a lot more fish releases
by the food fishery;

And, where in the past the
catch-and-release restriction in
the Skeena has been lifted late in
the season, sports fishing groups
had agreed to the "no-kill"
regulation staying in effect for the
entire year.

Narver cautioned it would take
time to achieve the ‘ultimate
goal’? of getting more steelhead
retuming to ihe river while at the
same time secing an increase in
the commercial catch,

However, the 1992 season at
least represented a beginning.

Progress pleases lodge owners

TERRACE --
Start,’’

That’s the reaction of Harold
Koessler, owner of Komaham
Lodge, to the latest efforts to pro-
tect and increase returns of sum-
mer ren steelhead to the Skeena
system.

Koessler took over the fishing
lodge, located near the mouth of
the Shames River, in January of

“It's a good

° 1991, Between early July and late.

September, he wil]-host upto 120

clients; {from allover Europe... va

- To the east of town, Dieter
Hruby’ s Skeena River Fishing
" Lodge has been operating for four

years. It will also be visited by

more than 100 European anglers
over that same period.

Both businesses rely in large
part on the annual return of stcel-
head,

It’s therefore not surprising

- both have been troubled by the

. declining stocks and no-kill
regulations,

Pointing out as many as 90 per
cent of the fish found in European
rivers are hatchery products,
Koessler says the wild steelhead

- are the lure that draws clients to
the Skeena.

_~ Experience in their home coun-
tries has also left the visitors with
a Strong respect for conservation
measures. ‘They want to protect
what they find here,”’ he ex-
plains.

Even so, the catch-and-release
only regulations regularly im-
posed on local rivers can be a
bone of contention when the
visitor brings in a trophy fish.

“TE they could keep just one
fish, it would be no problem,”’
Koessler adds,

However, both are hopeful the
steps being introduced this sea-
son, particularly in the commer-
clal fishery, will allow ihat to
happen within the next couple of
years.

Koessler says there is little
doubt the commercial fishery has
hurt steclhead retums.

‘IF you have 30 guys out on the
river day after day you get a fecl
for what’s happening,’? he ex-
plains,

Both agree there is a predictable
pattern: clients are catching as

th iy ii Wirerelta it}
New ‘ns

ee rm

LURE OF THE WILD. Local fishing lodge owners Harold Koessler (left) and Dieter Hruby both
depend on the Skeena’s world-famous wild summer run steelhead for a substantial part of their
living. Both are therefore hoping the many initiatives being undertaken this season will prove to be
the beginning of a reversal in declining fish stocks witnessed here in recent years.

many as 30 steelhead a day; the
commercial flect gets an opening:
two days later clients are hooking
as few as two or three steelhead,
“Thats the biggest problem,
for sure,’? says Koessler.
However, they agree the com-

‘mercial fisherman and a lot of

people who depend on that indus-
try have to make a living too.

Therefore, it’s important every-
one with an interest in the fishery

’ keep talking with each other in an.

effort to find a solution.
It’s also important for the local

economy too, they point out.
With each guest spending an
average of $6-7,000 during their
slay, Komaham and Skeena River
alone can bring close to $1.5 mil-
lion into the arca in just a single
Stason.

Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 27, 1992 — Page AS

*

Lita, ae Pena Re

' nomination

Coastal time
then and now

By PETER DENNIS

Peter Dennis is a braadcast-
ing student,

The beat of wings, The rum-
ble of the tide colliding against
the rocky beaches, flocks of
ravens singing the messages,
lest we forget.

We have stories, as old as ihe
great seas breaking through the
crest, flying out of the mouth,
noisy tongues that once were
silenced, all oceans we contain
will come to light.

Permit me to present to you
"Coasial.time then and now."

The passage of time has been
long. And I wait for breaks in
the horizon to continue drifting
on without the currents in be-
tween, like my forefathers and
the fathers before that.

Strong hearts beating, like
the thunderous drum beating to
their traditional dancing, rich
in culture, custom, heritage
and above all, language.

When I was a boy, I often
wondered about my ancestors.
I lived then as now, in a village
of the northcoast, where the
sea and the forest surrounded
us,

I knew that in times past the
most powerful people, our.
people, walked on. I am very
grateful to know that my sister
walks with these powerful
people,

And now that I have wit-
nessed a lot of cultural dancing
and traditional way of life, I
listen to the drums and the
singing.

I begin to walk and dance
with my elders, my prayers are
beginning to come to life,
things that have long been
abandoned are now awake and
being brought back to life.

Again, I give my gratitude to
the chief of chiefs, the great

Peter Dennis
spirit above,

Remember, my ftiends, an
elder once told me that there is
no clock to measure time. Like
the great tides it comes and
goes and they don’t wait for
anyone or anything,

Spirits of cur ancestors cry
with a loncly moan, cries of
sorrow for the forgotten
people.

We the younger people of
this generation and future gen-
erations shall grow and
strengthen in unity,

' The first lessons they must
leam are ones. about them--
Selves, as. natives in today’s
socicty, about their own

spirituality .and culture and -

about

elders...
We, the first nations chil-

dren, must remember that our

their heritage ‘from

_ ancestors are watching with

patience and with a lot of care

" and understanding,

Each will have a responsibil-
ity to retum the gift they have
been given. May the great
spirit guide you. To all my re-
lations.

Awful system

ome US

“dey TE
By RON NYCE

Ron Nyce is a Kitselas band

_ member and spokesman for the
steering. committee of band
members opposed to the pres-
ent chief and band council
there,

In light of recent events, my
long standing opinion of the
Department. of Indian and
Northern’ Affairs -- and the
system -- has been confirmed.

It has always been my con-
tention that the: system has
been set up to ensure that the
funding and power base of the
department's bureaucrats are
protected first -- before the
needs of our people are even
considered.

Those bureaucrats have
stated time and again that their
main intention is to ultimately
hand over the goveming and
administration of bands to the
bands themselves.

At the time this was first
voiced by the Department of
Indian Affairs at a district
council meeting about the
famous White Paper, I stated
that I have yet to meet anyone
willing to negotiate themselves
out of a job. This is still my
view, ;

Our contentions and disputes
against the band councils are
really not against the chiefs
aid councillors responsible,
but against a system that al-
luws or condones these prac-
tices,

E belicve that one major area
that can be addressed, even un-
der the present system, is the

and election
guidelines. This could be done
by the passing of bylaws to

Ron Nyce
enable us lo take control of the
election process.

Another area is the length of
terms of office. The establish-
ment of staggered terms would
create a sense of continuity,
and ensure that the entire band
council could not be changed
in one clection,

The two levels of govern-
ment -- political and adminis-
tration -- must be kept sepa.
rate, By this [ mean the politi-

_ cal people who lobby and req-
visition monies should not be
allowed to also administer the
allocation of said monies.

The biggest dispute we. have
is against the Department of
Indian and Northern Affairs
bureaucracy that is supposed to
help the bands, but in fact
ensures that it. maintains its
present level of funding and
manpower,

Until the politicians see fit to
cut. back or climinate this
bureaucracy, all of this which
exists will continue.

learning how to read.

The Start is for people

These are-lawn chairs,

They were left behind
after.a big party.

The party was at the Ex-
stew River campsite.

It took place on the Vic-
toria Day long weekend.

More than 400° people

‘ were burned.

~ there. Two picnic tables .

Damage!

The forest service looks
after the campsite. They
will dig up the road to the
campsite,

That means people will
have to walk in.

You can: call Vandal
Watch at 635-5556 if you
have. information. There
isa reward. Your name

“Other er damage was done.

~ Will be kept a secret.

Boats

The RCMP have a boat.
They will patrol Lakelse

Lake and other lakes this

summer,
It is illegal to drink too
much and drive a boat, -
People in. boats also
need life jackets,
If not, they can be fined.

Police will also look for -
vandalism and hope « to:

stop break i ins. ce

deen

wenauuan