The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, March 24, 1993 - Page B5

Sports
menu,

TERRACE STANDARD.

SPORTS NEWS

MALCOLM BAXTER 638-7283

. Page B6

a market fisherman fishes for
one species and in the pracess catches
another too, the nontarget species is
called the bycatch, ,

' Dolphins, for example, are an
unfortunate bycatch in the tuna fishery,
In the ecologically insane high-seas
drift fishery for squid conducted by
Oriental brigands in the north Pacific,
sea birds and marine mammalia of all
sorts are the bycatch.

Trawling -- a fishing method
whereby a net is dragged over the ocean
floor -- is the technique of choice for
the shrimp fishermen who work the
Gulf of Mexico.

As you may imagine trawling is
about as selective as fishing with
dynamite.

“When

contrived" trawls fished from over
eighteen thousand shrimp boats kill
something in the arca of 2.5 billion
pounds of bycaught fish of over 100
species. .
When ccosystems are being raped,
some creatures draw more concern than
others, [In the Pacific Northwest, all is
compromised by clearcut logging, but
the endangered spotted owl has received
more allention than any other,
‘Biological numskulls and the
apologists for forest industries and
-unions, however, try to convince us the
battle is over the preservation of the
owl alone =- that somehow green, owl-
loving kooks are out to destroy the
living of honest, hard-working loggers.

doneto reform logging practises and
begin to solve the problem.

In the Gulf of Mexico the indicator
species -- their spotted owl, if you will
-- is the endangered sea turtle.

About 11,000 of these animals mect
their Waterloo in trawlers’ nets every
year a a od OR TA
#. Using the American talent for
‘innovation, it did not take long for U.S.
Yresearchers to come up with a new cut
of “net- equipped with sonar that
significantly reduced the bycatch of
“fish: and eliminated the turtle bycatch.
‘Unfortunately the net caught fewer
shrimp too.
| The reaction of the shrimp men to
‘the ‘imposition of Turtle Exclusion
Devices (TEDs) included illegal
‘protests and blockades of shipping

burning of TEDs, boat-ramming,
_ persistent lobbying and, and even the
threat of armed retaliation.

-. Ff all this sounds vaguely familiar
‘to you, then you've been following fish
politics in Skeena Region.

“Here too a device shows some
“promise in reducing the bycatch of
‘Steelhead, namely weed-lincs.

“Just as their shrimping cuunterparts
“have repudiated TEDs, market
fishermen here oppose weed-lines,

‘apparently for the same reason. The
‘similarity, between the two fisheries
’ atid their politics does not end there.

At one time the market fishermen in

>Skeena fished:as far upriver as Tyce,

returning to dock side. only when their
boats needed painting or supplies were
‘low,

_ When the managers realized this
practise was unsound, they did not
consensus build, but simply changed the
regulations. And you can bet the
fishermen. did. a lot of kicking and
screaming, over that change, just as
they've: done to every conservative
dnitiative by the DFO. The right
‘approach is to make weed lines a
‘condition of license and enforce it,
~ Selective fishing technologies, traps
and wheels, are another technique that
“will be stoutly resisted by the fishing
‘industry, but ultimately they must
‘come on line along with area licensing
‘and the down sizing of the fishing fleet.
‘All of these measures are critical if
‘the integrity of the fish stocks is to
tremain intact.

Especially critical though is the
approach the managers of the fishery
\:To manage to the largest stock is
clearly unsound. Managing for the
needs of the weakest stock .{n a fishery
-would go further. to ensure biological
health,

Ecosystemic. management
‘yecognizes that .the whole is the sum of
‘its parts, that nothing exists in
solation and everything is inextricably
‘linked in an ecosystem, a

“ Such'a philosophy leads to sound
-decisions. ©”

It eliminates bycatch. -- .

In the Gulf of Mexico the "subtly

In the resultant ballyboo little is’

lanes in the Gulf of Mexico, the:

uff

Some are Saints, others self-confessed
_ Killers, while. still, other regard .them-
selves as the stuff of Legends.

They are the floor hockcy players who -
twice a-week take to the ‘arena’ of the
Thornhill! Community Centre in’ their
quest for the title of O.P.0.¥.lourna-
ment champions '93. _

And although bragging tights and get-
ting the team name on the annual trophy
are the only rewards for success, players
don’t lake the tourney lightly.

“They’re taking it a lot more seriously
than [ expected,’*. organizer Devon
Kuiper admits. ‘fA lot of people. are:
treating it just like ice hockey.’

How seriously?

Enough for-there to have already been
a few scraps including, Kuiper recalls,
one that broke out before the game even
started. ce

However, for the most part such
clashes are shorilived, teammates being _
quick to help break it up. ae

And, when the game ends, the com-
batanis can be seen shaking each other’s
hands. ; aes

And although there is some body .
checking when the more ‘aggressive
teams are out on the floor, Kuiper said .
players have been careful nol to send op-
‘ponents crashing into the cement wails.

The rules also stipulate no slap shots:
above the waisi, a necessary precaution
in such cramped quarters and with no ~ atic
helmets being warn.

It’s a tule that is also welcomed by
those spectators who sit at floor level,
right in ihe firing line of any wayward
shots.

But it’s not ali rough and tumble,
Kuiper emphasized, most games featur-
ing more skill than skirmish. ;

In particular, he said: some of the
goalies had been tuming in impressive
performances, ‘The moves from those
guys are just superb sometimes,’’ he
added.

All in all, Kuiper is pleased with. the
way the tournament has gone so far and

said he will be staging the third annual
version next year.

kkk Kk
With the tournament now in its third
week, the Saints and Kalum Killers are
already emerging as the teams most like-
ly to walk-off with the hardware,

The Saints opened with a 7-4 win over
the Sudsuckers, then went on to clobber
Hops & Barley 13-5.

KILLERS, SAINTS AND LEGENDS clash twice
weekly at the Thomhill Community Centre in contests

Fun proving serious st

re

a

bother

Kalum Killers silenced the Overwaitca
Legends in their opener 9-2 before
taming the Wolverines 14-1.

The two powerhouses were due to
meet on Monday night for what could be -

ihe first of scveral mectings, given: one
of them must lose two straight to be
eliminated,

So far, two teams have been sent to the
showers: the Royal Blues and Self

which -—- although. not played on ice — would
definitely find favour with the likes of Don Cherry.

Destruction.

Another will depart tomorrow night
when Hops & Barley face off against.
Wolverines. J

Still alive are the ‘Sudsuckers, who
rebounded from their opening loss to
bow out Scif Destruction, and the
Legends who picked up a default win in
their second game.

‘Cartoon Capers, that’s what.

The many hours spent choreograph-
ing, practising and making the elabo-
rate costumes all come together over
the next two nighis as the Terrace Fig-
‘ure Skating Club stages its annual ice
exlravaganza,

This year’s Ice Carnival will feature
favourite cartoon characters and the
considerable talents club members
have to offer.

The show is produced, directed and
choreographed by the club’s profes-
sional coaches; head coach Tanya
Warkentin, assistants Leonard.
Warkentin and Shirley Palahicky and
freelance coach Nicole Page.

Featuring skaters from four to 16
years of age, it will include both solo
and group routines.

Headlining this year’s show will be
_guest skater-Lisa Daly, the Vancouver

“16-year-old who took the silver medal
“sin-the Novice Ladies division at the
Canadian nationals, held last month in

“Halifax. |

“There are two Cartoon Capers pet-
'.formances to ensure everyone gets a
~ chance to enjoy the show.

“They are tomorrow and Friday, be-
ginning at 7-p.m. both nights.

Tickets are $5 for. adults, $4 for
seniors and-students and $3 for chil-
“dren. ‘There’s no charge for lots under
oIhe.age of two years. -

“|°>Tiekets are available at Jeans North,
| -Flowers A La Carte, “All Seasons
_. Sporting Goods and Copperside II.

“Make sure you don’t miss out on

one of the cily’s premier annual enter-
tainment attractions,

LISA DALY

An allempt to form a local track and
field associalion falst-staried last week. .
Steve Scolt said only two people showed
up for what was: to bean organizational
mecting for the proposed group. © -
However, he’s not prepared-to give up
on the idea just yet. 272. ee
Scott said he would be. making contact
with local schools this week to, oulline the
concept and'see if there is enough Interest.
The idea is.to set-up a community-wide
club to include youngsters ftom-9-10 years -
old up to adults, he explained; Bul it would

also aim to ‘‘mesh’? with school programs,

What’s up, Doc?‘

track meet on their schedule... -

‘munities across the norih, 2"

. Scott said a:local: association would: gel

ROGER RABBIT will be one of the many cartoon characters capering

around the ice at the Terrace Arena over the next two nights as local figure
skaters showcase their talents in their annual ice carnival.

Scott thinks the new organization should

“prove attractive to school athletes because

it will give them a longer season.

At present, he pointed out, most.school
athletes have only the annual districl-wide
*As-a result, they essentially had just a
three week season. '‘Il’s pretty hard to pet
excited aboul that,”’.he added,” : -
"That extended season. would come from,

travelling to track ‘meets in other com-

volved in. the Premier Spotis Award pto-

me

Track effort back in the

gram, specially designed to develop
younger athletes’ skills while keeping their
interest.

It did the latter by incorporating games
which, while fun, also keyed on specific

“skills the athletcs needed,

And for.those whose interest might be in
coaching, clinics would also be laid on.
Scott pointed to Smithers as an example
of where such a program had worked well.
Anyone who would.like to get more in-
formallon‘on the proposed track and field
association can-phione, Scott at 638-4750

(dys) or 635-5719 (evenings),