[barkleyjames]

My buddy and I were on the Fraser on Friday below the mouth of the Harrison and on three or four long gravel bars there was a concentrated First Nations beach seine fishery happening. Lots of people with large bins to hold the fish they were taking and skiffs to transport them up to near the mouth of the Harrison.
Didn't really give too much thought at the time. We just beached the boat below the and had a ball with the Pinks on the fly.
By the way, everyone we saw that day was fly fishing---no bottom bouncing to be seen---that in itself was very refreshing.
Later that day a local guide pulled in to the beach with some clients from England and we got to talking. I asked him what the deal was with the beach seines and he said that it was a First Nations roe fishery---that they were only keeping females and release the males back into the river. No idea where the roe might be going.
He also said that the fish would be processed for cat food.
Has anyone heard of this fishery???
We were wondering why the large majority of the fish we caught were males.

 

[Nuggy]

.

 

[barkleyjames]

Yeah I assume it was all above board as DFO was buzzing the area with a helicopter.
And yes the fish were gong to the boat launch on the Harrison.
I was just curious because I had never heard of that fishery before now.

 

[Junebug]

Didn't DFO learned anything from the herring roe fishery ? :wallbash:

 

[Rivahman]

As a long time ex DFO employee roe pig, I can tell you..... you can lead a horse to water but can't make him drink. DFO does and always has, responded to political pressure over common sense when it comes to conservation. Thats why, the government (any government) is a poor steward of the resource.

As far as natives catching fish for roe only. Its not new. Been going on in the Fraser, Skeena and Nass for as long as I remember. Not saying its right or wrong. The natives are the least of our worries though in terms of fish conservation.

 

[Junebug]

As a long time ex DFO employee roe pig, I can tell you..... you can lead a horse to water but can't make him drink. DFO does and always has, responded to political pressure over common sense when it comes to conservation. Thats why, the government (any government) is a poor steward of the resource.

No argument from me.

 

[JBB]

the Natives were also conducting a beach seine for female pinks at Peg Leg on Friday. They also released several beautiful steelhead after showing them to the fly fishers.

 

[masterbaiter]

Wouldn't it be nice if they threw the old boots back into the water instead of onto the beach. The smell around the mouth of the Harrison last year was a little to hard to fish with. Can't help but think that was just for the "enjoyment" of us sporties. Thanks Boys!

Baiter

 

[Bdk_wa]

"The natives are the least of our worries though in terms of fish conservation." Are you sure, if so what is the worst of our worries? If it is not this is certainly not the the flossers. I know there are many factors and they all add up but I have to think this is a big one. I have fished the pinks for the last several odd years about the 20th of sept each year near the mouth of the Harrison and never seen the netting production like it was going this year. This year there seemed to be only a fraction of the fish we have seen in years past even 05' which had a return of only 8 million fish compared to this year’s 11 million and most of the fish left in the river are all males(85-90%). There are going to be a lot of lonely bachelors up river this year. We drove the boat down to the mouth of the Vedder and back and counted 17 netting stations being run in that part of the river. Pinks travel and congregate in the slower off current water where they were netting pretty tuff for an unsuspecting fish to make it past all that. It was a hard thing for this sporty to watch.