Judicial review of fisheries must include Skeena, says MP
The Northern View
By Shaun Thomas - The Northern View
Published: November 10, 2009 11:00 PM
On November 5 Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that he would be launching a Judicial Review on the collapse of the Fraser River Sockeye, which saw only about seven per cent of the estimated 8.7 million salmon return to the river.
And while he welcomed the attention being given to the west coast fishery, Skeena - Bulkley Valley MP Nathan Cullen said the review would need to look at the larger picture in order to have any sort of impact on the fledgling B.C. commercial industry.
“The scope of this has to include other fisheries that are collapsing or near collapse, and the Skeena is certainly one of those. I think just looking at the Fraser River would be a mistake,” he said during a November 5 media call.
“The mandate for this review can’t be so narrow, otherwise it’s just going to be seen as a public relations exercise rather than something that will get real change on the west coast.”
Noting that he and NDP western fisheries critic Peter Julian have been trying to get some response to the collapse of the fishery from Fisheries Minister Gail Shea for several months to no avail, Cullen said the “devil is in the details” when it comes to this announcement.
“We need to make sure the whole coast is represented and different salmon stocks are involved.We also need to make sure it’s not just DFO voices being heard, but those who rely on and are involved in the industry,” he said.
According to United Fishermen and Allied Worker’s Union representative Joy Thorkelson, gillnetters on the North Coast caught an average of 414 fish for the season and made less than $3,000 for the year.
For more information on the Fraser Salmon Inquiry:
From the Office of the Prime Minister:
Fraser Salmon Inquiry-Press Release
Fraser Salmon Inquiry-Terms of Reference