The possibility of our salmon rivers winding up like those in the Maritimes has everyone squabbling.
There’s lots of name calling and “fake news.” Neville Crabbe, of New Brunswick’s Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF), accused Newfoundland and Labrador Wildlife Federation’s Andrew Bouzan of “peddling” “alternative facts” about hook and release, and “shadow conspiracy” river privatization theories.
Crabbe was astonished and “troubled” that Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne lowered himself to speak with the Citizen’s Outdoor Rights Alliance (CORA). He accused CORA president Gary Gale of “pledging civil disobedience” and planning a “poaching campaign.”
Don Hustins of the Salmonid Council of Newfoundland and Labrador (SCNL) jumped to defend ASF, slamming ordinary citizens and Gerry Byrne alike for not seeing things his way.
Shades of Trump’s white house!
ASF’s “alternative facts” and truth spinning becomes evident if you read the scientific review on their own website, (Lennox, et. al, 2017). Scientists acknowledge confidence problems measuring release mortality, and its sharp rise under poor handling, high water temperatures, certain water chemistry, and many other factors. Yet Crabbe simply claims that “96 per cent of fish caught on a fly survive”. The study reports mortality up to 25 per cent at temperatures around 20 C.
Forgive Newfoundlanders for river privatization concerns, and its connection with “hook and release only.”
Crabbe was young when groups like CORA rose to resist the spectre of river privatization raised by the 1990’s LGL report. Thousands of us showed deep concern, and rallied for written assurances from government against this threat.
Gary Gale, and CORA’s members, have been attacked by ASF and its local crew. Hustins made accusations of “entitlement” and “not willing to sacrifice a few salmon for the table today to ensure future generations will have sustainable runs of wild salmon.”
Crabbe alluded to them as potential “poachers.”
Fact: a founding principle of CORA is “Just conservation laws which protect our fish and wildlife, and allow an acceptable level of human enjoyment of the outdoor environment.”
CORA supporters are avid stewards of the resources they enjoy, and have a right to expect scientific protection from “fake news.”
They advocate not for a greedy sounding “equally sharing” of what is left of the salmon resource, but sharing equally in our responsibilities for its wise use. Hustins should accept that there are other intelligent Newfoundlanders who know a lot about Atlantic salmon, and care about their future. His attack on Gerry Byrne revealed his adoption of ASF policies, and how out of touch with Newfoundland culture he has become.
Let’s give Federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc a balanced “made in Newfoundland” solution, in which all the blame and responsibility for salmon decline is not shouldered by anglers who catch fish to eat, while release anglers take over the rivers and continue unchecked to play with and degrade what is left.
If we choose to model our rivers after New Brunswick’s Miramichi, ASF can help.
Until then, we ask them to butt out, and let us co-operatively find our own way forward, without the resentment all this squabbling will bring.
Doug Sheppard
Past Chair of CORA
