UFAWU-Unifor petition calls out DFO's 'misguided approach" to the salmon crisis

Prince Rupert based fishing vessels have not had many 
opportunities to bring in a catch this season.
In response, UFAWU-Unifor has released a petition to try
and effect some change to Federal fishery policies 

The union that represents Fisherman and Shoreworkers in British Columbia has launched a petition drive to call attention to its concerns over recent moves by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that they don't address the problems of the salmon fishery in the province.

Making note of the 79 wild salmon fisheries recently closed by DFO, the petition which is available on line provides for four key elements that UFAWU-Unifor would like to see the federal government address:

The four elements include:

Take immediate steps to produce more wild salmon by protecting and restoring salmon habitat, reducing fishing pressure on wild salmon by increasing hatchery fish for harvest in First Nation, sports and commercial fisheries and reducing known pinniped threats. - 

Oversee the immediate implementation of a made-in-B.C. regional salmon development structure that includes input from working commercial fish harvesters and their union. - 

Monitor compliance with allocation agreements and collect good data on the health of the wild salmon stocks. - 

Prioritize reconciliation as a principle in all decisions.

The petition also points towards the Future of BC Commercial Salmon Fishing report, which was related by the Union earlier this year following a provincial conference on the fishery, that document provides a range of recommendations that UFAWU-Unifor believes the government needs to consider towards a response to the salmon crisis.

That document is available here. 

You can review the petition here.

More notes on the fishery on the North Coast and Haida Gwaii can be reviewed here.