Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Good News for Wild Salmon and Steelhead


Here is a cut and paste from an email that I received from wild fish advocate
Alexandra Morton. It features some good news in her fight to rid BC's coast of the fish farms that are endangering wild fish with their sea lice infestation:

Today BC Supreme Court ruled in our favor once again. Justice Hinkson granted the federal government a suspension order until December 18, 2010 so that Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) can further prepare to assume control of regulating salmon farms. However, Justice Hinkson forbade any expansion of aquaculture during that period. Specifically, the province cannot issue any new fish farm licences and cannot expand the size of any tenure. He recognized the First Nation interest in this matter by granting the Musgamagw-Tsawataineuk Tribal Council intervenor status, which is essential as this case is based in their territory.

On the matter pursued by Marine Harvest at the Court of Appeal and sent back to Justice Hinkson to reconsider (that is whether the fish in the farms are privately owned by the companies and whether the Farm Practices Protection Act (FPPA) is still in force), Hinkson confirmed that the FPPA, will no longer apply to finfish aquaculture and thus no longer protect farms from nuisance claims.

On the question, does Marine Harvest own the fish in their pens? Justice Hinkson found that this was not the place for this decision. Marine Harvest will have to bring this before the courts themselves. For now, we know that the aquaculture fish are now part of the fisheries of Canada.

Today’s decision is met by the unrelated announcement by US box store chain “Target” that they have eliminated all farmed salmon from its fresh, frozen, and smoked seafood offerings in its stores across the United States, because of farm salmon environmental impact on native salmon.

There is an enormous amount of work ahead to translate any of this into better survival of our wild salmon, but the courts seem consistently interested in bringing reason, the constitution and the law to bear on the Norwegian fish farm industry in British Columbia.

While I am truly sorry that jobs will be lost in ocean fish farming, bear in mind the industry is in deep trouble with mother nature herself in the fish farming strongholds of Chile and Norway. Trying to hold this nomadic fish in pens is never going to work, because it causes epidemics, unnatural sea lice infestations and drug resistance. Salmon farming is not sustainable and ultimately we are better served by our wild fish.

Alexandra Morton

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Scandi Casting with Francois Blanchet January 10th 2010


Whistler Flyfishing is proud to present another day of free speycasting instruction. On Sunday January 10th join Whistler Flyfishing guide and Loop tackle pro staffer Francois Blanchet for a FREE day of underhand casting instruction. Francois i9s well known for his mastery of the scandinavian aka underhand technique. Meet at 10am at the Mamquam bar in Squamish. For more info or to pre register please contact the fly shop at 604-932-7221.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Currie Artworks

Dave Currie is a long term Whistler resident, and all around fantastic individual, who loves to fish, paint and cook(perhaps even in that order). When not busy at work as the head chef at Whistler's popular Dubh Linn Gate Pub,Dave can most likely be found speyfishing for Steelhead on one of the local Whistler rivers or painting in his studio. Here are some examples of Dave's work. We have prints of most of these available at the fly shop as well as our online store. Dave's latest work features the inukshuk from the top of Whistler mountain with Black Tusk in the background. We are honoured to have the original of this piece on display at Whistler Flyfishing. Check out more of Dave's work on his website.




Friday, January 1, 2010

Winter Fly Fishing In Whistler British Columbia



Winter fly fishing is in full swing now in Whistler with good fishing for Bull Trout(Char), Rainbow Trout and Cutthroat Trout in the Squamish and Cheakamus rivers.This is one of my favourite times of year to be on the river as I enjoy the quiet of winter as well as the charm of fishing in the snow. Char fishing is especially productive during the winter months and these fish can reach considerable size in both the Squamish and Cheakamus rivers.