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A planned strategy for developing Burrard Inlet's shore-based sport fisheries

University of British Columbia

Sports angling in Pacific Northwest waters has been predominantly for salmon from small recreational boats. This has led to a concentration of management resources on the sport salmon fishery. Eight shore-based sport fisheries in Burrard Inlet, however, do not fit into the management framework in place for the boat salmon fishery and have, therefore, been neglected. In contrast, shore-based sport fisheries have been developed in the U.S. and elsewhere, and have realized social, environmental and economic benefits, for urban communities. This thesis analyses Burrard Inlet shore-based sport fisheries and proposes a strategy for improving them to satisfy possible latent demands. Little was known about Burrard Inlet's shore-based sport fisheries so several methods have been used to characterize these fisheries and the network of management agencies. The methods include a survey of shore anglers, a telephone survey of numerous public agencies, and an informal workshop with professionals interested in Burrard Inlet shore fishery development. The proposed planned strategy outlines the managerial, organizational and promotional concerns in developing Burrard Inlet's shore-based sport fisheries. In general, all of the shore sport fisheries can be managed together with artificial reef/angling pier developments, excepting to some extent the smelt and salmon fisheries. This collective management scheme allows the managing agency to establish commonly fished and habitat reserve areas for the species used in Burrard Inlet's fisheries. This strategy restricts angling in some areas and encourages it in other areas for most of the species. This will ensure some protection of stocks in our intensely fished area and-will simplify the task of enforcing area closures. The relationships between managing agencies and shore anglers have, in the past, been informal. It is proposed that some of the agencies around the inlet form an inter-agency committee to streamline the development process. The inter-agency committee should also improve its relationship with the shore anglers and encourage the anglers to take some of the responsibility of improving the fishery themselves. Since the Burrard Inlet fisheries are not well known in the community, to achieve the development objective, promotion of its value may be needed. It is suggested that the fishery be promoted in two phases. The first phase would be undertaken by the existing informal DFO shore fishery committee to encourage other agencies to form the inter-agency committee. The second phase would be undertaken by the newly formed joint committee to gain the support and investment from the general public, the shore anglers and the private sector.

Text

2010-06-30

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26060

Planning

University of British Columbia

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