Editor:
I would like to thank Ms. Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, my local MP, Mr. Jonathan Wilkinson, minister in charge of the department of Fisheries and Oceans, and Mr. Justin Trudeau for consolidating my voting decisions before the election in October. This is the first time I will go to the election polls with a firm decision on the political party I will vote for.
I am a 62-year-old, recently retired high school shop teacher living in Pender Harbour. Last month I drove my 86- and 89-year-old mother and father (lovelier parents you will never find) back to New Westminster after a three-day visit. It was the first time in years I have sent Dad home without a cooler of proudly caught and carefully packaged salmon, even though the chinook salmon fishing has been fantastic on these inside waters over the last few years. The best in 20 years!
It boggles my mind how the Liberal government-run DFO has implemented such harsh restrictions on the chinook recreational fishery. Last season it was under the premise of bolstering the struggling southern resident orca’s food source. This year it is the depleted Fraser River run chinook. Here’s an idea – try removing the Atlantic open water fish farms. Immediately! I really don’t get how DFO and our educated society can let these farms continue. Move them on land at the least. They are simply not worth the risk of negatively impacting our precious Pacific Ocean. I support the concept of rigorous science over knee-jerk reaction to incomplete information.
Responsible sport fishing has never been a threat to species like irresponsible commercial fishing, fish farming and poor political decision making have. I will be encouraging everyone to vote for the party that will fund and support accurate and responsible science regarding our marine environment.
Greg Barber, Pender Harbour
