Walters et al. 2008

Walters, C. J., J. A. Lichatowich, R. M. Peterman, and J. D. Reynolds. 2008. Report of the Skeena Independent Science Review Panel. Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the British Columbia Ministry of the Environment.

Intense public debate about the management of salmon fisheries in the Skeena watershed arose during and following the 2006 season when an unexpectedly large sockeye run (3 million fish) arrived at the Skeena mouth and the Tyee test fishing indicated a relatively weak steelhead return past the
commercial fishery. This combination of strong sockeye and weak steelhead runs forced DFO to make difficult and controversial decisions. On the one hand, DFO was pressured for more openings to take advantage of the abundant sockeye. On the other hand, it was also pressured by recreational fishing
interests to close commercial fisheries in August, as had been the practice in recent years, to avoid imposing additional steelhead mortality. DFO proceeded with the highly unusual decision to allow a commercial fishery for 11 consecutive days (August 16-26). Three things went wrong in this situation. First, enforcement of the short sets and use of revival boxes was weak to non-existent. Such weak enforcement and poor compliance undermined confidence in
DFO’s commitment to selective fisheries. Second, openings in August and September were widely publicized as a major violation of the pre-season fishing plan, with a potentially large impact on steelhead runs. Third and more generally, the 2006 situation revealed a fundamental flaw in the structure of decision rules. Specifically, there were inadequate provisions for how the fishery should be managed under various combinations of abundances of species such as sockeye and steelhead (and other species). The controversy generated by the 2006 fishery and similar problems in 2007 led to calls for a review of
salmon and steelhead management by an independent panel of scientists. As a result, the Skeena Independent Science Review Panel (henceforth the "Panel") was created. This report is the result of that review, which occurred from January-April 2008. The objective of the Panel was to use the best available science to review the current management of anadromous salmonids in the Skeena watershed, to recommend a renewed approach to fisheries
management, and identify what additional monitoring and data collection would be needed to implement Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy (WSP). The Panel was to take into consideration the WSP, respect for the interests of First Nations people, and the sustainability of commercial and recreational fisheries for the people of Canada. The Panel’s review of salmon management was jointly sanctioned by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the British Columbia Ministry of the Environment (MoE) and was funded by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation of San Francisco, California. While the Panel was sanctioned by DFO and MoE, it carried out its assignment with complete independence from both of those institutions. The Panel’s report is divided into five major topic areas: (1) the fish and the fisheries, (2) habitat status and protection, (3) critical monitoring needs for future management, (4) governance, and (5) recommendations.