Daily Archives: August 16, 2020
Seiner’s new lease of life
The wooden La Sardane was built in 1977, and after a few years fishing for its new skipper, it was clear that an overhaul would not be far away as maintenance was becoming increasingly complex. A newbuild was not an option. So Jérémie Gourret went to naval architect Coprexma and Chantier Naval Hénaff for a refit that brought in skills from across the region. The main part of the work involved lifting the gunwales and the transom, and 
creating a wheelhouse to improve comfort on board. Naval architect Yves Le Perron explained that the yard replaced the upper part of the bow section, refitted the fishroom and replaced the working deck, and the new wheelhouse provides a better view over the deck – which is critical for a small purse seiner which is necessarily fitted with a lot of rigging and crew on deck. photos, >click to read< 11:38
A community mourns loss of Yakama fisherman Simon Sampson and wife, Diane
With his wife by his side, Simon Sampson fought for his Yakama treaty hunting and fishing rights until he died on June 14. He was 71. Two weeks later, on June 28, his wife of 50 years, Diane Sampson, died from COVID-19 complications. She was 69. Their deaths have left somber clouds over their hometown of Toppenish on the Yakama reservation and along the Columbia River, where the Yakamas have fished since time immemorial. In town, the Sampsons were community activists working to improve public safety, education and good will to others. On the river, Sampson known as the Slammin Salmon Man, was a voice for tribal fishermen and their indigenous fishing rights preserved in the treaty. Sampson was fighting a federal conviction in the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Ninth Circuit when he died. >click to read< 10:30
Five B.C. First Nations say salmon decision shows systemic racism at DFO
The five Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations are upset that Ottawa decided to give a surplus allocation of salmon — which arose this year due to reduced recreational fishing during the COVID-19 pandemic — to commercial fishers rather than to the First Nations. Clifford Atleo, lead negotiator for one of the nations who is also called Wickaninnish, says he feels sports and commercial troll fishers are given more rights to fish in the waters off the west coast of Vancouver. He says the latest decision to shut First Nations fishers out of an opportunity to catch more chinook salmon this year shows systemic racism is “alive and well” within the federal fisheries department. >click to read< 08:52
