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Friday, September 21, 2012 Shuswap Market News
OPINION Ironman bid requires region-wide effort A challenge has been put before North Okanagan politicians but it’s not their’s alone to make. The City of Vernon is currently considering whether it should bid to host Ironman Canada from 2013 to 2017. But because of the scope of the event — cycling, running and swimming, there would be a need for the communities of Coldstream, Spallumcheen, Armstrong, Enderby and the electoral areas to come board, as well as possibly Lake Country and Salmon Arm. Because Vernon’s bid would have to be submitted by Sept. 24, city officials have been working around the clock to determine the potential benefits and implications of such an event. Discussions have been held with the outlying communities and many of them will be further discussing it at their council meetings Monday. A quick decision on participation has to be made by them so Vernon council can make a final decision on a bid Friday. Now this is where all of the residents of the North Okanagan come into play. As part of their process, all of the municipal councils need to hear from their constituents and businesses on whether Ironman should be brought to the region. If it does come, there could be significant economic spinoffs as thousands of athletes stay here, while there would also be international exposure. On the other side, each participating municipality would be responsible for significant costs for traffic control, security, shuttle buses, garbage control, etc. With the clock ticking, your elected officials need to hear from you. Help them make a decision that is right for the region. –Vernon Morning Star
Publisher Rick Proznick Editor Tracy Hughes
171 Shuswap Street NW Box 550 Salmon Arm, British Columbia V1E 4N7 Phone: 250-832-2131 Fax: 250-832-5140
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Hanging up the salmon rod, for now How many times have I stood on the banks of a stream, casting a line to salmon that may or may not even be there … wiping my runny nose and wondered what the heck I was doing standing there trying – hoping – to catch but a glimpse, a momentary glint of silver moving through the runs and riffles of a holding pool? How many times have I tried to convince myself that this is what salmon fishing is all about? All I know for sure is that when I’m standing kneedeep in the fast-flowing waters of a river or stream somewhere, casting my twohanded spey rod to a salmon, I’ve always felt happy and content. Whenever I did get a fish on, the whole world stopped for a few brief moments while I was fighting the fish. I have spent many an hour casting to little more than shadows, to little more than a glimmer of hope, and, upon occasion, have set my hook into the power and fury of what felt like a runaway locomotive. I have lost as many, if not more, battles
THE GREAT OUTDOORS James Murray than I have won and I have enjoyed each and every moment spent fishing for the ever more elusive trout and salmon of our rivers and streams. The salmon runs seem to be happening and the fall salmon fishing season is now well underway. However, the very fact that sometimes half a dozen or more anglers, in relatively close proximity to each other along a river bank, can cast for hours without so much as a single strike among them, would seem to indicate, at least to me, that the fish are no longer there in the numbers they used to be. The politicians, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the commercial fishery, the First Nations fishery
and the sport fishery can put whatever spin on things they want, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the continuously declining runs of the past 10 or so years are a definite indication the salmon runs are in serious trouble – very serious trouble – everything from climate change and global warming to pollution, over-fishing and poaching is affecting salmon stocks and neither the politicians, the DFO, the commercial fishery, First Nations or the sport fishery have the will or inclination to do anything other than continue to put more and more pressure on declining fish stocks. What does it take to make people understand? It should be obvious to everyone involved in the commercial, First Nations and sport fisheries that they must take it upon themselves to curtail their fishing – before it’s too late. Things have to change. But I’m not so sure that we can rely on the federal government to make any changes for the better. They slipped a lot through
the Bill C-38 Omnibus Bill and now they are trying to put through more legislation in the House. If nothing else, I know that something inside of me has changed. I can no longer, in good conscience, cast my line for fall-run salmon that are already under too much pressure. Not until I know for sure, at some point in the hopefully near future, that the salmon are returning in numbers large enough to absolutely guarantee that there will always be salmon returning to the spawning grounds of the rivers and streams of our province. It has been three years now since I asked myself what the heck I was doing trying to catch salmon that already had the cards stacked against their even making it to their spawning grounds — never mind making it there in numbers significant enough to ensure their survival as a species. No, I won’t be going back any time soon, not until the salmon have come back.