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The Prestige hotel became a Hollywood star last week when a Los Angeles-based film crew shot parts of a made-for-TV movie in Sooke. Page A3
Wednesday, May 11 , 2016
COMMUNITY
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A2 A8 A28
The Fort McMurray forest fire tragedy has hit home in Sooke with several families and friends affected. The community has also started fundraising. Page A5
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DFO MULLS REDUCED FISHERY
Ocvtavian Lacatusu Sooke News Mirror
Shelly@ShellyDavis.ca www.ShellyDavis.ca
Management plan could see closures on chinook salmon fishing this summer Ocvtavian Lacatusu Sooke News Mirror
A ringer August Perreault shows her skills at the duck ring toss during Saturday’s annual Sooke Harbourside Lions Rubber Duck Race at the Sooke Flats. Thousands of dollars were raised for local charities.
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Commercial and recreational fisheries along the southern Vancouver Island coast could be in rough seas as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans considers more restrictions on chinook salmon fishing this summer. DFO’s proposal also includes the full closure of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Georgia Strait approach waters to the Fraser River salmon fishery from May to July. In a letter to stakeholders and First Nations, Jeff Grout, DFO Pacific regional resource manager, wrote the proposal is a “cautious management approach to the assumption that returns of Fraser River spring and summer chinook will be less than 45,000 to the Fraser River this year.” When there is a low salmon return, DFO sends a signal to all harvesters – commercial, recreational and First Nations – that there’s an anticipation of little or no fishing, and must get back to the sufficient spawning beds through conservation. Grout added First Nations have raised concerns about whether DFO’s salmon integrated fisheries management plan is providing sufficient priority for First Nations’ food, social and ceremonial fisheries, given expectations for reduced harvest opportunities for Fraser chinook and sockeye. While DFO is expected to confirm sometime this week, which direction it will take, the suggestion of more restriction and possible closure has left people like Christopher Bos, president of the South Vancouver Island Anglers Coalition, concerned.
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Officials probe wolf sighting Greater Sooke residents are cautioned about a possible wolf sighting after a swan was reportedly killed in the lower Sooke River area last week. Conservation officials were contacted, but cannot confirm the animal was a wolf. “I can’t say for certain based on the quality of the photos, but it does have similar characteristics to that of a coastal wolf,” said conservation officer Sgt. Scott Norris. “We can’t guarantee it’s a wolf. It could be an old mangy dog, it’s hard to say.” Norris said reports of the animal were first reported last Wednesday. It killed the swan on Thursday was sighted later in the week and again Tuesday morning near the Sooke River Bridge. Norris said it’s important to remain vigilant, as wolves do exist in the Sooke Hills and can occasionally pay a visit to more urban regions. “It may have just made its way down the river and got into an urbanized area and realized that it’s not a good place, and back up in the bush it goes,” he said. Pet owners are also cautioned to keep their animals on a leash. Norris said there have been fatal incidents in the past. “We’ve had that in the past up Island where fluffy decided to run and check out this animal they thought was a dog but turned out to be a wolf and just killed him.” So far, though, this is the only reported wolf sighting in Sooke in recent memory, and conservation is still yet to confirm the animal is what is thought out to be. “If it definitely is a wolf, then we may have to intervene. We’ll see how it plays out,” Norris said. For any possible sightings, call the conservation service at 1-877-952-7277.
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