News | Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia

DIRECTORS

You may recall that the last in person World Recreational Fishing Conference was in Victoria in 2017 hosted by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC in cooperation with the Sport Fishing Institute of BC.

The conference is a unique opportunity that brings the global recreational fishing community together providing an essential forum to discuss current research. Held every three years, it is the only international conference focused solely on recreational fisheries.

The WRFC10, held in Melbourne, Australia in February 2023, was a three-day event bringing together the thought leaders, change-makers and global recreational fishing community to share their vision, science, passion, issues and solutions across a range of themes and problems at the forefront of recreational fisheries management and science.

The 2023 conference program covered a diverse range of themes with an incredible line up of keynotes and speakers, together with workshops and a vast array of opportunities for learning, sharing and connecting with others.

The headline conference theme of the WRFC10 was: Keeping Pace in a Dynamic and Challenging World with Changing Fisheries. This is an ode to the fluid and rapidly changing landscape and acknowledges the challenges for researchers, managers and anglers involved in recreational fisheries.

Please see the following links to presentations made by the SFI at the WRFC 10.

BC’s Avid Angler Program – WRFC10 Presentation

Fishing BC Mobile App – WRFC10 Presentation

WRFC10 Full Conference Program

The Politics of Fisheries Resource Sharing – WRFC10 Presentation

2022 SFI POLICY CONFERENCE – SELECTIVE FISHING: ACHIEVING A BALANCE

The SFI Annual Policy Conference, 2022 theme was Selective Fishing – Achieving a Balance, and the Big Splash Social and Fundraiser were held on November 18th at the Vancouver Convention Centre – West. Both events were well attended and received. We welcomed now former Premier Horgan back to our Conference after a previous attendance in 2015 and presented an Islander reel in acknowledgement and thanks for Mr. Horgan’s commitment to and support of BC salmon and fisheries during his time as Premier.

During the SFI Big Splash, we awarded Don McNeice the Bob Wright Legacy Award for his years of dedication to the recreational fishery and salmon enhancement efforts. Please see the BWLA Recipients page for a brief biography of Don and other BWLA recipients.

Available speaker presentations are linked.

- INTRO AND WELCOME: SELECTIVE FISHING: ACHIEVING A BALANCE

Rob Alcock, President, Sport Fishing Institute of British Columbia

JOHN HORGAN, MLA Langford-Juan de Fuca

MINISTER JOSIE OSBORNE, MLA Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship

THE HONOURABLE JOYCE MURRAY, MP Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

FISHERIES AND OCEANS CANADA – PACIFIC REGION

Rebecca Reid, Regional Director General, Pacific Region

Wes Shoemaker, Executive Head, Pacific Salmon Strategy Transformation

Neil Davis, Regional Director Fisheries Management

Jeff Grout, Salmon Management and Client Services

SFI PROJECT AND ACTIVITIES UPDATE

Owen Bird, Executive Director

Martin Paish, Director, Sustainable Fisheries

FRESHWATER FISHERIES SOCIETY OF BC

Marleau Brown, Outreach Coordinator

PACIFIC SALMON FOUNDATION

Mike Meneer, President and CEO

Jason Hwang, Vice President, Salmon

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters.

SFI CONFERENCE – Online Session

The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative and BC’s Public Fishery

Held 1:00 – 3:00 on December 2nd

The SFI hosted an online presentation of our Annual Conference on December 2nd, 2021. The 2021 theme was The Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI) and BC’s Public Fishery. An agenda for the session is below, we heard insights and details about activities planned and underway that will benefit the implementation of the PSSI and the public fishery in BC.

Newly appointed Fisheries Minister Joyce Murray, Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries and Aquaculture and MLA, Fin Donnelly, Regional Director – Pacific Region, DFO, Rebecca Reid, Executive Head, Pacific Salmon Transformation Stratgey, DFO, Wes Shoemaker, and Pacific Salmon Foundation officials provided remarks and presentations.

Thank you again to our conference and auction sponsors as noted below.