Re: Where have all the herring gone? (News, Feb. 13)
We have lived on the waterway, Portage Inlet for over 30 years and have the following comments.
There are changes in the waterways environment, such as the Canada geese who come in large numbers and pull up the eel grass and eat the roots.
We used to have herring and sea-run trout in the water near our float, but no more because there is no eel grass for cover.
The second cause of this reduction could also be blamed on the fishermen. Who needs 700 hundred spawning fish in any case? You can buy a bucket from the commercial fisherman for $5.
As regards to observing the spawning, I think it would be extremely difficult as all the shallow water eel grass has been eliminated by Canada geese. Another issue is that the harbour seals are also coming in after the dwindling supply of herring as well.
Robert Russell
Saanich
