Dear Sir:
The headline in the Feb. 6, 2013 issue of The Terrace Standard read “Politicians oppose fish ban plan.”
Headlines like this also appeared in east coast newspapers when biologists were arguing for fish closures in the Atlantic Ocean. The warnings were not heeded, over fishing continued and the world’s greatest cod fishery collapsed. Over 20 years later it still hasn’t recovered.
Fish biology is very complex. When scientists, some of whom have spent their whole lives studying fish, make suggestions we should listen.
Unfortunately our local politicians didn’t bother to hear the arguments from fish biologists before writing a letter opposing the proposed stream trout and char no kill regulation.
The members of our town council and regional district work to the best of their ability doing a community service and should be applauded for that. However it should be expected that when difficult issues are presented to them experts need to be consulted so that the best decisions can be made.
Our area is facing some major changes in the near future and it is important that the right choices are made for all of us.
Doug Webb, Terrace, B.C.
