Government to investigate missing fish

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The federal government has appointed a natural resource management expert to head an investigation into the disappearance of 150,000 sockeye salmon in the Fraser River.

"We need a thorough accounting for why certain early sockeye runs did not meet projections," Fisheries Minister John Crosbie said in a media release announcing the formation of the 50-member team.

University of British Columbia professor Peter Pearse will head the investigation, which will look into catch reporting, mortality rates of young salmon and re-examine methods for estimating stocks.

Pearse has 25 years experience in the economics of resource management. He headed a 1981 royal commission inquiry into west coast fishing policy.

Hundreds of thousands of salmon appear to have vanished from the B.C. fishery, fueling a heated dispute in the industry. Blame has been cast far and wide, but has been particularly directed at Native bands who were allowed to fish for profit this year for the first time in more than 100 years.

Native communities entered the commercial market this year under a $7 million federal fisheries department program that was strongly opposed by non-Native commercial fishermen. The Fisheries Council of British Columbia has filed a lawsuit to have Native fishing declared illegal.

In related developments, non-Native fishermen called off plans to blockade several harbors in protest of what they call government mismanagement and inaction on the fishery.

Fleets of vessels had planned to disrupt traffic at Vancouver, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert and around northern Vancouver Island until threatened with legal action.

The fishermen were told they could be held responsible for any business losses incurred by the action.

Federal officials said the fishermen were reacting to rumors that are not based on fact.

Pat Chamut, regional director for the fisheries and oceans department, answered charges of mismanagement, saying recent changes in fishing policy are based on court decisions and not on political whims.