I was born and raised in Campbell River and lived in the Willow Point area.
I fished all of the streams of the area, mostly Simms Creek and Ken Forde Creek (most people now refer to it as Willow Creek) and their
contributaries.
Around 2005, I was working for a local contractor, running an excavator near Stories Beach, when we discovered hundreds of crayfish. We were told to capture and relocate the down stream from where we were working.
Well, when I was a kid fishing in these streams there were never any crayfish.
Now, from what I can determine, they seem to be in every stream and lake in the area.
Well, I am not a biologist, but come on, if these critters are in every stream and lake, would it not seem apparent that these crayfish would possibly be feeding on the soft, palatable, unmoving salmon eggs?
I have spoken to a number of individuals within the fisheries department, both in Ottawa, Vancouver, Nanaimo and Campbell River and no one had ever heard anything dealing with the possibility of crayfish being a detriment to the salmon stocks.
It just appears no one is looking at this situation as being problem. Please look into this.
Kerry J.C. McRae,
White Rock