The river, the salmon, and many of us lost a friend on August 17, when Joe Seymour passed away.
It's hard to accept that Joe and his refreshing take on conservation will no longer grace us. I, especially, counted on him time and time again for help. Joe was there when asked to pitch in: on selective fishing, training programs, and other fish-related projects. Write a proposal? "No problem," Joe would say. Build a fishwheel or two? Can do. Give a talk? Lead a tour? Run a training workshop? Do some internet research?
For Joe, the answer was always, "Yeah, no sweat." But it was with sweat. Writing proposals, running workshops, and putting fish first is hard work. Each of these tasks demands a certain talent that Joe possessed in spades. Not that he ever made much money doing what he loved. No, his driving force was the salmon—and the importance of salmon to his community and culture. Joe didn't just pay lip service to conservation—or First Nations rights—he showed us.
Joe showed us that he put fish first by working with commercial and sport fishers and his fellow fishermen on the Fraser. He wore his loyalties on his sleeve for all to see. He forgave many ignorances. And he demonstrated a wit and sense of humor that were models for the rest of us.
Joe also understood the importance of family. The screensaver on his laptop was a picture of his wife, Sylvia. Joe was close to his sisters, brothers, daughters and his future granddaughter, Isabel Marie, whom he anticipated with great pride as his "fishing partner," but never got to meet.
Joe left us too early. But he left us with much to remember—and aspire to. So long friend, and safe journey.
Craig Orr
September 2002