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[Floater]

Came across the article about a couple lakes that have been swallowed up by a privet land owner, takning away fishing access to a couple lakes in Merritt. I remember in another post someone mentioned how lucky we are that the vedder has so much public access and i tried to compare it to other river systems i fish and i realized how true that statement was. What do you guys think about land owners who cut off access to trails and water ways once they buy up a large piece of land.

http://thetyee.ca/News/2015/12/07/Nicola-Valley-Local-Anglers/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=120715-1&utm_campaign=editorial-1215

[Damien]

https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/programs-632.html

Its all in jeopardy...

[Fish or cut bait.]

Do you have enough money to ask that question?

[Floater]

Reply with a question to a question. . . real productive conversation 

[RalphH]

The case went to court because the potential claimant (Nicola Fish and Game) wanted the costs covered by the Province. The judge said no and the case presented by NFG looked to many as kind of specious. The billionaire in the story, Stan Kroenke, does not own all the land around Corbett Lake and hasn't denied access to that lake to anyone. The public access was closed by the previous owner of the Corbett Lake Country Inn in the early 90s'. Likewise access to Minnie and Stoney was blocked by Douglas Lake Cattle Ranch in the 70s when it was owned by Chunky Woodward. Both lakes were fish-less at the time as the  BC Fish and Wildlife Branch stopped stocking them as they frequently winter and even summer killed. Both were known to grow large trout quickly if they fish survived for a year or 2.
 The lakes were developed as private access fisheries in the early 80s by DLCR - who made the changes necessary for the lakes to support fish and stocked them privately. This included raising the level of the lake by installing catch dams. In cases where ponds or lake are raised or created by dams installed by private landowners the province accepts the resulting lake bed is not public land but is private as is the lake shore. No fisheries easement is required as NFG seems to suggest.

[Dave]

Good info RalphH, thanks.

[Fish or cut bait.]

As was yours Floater, though mine was sarcasm

[Floater]

Good info RalphH, thanks.

X2

[Burbot]

His wife sounds as rich as him too.

Yup and I hope the Nicola fish and Game club win, do not know if they will or not but if they lose it will be a bad thing province wide. Like with beaches in West Van there is or was an uproar over the rich property owners denying public access to the beach.   

The owners should create access to the lakes.

[skaha]

-- As RalphH has indicated this is a complex and long going case.
-- This case has mixed support for those reasons. We have to be careful of what battles we choose to fight.
-- We also do not know because of poor freedome of information access what the government may have exchanged or promiced. This will come out in court. This may be a case of a dumb deal made between government officials and the land owner.

 
-- Changes in the water act and the defenition of a fishery that were changed by the last federal government were significant and hopefully can be modified.
--Water right legislation changes in BC allowing the Run of River projects to... for very little cash gain control of all excess water is also significant.

--We cannot just stick our heads in the sand about these issues... if we want to keep fishing.

--My suggestion would be to join or form a local area fishing club and keep up on the issues of the day as well as add your weight to the fight.
--Just don't forget to actually fish and have fun without feeling guilty about it.

 

[fishnjim]

Living in the area I have feedback on both sides.  It is complicated and not as clear as each side both say.  There is some pretty solid info on access due to highways.....a deactivated highway road at Minnie done by someone?  And a trade of lake access from highway at Corbett for another area in the region on another Lake.

[RalphH]

Since Nicola Fish and Game doesn't have the resources to take it to court it's a dead issue unless that situation changes. Their case was basically full of holes as it was based on false assumptions - or at least the judge who heard their petition for crown funding said. You can find the judgement on line if you care to look. BTW the Tyee article is about 2 years old if not more. They fished Corbett lake in winter - when it's closed so they both trespassed and poached assuming they caught something.

[fishnjim]

I think only Courtney is closed to fishing in the winter months?  I think that most of the fighting on both sides has subsided. 

[clarkii]

I think only Courtney is closed to fishing in the winter months?  I think that most of the fighting on both sides has subsided.

Corbett is managed as a private lake I believe

[Fish or cut bait.]

True but at one time had public access.