Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing-related Issues & News => Topic started by: scales on July 22, 2010, 11:03:30 PM
-
couple of buddies were out fishing over the weekend and saw springs killed that were well over 77 cm. These fishers were informed of the restrictions and yet kept their catch of the day!!! They must have deep pockets or simply taking a chance knowing co's are far and few.....very sad.
Another story from AnglingBC forum by steelman:
"Went out this morning to the scale bar to enjoy the first opening on the Fraser River for springs. It was a beautiful morning. Around forty fishermen plying to get their first spring. It was awfully slow though. Saw a totally of four springs landed and only one or two kept that were legal size. There were some sockeye caught and released as well. Witnessed one spring that was caught, dragged on the rock and grabbed through the gills before the fisherman was told that the fish was too big and not keepable. He was informed about the maximum size limit and he vainly tried to revive the fish but it was bleeding and a goner. He promptly drop the fish in the river. Spoiled the whole morning for everyone around that witnessed this event. To top this off, the fisherman who had caught and killed this fish when he was leaving the decided to stop and also pickup and keep this fish. Another fisherman next to me decided to call the DFO and report him."
Think it's time DFO should take some responsibility by positioning co's fulltime at each parking lot/bar.
-
i told the rules to a guy at peach road last year when he dragged a chum in from the tail he told me to leave him alone.
Mod: Watch your language.
-
thats a little harsh Scotkemp and not even worth typing up here ::) ::) telling someone the rules is all fine and dandy btu threatening them is not (tisk, tisk)
-
I watched DFO pass me once going up river, and second time going down river. Aswell as running the river in the chopper. Our bar was quiet on opening day though. They can only do so much, the fraser is huge and they deal with so much. We'd all love for there to be more, but sadly there aren't.
-
I watched DFO pass me once going up river, and second time going down river. Aswell as running the river in the chopper. Our bar was quiet on opening day though. They can only do so much, the fraser is huge and they deal with so much. We'd all love for there to be more, but sadly there aren't.
I think they are afraid to get there feet wet ;D
-
The CO's are dealing with cutbacks just like most other ministries. In addition, they are overburdened with paperwork which keeps them in the office instead of out in the field. The Minister of the Environment needs to hear your concerns. Keep the pressure on him.
-
The CO's are also very busy right now dealing with problem and agressive bears in urban areas.
-
I have not been checked on the Fraser in 3 years. What I don't understand though in Richmond there are many RCMP that patrol the fishing areas. At Triangle Road the RCMP is always driving the road looking for partiers/troublemakers and drive by all the fishers without checking licenses, catches, barbed hooks etc...
-
The CO's are dealing with cutbacks just like most other ministries. In addition, they are overburdened with paperwork which keeps them in the office instead of out in the field. The Minister of the Environment needs to hear your concerns. Keep the pressure on him.
Can/do provincial CO's deal with salmon fishery violations on the Fraser, or is that the jurisdiction of the federal FO's (Fisheries Officers)?
When you make a well-reasoned, respectful, complaint, you want to address it the right level of government so you are barking up the right tree.
-
--money, money, money
--RCMP wouldn't check licenses unless their department was cantracted and paid to do so. Often they are called in by CO's or DFO if problems with a difficult client.
--same thing Forest Officers could be easily trained to at least check fishing licenses...but would have to have permission from their ministry to use their time to do this... they have also been cut back and can't get all of their assigned work done..I do however believe that... during the course of their other duties... it wouldn't take much time to at least check for a fishing licence. also the knowledge that they could do this may deter a few.
--when forest service personnel wore uniforms they were often approached by fishermen, willing to show their licence or catch numbers especially in the old forest service rec site locations.
--fixed number of DFO so if more on the Fraser then less on Van island checking open ocean fishers etc.
--they do use a floating squad taking a few from different geographic areas and moving them to expected problem areas.
--each time you do this they are working extra hours... thus need to take some time off at some point. also reduced their presence in their home location.
-
Can/do provincial CO's deal with salmon fishery violations on the Fraser, or is that the jurisdiction of the federal FO's (Fisheries Officers)?
When you make a well-reasoned, respectful, complaint, you want to address it the right level of government so you are barking up the right tree.
I believe salmon is a federal jurisdiction
-
CO's do enforce freshwater salmon regs.
Remember though, there are very few of them, they cover a large area, they deal with other issues such as hunting, environmental issues, problem animals etc.
-
The CO's are dealing with cutbacks just like most other ministries. In addition, they are overburdened with paperwork which keeps them in the office instead of out in the field. The Minister of the Environment needs to hear your concerns. Keep the pressure on him.
If that is the case then DFO should have kept the fishery closed until July 29th then have a full opening. Just hate these self regulating openings, does more damage than good.
-
To top this off, the fisherman who had caught and killed this fish when he was leaving the decided to stop and also pickup and keep this fish
would you rather he leaves the dead fish in the water? If it's dead, it's not spawning!
-
would you rather he leaves the dead fish in the water? If it's dead, it's not spawning!
Yes, though it might seem like a waste to you, it does feed the ecosystem, albiet sooner than was intended and it's the law.
If I get where you going with this, it would be ok to go fishing with some buddies, hook or land a fish to the point of death and have one of your buddies retrieve and keep your fatal catch and release experiment and justify it because it was dead or about to die?
Go check the river banks in the fall, there's lots of soup starter then.
-
If a fish is accidentally or intentionally killed when caught but not legal to be kept, then it must be left at the waters regardless. As Fish or cut bait has pointed out, if these fish were allowed to be legally kept, then it would be widely abused.
-
Over the years i've probably been questioned by fish counters at least 50% of the time i go to a popular bar. Why not shell out a few more bucks and have them trained to be able to check licenses and hand out tickets... they are already on the bar all the time. Would it really be that much more to train these guys to do so?. I know fish counter to fisheries officer is a big step.. i talk to them all the time and know a few of them personally and i'm sure they would be all for It. Just a thought.
-
Their union might object on grounds they're taking jobs from their members. ::)
-
Their union might object on grounds they're taking jobs from their members. ::)
--not sure about fed contract but provincial.. can contract out work as long as no one on lay off...
--safety is often of concern.. fish counter is harmless thus no need to bash them on the head and most I've run into are very friendly... once they have an enforcement roll... things change..
-
There used to be DFO Aboriginal Fisheries Guardians around....one step below a Fish Cop (no gun), that could patrol and ticket fishing areas. It seemed to get First Nations more involved in combating poaching. But that program seems to have died with federal cutbacks. From the DFO website:
An Aboriginal Guardian is an individual hired by one or more First Nations and designated as a Fishery Guardian by the Minister pursuant to section 5 of the Fisheries Act.
While the Aboriginal Guardian Program met with considerable success in improving relations between DFO and Aboriginal people, no further training has been conducted since the late 1990’s due to difficulties in administration and funding restrictions.
-
Blaming the union representing the CO's is a new low in trying to resolve fish related issue's. No wonder sportfishing is in the shape it's in. Back stabby old boy back stabby.
-
If the creel survey workers were to check licences and issue tickets that would make the peace officers they would have to pack firearms, would need way more training and way more pay so you might as well put more CO's out there. This is probably part of the Liberals plan to let every body in our society police themselves thus being able to cut taxes further and increase jobs in B.C. This plan has been working really well in the mining and logging industries and has been proved by the fact that since they were allowed to self regulate there have been far fewer pollution charges layed in B.C. hence there must be far fewer polluters. By not spending taxpayers money on leaf eating C.O.'s the government is just showing how much they trust us as outdoorsmen to look after our resources. These policies of decreasing taxes and cutting government services have been proven in other jurisdictions around the Americas, just look at what Bush did for the U.S. and right now i believe Honduras has the lowest income tax in this hemesphere just keep voting for the politicians that promise the lowest taxes and we too can become a part of the third world economy and life styles.
-
--self policing worked very well in Ontario as no violations reported in their water systems when government stopped checking them.
-
Everyone seems to want more CO's but would you be willing to pay two or three times the price for a license if it would go to enforement? Probably not. I would gladly pay three times the price for a license to get more CO's out there. When they catch people in the wrong, take everything they have with them and once a year auction it off. Does not seem that difficult to me but I guess that is why I am not running things. All it would take is for a couple of people to loose all their gear and boat, have a write up in the papers of people caught and that would slow down any future fishing violations. Seems simple to me...
-
--we wouldn't have to pay more for our license, government should be content with taking the HST... taxted portion of the license for general revenue and use the rest of the license fee for the habitat fund and administration of specific programs related to the sport that we pay the fee to participate in.
--the license is not the only funding source..provincial MOE and CO's and federal DFO don't just deal with sport fishing thus have a budget from general revenue as well which is supposed to support the core functions of the ministry... that is why I don't mind the government taking a fair share of the license fee in the form of HST for general revenue.