Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Rodney]

HEARN BEEFING UP CONSERVATION ENFORCEMENT ON THE WEST COAST

VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Honourable Loyola Hearn, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, today announced that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) will be enhancing its conservation and protection presence in British Columbia. 

“Canada’s new government will ensure rigorous enforcement of federal fishing regulations on the Fraser River to protect wild fish stocks,” stated Minister Hearn.  “While the previous government threatened to cut the enforcement presence on the west coast, we are actually increasing the number of officers patrolling British Columbia’s waterways.

An investment of $2.4 million will help increase the number of enforcement officers in B.C. from the current 162 to a total of 176.

“The decision to increase our compliance and monitoring capability in the Pacific Region will strengthen DFO’s protection and conservation efforts,” said Minister Hearn.  “This will benefit everyone who depends in some way upon west coast fisheries.”

The enhanced capacity will help DFO’s conservation efforts on the Fraser River and in coastal areas through increased monitoring and surveillance activities and more proactive and collaborative strategies.  The additional Fishery Officers will be located in areas where compliance is a priority.

In addition to this investment, the Department will also add 12 new Habitat Monitors as part of the Pacific Region’s ongoing plan to modernize its Habitat Program. Through this modernization, DFO is streamlining government reviews and increasing awareness of and compliance with the fish habitat protection requirements of the Fisheries Act.

“DFO will work proactively with Canadians to help prevent damage to fish habitat.  We must also be able to enforce our regulations and deal with violations if they occur,” concluded Minister Hearn.  “To do this, DFO needs to have the right mix of both Fishery Officers and habitat monitoring staff.  Today’s announcement is significant in helping us achieve just such a balance.”

http://www-comm.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/pages/release/p-releas/2006/nr014_e.htm

[Eagleye]

This is great news!  I applaud the minister and the conservative government for making this decision.

[Fish Assassin]

Let's hope they monitor the "food fishery" more closely

[Ribwart]

Well, this reminds me of one day fishing the cap a few years back for coho.....I had been fishing the middle canyon most of the day and had success but had released the couple fish I'd hooked into. I lived in British properties at the time with my ex and it was a nice  stroll down the trails on the west side of the river to some of my favorite spots...about mid morning I decided I'd go make another coffee at home and then check out the hatchery to see how the numbers were and fish a couple of pools I like below dogleg. Well, checked out the hatchery and then decided I'd finish my coffee at the cable pool lookout before I would hike downriver to continue my fishing. While enjoying the calm setting and a beautifull afternoon in the shade of the canyon at cable pool, two guys were fishing off the rocks on the lower ledge to the right of the lookout. These "fisherman" were snagging with trebles and weights set below the hook!!!! They were "pulling" in a fish or two over the 20 minutes I was there watching. Now, I have no respect for someone who won't put the time in to do it right so I piped up and said "It might be a little more fun, not to mention sporting if they weren't hooked in the my friend...", to which one of the guys replied "I don't see you catching any fish....". Well, I'm not one to lose my temper, but I was close...I replied " it's obvious by your response, that you don't know your my friend from the one your hook is in...". His reponse would be inappropriate to reiterate here but the profanities were predictable. I don't think he wanted to climb back up threatening me while I was standing at the top ready to kick him into the river so he proceeded to tell me to "mind my own #$%#^%$ business", to which I replied that "that's all well and good but keep in mind fisheries officers patrol and check for violations here all the time as it's close to the city, so you may want to make sure you're in accordance with the regulations...", of course more profanity followed and I decided to move on. As I was walking off the platform I saw a notice giving various bits of info, with another little bit adding that "fishermen should report all violations" at a particular telephone number. Well, I pulled out my cell phone, turned it on, and reported that these guys were snagging fish right by the cable pool, I was told fisheries would "look into it", and thought nothing of it...for a while. I went down river, and fished for about an hour and a half or so, hooked a chum, nothing else, before I decided to hike it back home for some grub. On my way through to cross the bridge at the fishing boundary and hike it back to my little house on the hill, I observed someone sitting in the bushes to the left of the trail on the other side of the bridge, at first I thought it might be some weirdo who couldn't make it to the can that was over at the hatchery, but then I noticed the telltale badge of one of fisheries finest!!!! I asked him what he was doing, and he pointed down to the river just on the Illegal side of the fishing boundary. LOL Hidden down there were the two guys I had "spoken" with earlier...My guess is they thought they should find a more secluded spot so they wouldn't get busted and didn't know that you couldn't fish upstream of the bridge!!!! Well, needless to say one of the guys snagged a fish, dragged it up on the rocks and bonked it right there in front of us, and well I guess the rest is history...They lost everything, reels, rods , a whole load of cash in fines, who knows what else....etc, etc, etc....Of couse I mentioned to the officer how these guys had responded to my advice on snagging, so I think he wasn't buying the "we didn't know" crap excuse!!!! The moral of the story I guess is that sometimes it is justified in being a "snitch" and that fisheries is trying to do the job they're paid to do, they're just under staffed right now...
so report violations when you see them, people will learn if they're taught a harsh enough lesson.!!! 
Good to hear that they're going to get some help in the way of more officers, it's about time.
My 2 Cents,
Rib

[chris gadsden]

I like the last paragraph which may be a result of our members appearing before the Standing Committee on Fisheries re the major screw up with the gravel excavation on the Fraser that killed millions of alveins in the Spring.

[*Lil Fisherman*]

Sounds good for me!! I am actually planning on going to UNBC to be a conservation officer!
Hopefully in a few years they will do some more "beefing"!!

[Floater]

OH GOD! only 162 enforcement officers for all the water bodies in BC! anyone eles fear that publishing these numbers will just encourage more poaching fests?

[Fish Assassin]

Well done Ribwart. You have to wonder about the mentality of the poachers. If I'm going to snag salmon the last place I would do it is the Cable Pool. 

[Ribwart]

Nice work by the way Chris...all of your efforts are very much appreciated by myself and many, many others I'm sure. You set an excellent example for all of us.
Respect.  

....You have to wonder about the mentality of the poachers....

...And of others who willfully  neglect their responsibility to, or destroy and abuse our resource and habitat. People can learn their lesson, but not unless they pay the consequences or recognize the consequences by the examples that are made of others...

...this decision by fisheries is a positive step, but still only one step in many that must still come if true change and responsible management are to be achieved.

[troutbreath]

How many provincial conservation officers are the BC Liberalies going to lay off now with the hiring of the fed DFO, I wondered as I read. Poaching is easier than ever, and I haven't seen a provincial conservation officer in years except on a promotional pamphlet. Do report people abusing the resources, and don't be a fish hog, and clean up after yourself were you fish.

[troutbreath]

From today's Sun, Outhouse gives the numers:

was  173 fishery officers
only 162 positions filled now
planned to cut down to 148 positions

now add increase from 162 to 176 = 3 more jobs than they had to start with
in my books that makes the official number 163 fishery officers using the above formula