Dfo getting out there more and handing out tickets

[fishin solo]

http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/media/charges-inculpations/pac-eng.htm

Nice to see them out on the water more last year and hope it keeps up this year. Some nice size fines been given too.

 

[trophywife]

good to see more enforcement!!

 

[Aridhol]

Agreed, more enforcement is nice to see.
Still haven't seen much around the south island though :/

Port Hardy seems to be a bit disproportionately represented in that list!

 

[Peahead]

Oh my.... I see someone on the list that is a VI guide and 'pro staff' for a very well know tackle company ......and a member on this forum too I think . I'd say not helping instill a positive reputation of pro guides in BC or for the pro-staff of that tackle company. I will leave it at that .....

 

[trophywife]

no longer a "pro staff" and not working for a guiding company anymore..should and hopefully still working for himself.

i could see a barb not being pinched properly or a boundary foul but to downright poach crab is not cool.

i have a barb fine from way back and a i did not have my license with me on another past oops, prolly get the book thrown at me if i made a mistake, honest or not on the third strike.

 

[Peahead]

no longer a "pro staff" and not working for a guiding company anymore..

i could see a barb not being pinched properly or a boundary foul but to downright poach crab is not cool.

Ok thanks for the info. Before I posted I checked and the website still there listed as owner operator and as "pro staff" for the tackle company. I suppose websites don't come down right away - thanks for info.

 

[TheBigGuy]

I'm a lttle surprised the fine for failing to record hali on your licence is so high. $500 in most cases for Hali, yet the same violation for a spring is typically $100. I'm not justifying or excusing it, but in most cases this is probably a case of simple forgetfulness and not a deliberate attempt to poach. If a guy was looking to intentionally skirt the season bag limit of 6 he would probably just fraudulently print more licenses. . If the DFO was seriously concerned about guys going over their Hali limit, you'd think they'd implement a return to the tag system that had to be affixed to the fishes jaw like in the old days. Of course that would cost the dept money, because with licenses sold on the internet tags would have to be mailed to you (or an alternate system would need to be established).

 

[gunnerlove]

It is a classic big government "If you can't do anything meaningful do more of something" cash grab.

But it must be for our own good.

 

[FisherTim]

Wow, I know it says "in Ink immediately," but don't always carry a pen, so usually record when I get home... Looking at these fines, definitely going to change that. Good on the DFO for enforcing, but we all know the QCL fine is a joke at best.

 

[trophywife]

I'm a lttle surprised the fine for failing to record hali on your licence is so high. $500 in most cases for Hali, yet the same violation for a spring is typically $100. I'm not justifying or excusing it, but in most cases this is probably a case of simple forgetfulness and not a deliberate attempt to poach. If a guy was looking to intentionally skirt the season bag limit of 6 he would probably just fraudulently print more licenses. . If the DFO was seriously concerned about guys going over their Hali limit, you'd think they'd implement a return to the tag system that had to be affixed to the fishes jaw like in the old days. Of course that would cost the dept money, because with licenses sold on the internet tags would have to be mailed to you (or an alternate system would need to be established).

ya odd, would make sense to make the fine on the actual poach (more caught than allowed) heavier, than on writing it down..

 

[Peahead]

Wow, I know it says "in Ink immediately," but don't always carry a pen, so usually record when I get home... Looking at these fines, definitely going to change that. Good on the DFO for enforcing, but we all know the QCL fine is a joke at best.

Be careful on that one as forgetting to fill out the catch info on your license is apparently a pretty common rec infraction and understandably as not many do it before the rod goes back in - I mean when the bites on a good fisher gets that rod back down asap then deals with fish and license.
BUT...
when DFO states immediately they mean immediately. Before doing anything else .....they don't want you to put the rod back down either ( even if you are already fishing anyway with other rods out) I got nabbed on that one back in the 90's when the licence happened to use the word "forthwith" rather than now saying "immediately". I hadn't even taken time to bonk the fish yet and quickly reset that rod again within 2 minutes as the rigger started to take the line down a black zodiac came ripping up from around a point and asked to see my license. Gave him the license and he says "nice fish you got" then says "I see you have not recorded the fish on your license" I tell him I was just about to record it as he came up to me. I mentioned I hadn't had time yet, in fact the fish was still bouncing around on the deck not having time to dispatch it yet! I even mentioned that "forthwith" doesn't specify a specific amount of time and pointed out that the regs [at that time] didn't specify that you were not to set gear again until the fish was recorded. Still got the ticket but with the intention to fight it in court then decided $50 wasn't worth a trip to Powell River to fight it so waited till 5 minutes before the court case and phoned in the $50 fine. Ted Peck who some of you may recall was a well known influential sport fishing personality then, told me I could have beat that fine because it wasn't worded clearly/efficiently. Since then they changed the word to immediately and added that you must record on licence prior to continuing to fish.... makes it clearer now. I lost alot of respect with regards to DFO enforcement as that to me was an example of taking a regulation way too much to an extreme. The fisheries officer I got that day was very young & inexperienced and apparently in his first week out with his new zodiac, so was likely just a bit too eager to hand out infractions lol.

 

[CIVANO]

I was boarded in Port Renfrew last year with 3 guys fishing and 3 springs on board and only 2 marked. He checked the barbs and fish and then the license and saw 1 not marked. he told me to mark it in front of him and not make the mistake again. I guess I was lucky. We have always put our gear back down, then marked. Immediately will be the rule from now on.

 

[TheBigGuy]

I was boarded in Port Renfrew last year with 3 guys fishing and 3 springs on board and only 2 marked. He checked the barbs and fish and then the license and saw 1 not marked. he told me to mark it in front of him and not make the mistake again. I guess I was lucky. We have always put our gear back down, then marked. Immediately will be the rule from now on.

I find the CO's that work in Renfrew are super friendly and far more civil towards sports fishers than a lot of other places. Very good crew of officers over there.

 

[FisherTim]

Just to be clear: It's only illegal to be FISHING with barbed hooks(on a line in the water) for salmon, correct? I can have barbed hooks on gear in my tackle box, right? Even if they are on gear clearly intended for salmon fishing. Asking because I troll for halibut with salmon gear sometimes, and don't pinch the barbs till a rig is ready to get the salt bath.

 

[scott craven]

Just to be clear: It's only illegal to be FISHING with barbed hooks(on a line in the water) for salmon, correct? I can have barbed hooks on gear in my tackle box, right? Even if they are on gear clearly intended for salmon fishing. Asking because I troll for halibut with salmon gear sometimes, and don't pinch the barbs till a rig is ready to get the salt bath.

There is a grey area when it comes to trolling for species other than salmon with barbed hooks.
I think there would be grounds to dispute a ticket, UNLESS you are clearly in possession of salmon.
I think most C.O'S would still write the ticket.

 

[Peahead]

Just to be clear: It's only illegal to be FISHING with barbed hooks(on a line in the water) for salmon, correct? I can have barbed hooks on gear in my tackle box, right? Even if they are on gear clearly intended for salmon fishing. Asking because I troll for halibut with salmon gear sometimes, and don't pinch the barbs till a rig is ready to get the salt bath.

Don't worry if hooks are not pinched that are still in your tackle box - new lures for an example.....but make sure you check and pinch prior to hitting water. As far as trolling for Hali with Salmon gear, I'd pinch the barb as well but as Scott mentions it approaches a grey area if you use barbs trolling for "other species". If you have a salmon on board you're likely going to be in ca ca if you are caught trolling with barbs even if you claim you are now trolling for other species . There was a thread on here recently about that exact topic so won't get into great detail on that .... but it was about a guide trolling with barbs near CR and claimed to the officer he was trolling for P-cod.....all while having a Salmon in the box. As I recall, it didn't go well.

 

[FisherTim]

Thanks Scott and Peahead, I read the other thread. But I thought he got off.

 

[Peahead]

Thanks Scott and Peahead, I read the other thread. But I thought he got off.

I think he did get off but my point is he had to go through the whole process of a confrontation on the water , a ticket ....plus the time and stress of fighting in court [ didn't go well in that respect] . Why even bother setting yourself up to experience that unless you enjoy challenging those regs that fall into grey areas? Not my kinda game anyway. Personally I am out there to enjoy the fishing and rather not give DFO reasons to give me a hard time out there ( even if in the end I win in court )

 

[JuandeOne]

Wow, I know it says "in Ink immediately," but don't always carry a pen, so usually record when I get home... Looking at these fines, definitely going to change that. Good on the DFO for enforcing, but we all know the QCL fine is a joke at best.

That is the post of the year hands
down! That is f@&king awesome. LMFAO.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Be careful on that one as forgetting to fill out the catch info on your license is apparently a pretty common rec infraction and understandably as not many do it before the rod goes back in - I mean when the bites on a good fisher gets that rod back down asap then deals with fish and license.
BUT...
when DFO states immediately they mean immediately. Before doing anything else .....they don't want you to put the rod back down either ( even if you are already fishing anyway with other rods out) I got nabbed on that one back in the 90's when the licence happened to use the word "forthwith" rather than now saying "immediately". I hadn't even taken time to bonk the fish yet and quickly reset that rod again within 2 minutes as the rigger started to take the line down a black zodiac came ripping up from around a point and asked to see my license. Gave him the license and he says "nice fish you got" then says "I see you have not recorded the fish on your license" I tell him I was just about to record it as he came up to me. I mentioned I hadn't had time yet, in fact the fish was still bouncing around on the deck not having time to dispatch it yet! I even mentioned that "forthwith" doesn't specify a specific amount of time and pointed out that the regs [at that time] didn't specify that you were not to set gear again until the fish was recorded. Still got the ticket but with the intention to fight it in court then decided $50 wasn't worth a trip to Powell River to fight it so waited till 5 minutes before the court case and phoned in the $50 fine. Ted Peck who some of you may recall was a well known influential sport fishing personality then, told me I could have beat that fine because it wasn't worded clearly/efficiently. Since then they changed the word to immediately and added that you must record on licence prior to continuing to fish.... makes it clearer now. I lost alot of respect with regards to DFO enforcement as that to me was an example of taking a regulation way too much to an extreme. The fisheries officer I got that day was very young & inexperienced and apparently in his first week out with his new zodiac, so was likely just a bit too eager to hand out infractions lol.

These days you would have got off that one no problem. Seeing as how it was still alive and flopping around. You'd just tell them "I'm in the process of releasing it, but I'm just waiting for my phone to get enough charge to snap a pic and post it to my facebook page" That's the standard release practice these days I thought. Just kidding