Hunting Allocations

[Derby]

Hello,
With the return to the legislature, the opposition New Democrats used the first Question Period to ask about the Liberal government’s changes to hunting allocations.
As you know, the government recently made changes to the way hunting allocations were done, giving preference to foreign hunters over resident British Columbians.
We tried to get some answers about a recently leaked email chain between Bill Bennett – the minister of energy and mines – and senior staff in the natural resources ministry. In the emails, Minister Bennett is clearly pressing staff from another ministry to ignore the rules and allow a guide outfitter access to land reserved only for resident hunters.
You remember Bill Bennett. He’s the minister who took to Facebook to say that since he wasn’t running for re-election next time and since the minister responsible, Steve Thomson, was in a safe riding, he didn’t “give a s**t” about hunters’ protests.
As we’ve stated before, New Democrats think that British Columbians own the resources, and British Columbians should have priority to use the resources before wealthy foreigners. Moreover, if there are rules in place to determine when and where guide outfitters can operate, those rules should be followed. Having senior cabinet ministers exerting their influence over staff in another ministry is unfair to all concerned.
The Liberal government has been feeling pressure from you and your friends on this issue. Please keep contacting your MLA to let them know that hunting allocation should be done fairly and with resident hunters having priority.
PS: To watch the Question Period exchange, please click this link: FEB1115_QP_CONROY AUSTIN


Sincerely,

Katrine Conroy, MLA
Kootenay-West

If you would no longer like to receive emails from me regarding hunting allocations, please click here

 

[trendsetter]

Didn't the government already fix this? I heard that they reduced the guide allocation from 186 down to 60 last week.

 

[trendsetter]

"British Columbia is taking a second shot at setting hunting allocation numbers after admitting its initial attempt at quotas for resident and non-resident hunters missed the target.

Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson says he’s revising the 2015 harvest numbers made available for guide outfitters and BC resident hunters for elk, moose, bison, Bighorn sheep and grizzly bear.

The initial allocation gave guide outfitters the right to harvest 186 animals and triggered protests from hunters and wildlife groups who said the figures favoured the guides and their non-resident hunting clients, even though allocations for resident hunters have increased over the past decade.

Thomson says the new changes give guide outfitters harvest rights to 60 animals.

There are about 245 licensed guide outfitters in the province, who serve an estimated 5,000 non-resident hunters, while there are more than 102,000 resident hunters in BC, up from 82,000 only 10 years ago.

The BC Wildlife Federation says the move is a step in the right direction, but falls short, because it still deprives resident hunters of opportunities to hunt animals in their areas."


http://www.news1130.com/2015/02/06/...g-allocations-after-triggering-hunter-uproar/

 

[SpringVelocity]

"New Democrats think that British Columbians own the resources, and British Columbians should have priority to use the resources"

Here Here....

 

[Sitkaspruce]

"British Columbia is taking a second shot at setting hunting allocation numbers after admitting its initial attempt at quotas for resident and non-resident hunters missed the target.

Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson says he’s revising the 2015 harvest numbers made available for guide outfitters and BC resident hunters for elk, moose, bison, Bighorn sheep and grizzly bear.

The initial allocation gave guide outfitters the right to harvest 186 animals and triggered protests from hunters and wildlife groups who said the figures favoured the guides and their non-resident hunting clients, even though allocations for resident hunters have increased over the past decade.

Thomson says the new changes give guide outfitters harvest rights to 60 animals.

There are about 245 licensed guide outfitters in the province, who serve an estimated 5,000 non-resident hunters, while there are more than 102,000 resident hunters in BC, up from 82,000 only 10 years ago.

The BC Wildlife Federation says the move is a step in the right direction, but falls short, because it still deprives resident hunters of opportunities to hunt animals in their areas."


http://www.news1130.com/2015/02/06/...g-allocations-after-triggering-hunter-uproar/

And the big question is........

How does only 60 animals, SIXTY, going to save 240 outfitters?? They are blowing smoke up everyones butt, especially the ones who either do not hunt or care not to get involved.

Hell, one there own MLA's blows the 60 animals right out of the water today.......

http://www.wltribune.com/news/291537471.html

Donna Barnett, Caribou MLA states that there will be 71 animals lost in the Caribou (region 5) alone.......if this is an average across all 8 regions, well the 60 looks like a slight underestimate.

Keep up the fight everyone, keep up the pressure and if you can, meet in Victoria to support all hunter across this province on March 02.

Cheers

SS

 

[bigdogeh]

the 60 is a lie,
plain and simple.
in one small management unit in the skeena area, there is also a loss of more than 60 moose from what residents had before with the 2007 agreement. and that agreement also sucks. with each new agreement so many years, we as resident hunters keep losing resources to the guide outfitters.

 

[IronNoggin]

 

[SpringVelocity]

So true.....what a great illustration...

 

[Clint r]

Copied from Castanets news service:

Hunt allocation fair: minister
Photo: Thinkstock.com
Contributed - Feb 27 12:12 pm
By Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
After more than 10 years of review and negotiations, it's time to put the issue of wildlife-harvest allocation behind us and have some certainty.
At the end of the day, all stakeholders want the same thing - healthy wildlife populations that can be sustainably used by all groups.
Obviously the issue is contentious, with a middle ground that was hard to find. If it weren't, it wouldn't have taken a marathon 18 months of intensive negotiations to determine how to allocate the 7,500 big-game animals affected by allocation. Under the decision, an estimated 60 total animals have been moved to guide-outfitter hunts. Regardless of this decision, resident hunters will continue to harvest about 92 per cent of the approximately 48,000 big game animals taken annually by hunters.
Many popular big-game species are not affected at all, including mule deer, white-tailed deer, most Rocky Mountain elk populations and black bear. This is because allocation is required only for species in areas that cannot be managed solely by general open season and only in the parts of British Columbia covered by guiding territories.
Hunting and fishing are key parts of many British Columbian families' lives and I am committed to keeping it this way. In fact, the increase in resident hunters from 82,000 10 years ago to over 102,000 today is in part because of resident hunter recruitment and retention strategies introduced and implemented by our government.
The decision on wildlife-harvest allocation also reflects this commitment. Under the decision, resident hunters continue to be recognized as having priority over non-resident hunters. Resident hunters make an important contribution toward the economy in this province by pursuing their passion for hunting and fishing, and it is anticipated this will continue. They also make large and ongoing contributions to wildlife stewardship.
The guide-outfitter industry also plays a valuable role, encouraging tourism and providing income for British Columbia residents and families. Out-of-province guide-outfitter clients are some of the highest-spending tourists per capita in British Columbia. I am also committed to maintaining the viability of the guide-outfitter industry, and to do that this allocation decision was required.
That said, I am sensitive to concerns of resident hunters. It was for this reason that I revisited my December 2014 determination and found strategic ways to reduce the transfer of animals from 110 down to 60. Guide outfitters were not happy about this shift, but I felt it was important to balance the priority of resident harvest with the need of business certainty for guides.
Government's intent is for a consistent and transparent policy that is fair to all wildlife user groups, where conservation comes first, First Nations' needs are met, and resident hunters receive priority allocation. The harvest allocation decision meets this intent, and will ensure that the $350 million that hunting brings to the B.C. economy (from both guides and residents) continues to be viable for years to come.
Now that a decision is made, I am hopeful that resident hunters and the guide-outfitter community can work together with government in support of these goals, which are supported by all hunters.

 

[bigdogeh]

Obviously the issue is contentious, with a middle ground that was hard to find. If it weren't, it wouldn't have taken a marathon 18 months of intensive negotiations to determine how to allocate the 7,500 big-game animals affected by allocation

he calls taking away 25 to 40% of the big game allocation from resident hunters to GOABC and private non-resident trophy hunters middle ground?
what a joke. the industry standard is between 5 and 10%. thxs for the sellout and privatization of our natural resources thompson, ellis and the liberal government. thxs for lining your pockets with our taxpayers money and giving our public resources away to the highest bidder
heading down to victoria early monday morning. hope a few guys from here can show up also...

 

[bigdogeh]

Obviously the issue is contentious, with a middle ground that was hard to find. If it weren't, it wouldn't have taken a marathon 18 months of intensive negotiations to determine how to allocate the 7,500 big-game animals affected by allocation

a marathon 18 months of bribes and kickbacks more like it.
he calls taking away 25 to 40% of the big game allocation from resident hunters and giving it to GOABC and private non-resident trophy hunters middle ground?
what a joke. the industry standard is between 5 and 10%. thxs for the sellout and privatization of our natural resources thompson, ellis and the liberal government. thxs for lining your pockets with our taxpayers money and giving our public resources away to the highest bidder. I hope your all reminded of this sellout every time your out in public. thompson, ellis, werner, CC, GOABC, with friends like you guys, who needs enemies.
heading down to victoria early monday morning. hope a few guys from here can show up also...


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/GOABC.jpg

http://www.straight.com/blogra/799101/what-would-martin-luther-king-say


and if you click on any of these you just have to click on this one below... lol..

http://captiongenerator.com/27886/Thomson-gets-the-news

 

[IronNoggin]

Just Thomson blowing more smoke up our collective asses.
Between him, Ellis (President of the GOABC) and other Lieberal members, so many different sets of "effected numbers" have been tossed out there that it is quite obvious none of them have any real handle on the matter. Or if they do, this is simply a tactic by design to confuse the issue even further.

The issue isn't really focused on "numbers" anyway, despite their cries that it is. The Real matter of concern relates to RATIOS of the split (sound increasingly similar to the situation we face with the Feds regarding halibut yet?) wherein outfitters will be afforded up to 40+ % of the annual allowable harvest - and interestingly enough, the "rarer" the animal (as in the greatest LEH subscription numbers) the Higher the allotment ratio is being spun towards the outfitters (GREATLY Reducing the odds of any Resident ever drawing in their lifetimes for many of those hunts). Just as concerning is the Lieberal's intent to Legislate the splits they have come up with for their conspirators.

For conspirators they certainly appear to be. What else would you call the "donations" from the GOABC directly into Lieberal coffers preceding the announcements that so greatly favor their interests (over $ 100K and counting)? Or perhaps the Lieberal government tossing back in excess of $ 380,000 tax dollars to the GOABC's war chest?

Even if one were to simply buy into the numbers game, detailed analysis points out the fact that moose, in one region alone, will realize a reduction of > 120 animals from the Resident's access, and gifted to the commercial outfitters. Smoke & Mirrors indeed!

Finally, it isn't simply the "decisions" being unilaterally made by the Minister on behalf of his GOABC supporters that is at issue. The whole damn process is Flawed through to it's very core. Terms such as collusion, corruption, lack of integrity, and questionable behavior abound. This latest attempt to defuse the controversy was intentionally timed to hit the streets on the cusp of the Protest Rally scheduled for this coming Monday at the legislature buildings in Victoria. It is a Complete FAIL, and Thomson's arrogance in light of thousands upon thousands expressing their very real concerns flies in the face of reality. Perhaps not such a bad thing after all - this condescending release has lit a fire under many every day folks once again, and more are climbing on-board and planning to attend the Rally as a consequence.

This is a Very Important Issue Folks! Already the GOABC has noted their intent to impose guiding requirements for Fishing on NON-Classified waters that fall within their tenures (public lands btw), and are further seeking the right to treat their tenures (again, public lands) as their own Private lands. Starting to get the picture yet?

This should concern each and every one of us who uses the back-country - even if only for fishing, hiking and camping.
The Lieberals are poised to sell us out. The best we can do at this point is ensure the Rally is well attended, and deliver the message that we Will Not Sit Idly By and let our access to our own resources be sold off to the highest bidders!

I'll be wandering down from Port with a full truck, followed by several vans and other trucks. A bit costly alright, but none of us are willing to face the consequences of doing nothing!

See you in Victoria!!

Cheers,
Matt

 

[bigdogeh]

great post Matt.
See you (and hopefully alot of others) in Victoria. we need everyones support on this.

if you can't make it, maybe consider a donation to these guys to help support the cause.

http://residentpriority.ca/help-us-fight-for-resident-priority/

 

[Eddy]

Dont be mistaken, this is about effective lobbying. GOABC has sold the government on the idea that they are "creating jobs" by taking
allocations from people who live here. Don't align with the NDP because this then becomes a partisan issue the Liberals can ignore.
We need more effective lobbying from organizations like the BCWF. The most effective message is that we vote in BC. Out of province hunters don't vote here. And here a lot more of us than there are members and supporters of GOABC. And if we want attention organize a rally at the GOABC convention later this month in Kelowna. That's in (or near) the Premiers riding and a noisy bunch of hunters will attract a lot of attention. Just my 2 cents.

 

[bigdogeh]

the liberals have stepped over the line. you make some good points Eddy, but the bottom line is the liberals have sold out the common man and have lost touch with the common man. they've been caught with their hands in the cookie jar yet again and folks are tired of it. they are taking food and opportunities from the residents that helped build this province to give to their rich friends. all they know is money and votes. I don't believe 2 wrongs make a right. I don't believe we should have to use bribes or have to lobby in order to get what's ours. they need to know our votes are what will bring them down if they don't do what's right by us, the electorate. their greed got the best of them this time and the resident hunters aren't going to sit back and take it... not this time. they poked the bear on this one....
at this time they've become the greater of 2 evils and i'd have no problem voting the ndp in. I won't stand back and watch the province be privatized and sold to the highest bidder. we seem to lose ground every day with the liberals behind the helm...

 

[Clint r]

Good on you. I've been a liberal supporter for over twenty years. I'll never vote for them again. More importantly, my daughter who's voting age now, is firmly anti liberal. Teach your kids what the liberals have done for BC. They hold the future of the province in their hands.

I'll also think we haven't seen anything yet. Once they see the writing on the wall, the rubber stamp will come out and we will see a wholesale sell off of provincial resources like we've never seen before.

 

[IronNoggin]

the liberals have stepped over the line.

Yes, that they have.
They still have the opportunity to what is Right in this matter.
Should they fail to do so, our only other option is to boot them to the curb come next election.
And if that's the way it goes, I WILL be leading the charge as firmly as I can to Make That So.

You are correct. They ONLY understand money and votes. Let's see if they suddenly develop the understanding that the money will cost them MUCH More than it is worth in terms of votes should they stick to this BS.

Tomorrow Folks. Hope to see some of you there!

Cheers,
Nog

 

[Eddy]

This is a link to the lobbyist registry in BC. https://eservice.pssg.gov.bc.ca/LRA/reporting/registrar/review.do?method=get&registrationId=435391
It shows who has been lobbying from GOABC, who the trargets are, what GOABC was trying to achieve and how much public funding has gone to the organization. Looks to me they've been pretty successful. This is the way things are done in Victoria. I hope I'm wrong, but I suspect the demo at the Legislature will get little attention from anyone but the NDP.

 

[Derby]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...uotas-given-to-non-residents/article23253728/

 

[IronNoggin]

It shows who has been lobbying from GOABC, who the trargets are, what GOABC was trying to achieve and how much public funding has gone to the organization. Looks to me they've been pretty successful.

That link is NOT working...

Derby: As usual, the media didn't get it right. They focused on the "numbers" provided by Thomson (who of course was provided them in turn by the GOABC). And of course the number chosen was the lowest of MANY sets of numbers circulated by both. It has been shown to be a gross under estimate.

The real focus is the RATIO of the split. Up to 40% of LEH species. The impacts are MUCH more severe than what the GOABC or their puppets within government are suggesting (and feeding to the media).

Not a bad turn-out for a Monday. On to the next steps. I'll post about those as they develop, suffice it for now to say the word "Recall" is being bounced around a LOT!

Cheers,
Nog