POACHERS

[Betty Boop]

My first two cents worth: I have been reading about all the bitchin' at the cleanin' station about all the Coho sportin' fins. I have been guiding in Sooke waters since '90, lived through the FISH WARS, CANADA VS US, that is when our Coho fishin' took a turn for the worst. Four years later when there were no Coho in the water we got our fishing coridors. Thats when we got our no barbs law. Thats when we were prohibited from keeping Coho. It is only of the last few years that we have been able to keep hatchery Coho.
A few years ago I came back to the dock with empty handed clients and behold there was an other guide cleaning Coho. I could tell that the clients were not happy with me for releasing all the fish that they caught. I approached the offending guide and informed him that he should learn how to identify the diferent types of salmon. The very next day the same thing he is cleaning Coho for his guests. I was hoppin' mad, I promptly callen in to the fisheries (the number is in the regulations) and did the "tatle- tail" thing. I felt bad afterwards but I have not seen him cleaning another illeagle fish.
Just a couple of days ago I pulled the crab pots for some guests and they were loaded with undersize females, one of the guests said why don't we keep a couple who will know? Right away one of the other guests said NO WAY! Seems he was crabin' off the public dock in Sooke Harbour and got caught with under size crabs and was fined $1000. He also said that he thinks the locals police the area, becaus they were looking in their buckets and one guy even put his hand in and stired em' around so he can see them all. You can bet he wont be taking undersize any time soon! And he is passing the word along.
All it will take is a few guys getting nailed for fins and the word will get out that you better be sure you can identify your catch. And you guys who stand by and see this going on are guilty of enabiling. There is no difference than if you see someone shooting does during buck season, I sure hope that you would report the POACHERS, YES POACHERS STEALING YOURS AND MINE FISH AND GAME!!!I am getting bloody well fed up with poachers and the wishy washy guys that do nothing about it but complain. Well thats my two cents worth.

 

[islandboy]

Good post.

www.kayaks2.com

 

[highlights]

careful Betty boop. That " well that's my two cents worth" almost gives you away

I agree fully though guys. I hope if you see this stuff going on that you acknowledge it to the offender and try to educate them without going off. Diplomatically is best. If beyond that it didn't seem to go as planned then put a call in to DFO.

HL

 

[profisher]

A couple of guys were cleaning a decent fish at Sooke Harbour Marina the other day. I peaked over it was a wild 10-12 pound coho. When I confronted them, the guy cleaning it doesn't say s#@t or turn and look at me...the other guy says...ya we let go about 8 of them, this one was so wrapped up we kept it. He had a bucket full of crabs, I looked in and most were about 5 3/4 to 6 inches. I said those are under size...he says, they look big enough...I asked if they measured them...answer no. I said, if you don't throw them back I'll call the fish cops right now on my cell. He turfed a few back, then took the backs off the rest.
As someone who attends most of the Victoria Local Sport Fishing Advisory Board meetings on behalf of local anglers....I often wonder...what the f*&k am I doing?

 

[calmsea]

You are doing the right thing profisher. Keep up the good work. That's the best we can do - embarras them and if needed call them in - or at least pretend we do because nobody would actually ever come out I figure.

 

[Gunsmith]

Keep up the good work Profisher! We can no longer tolerate this deliberate ignorance of the law. If we are not turning them in we are just as guilty as the perpetrator. (Wow, that word just about choked me!) We need to police our ranks to maintain our credibility.

 

[Gunsmith]

Keep up the good work Profisher! We can no longer tolerate this deliberate ignorance of the law. If we are not turning them in we are just as guilty as the perpetrator. (Wow, that word just about choked me!) We need to police our ranks to maintain our credibility.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Cheaters galore everywhere on the chuck. Lots of people keeping socs in Van this summer when they were closed. DFO doesn't seem to have the time or money to even bother to attempt to charge most offenders. This summer in Alberni a fisheries zodiac buzzed by guys who were fishing a mile or more inside the closure at Hocking Pt. He scooted up to the boats and told them to get back inside the boundary area it seemed. He didn't even have them pull their lines up. He simply let them all troll back into the legitimate fishing area. If he had at least made them pull up their lines he'd probably have found barbs on all their hooks too. I'm very conscientious about trying to follow the regs and it just makes me shake my head when I see the DFO's lack of enforcement on blatant violators. Whenever there is no boat patrolling the area the boundary jumpers are miles inside the limit. Funny thing is, when the patrol boat's around everyone knows where the boundary is. I called one guy I saw fishing way inside the limit and he knew damn well where the boundary was. Question is, why the hell should I be the one who tries to call guys on it when the fisheries patrol doesn't even enforce there own regs. Seems a little futile when the fish cops are so forgiving.

 

[TheBigGuy]

Cheaters galore everywhere on the chuck. Lots of people keeping socs in Van this summer when they were closed. DFO doesn't seem to have the time or money to even bother to attempt to charge most offenders. This summer in Alberni a fisheries zodiac buzzed by guys who were fishing a mile or more inside the closure at Hocking Pt. He scooted up to the boats and told them to get back inside the boundary area it seemed. He didn't even have them pull their lines up. He simply let them all troll back into the legitimate fishing area. If he had at least made them pull up their lines he'd probably have found barbs on all their hooks too. I'm very conscientious about trying to follow the regs and it just makes me shake my head when I see the DFO's lack of enforcement on blatant violators. Whenever there is no boat patrolling the area the boundary jumpers are miles inside the limit. Funny thing is, when the patrol boat's around everyone knows where the boundary is. I called one guy I saw fishing way inside the limit and he knew damn well where the boundary was. Question is, why the hell should I be the one who tries to call guys on it when the fisheries patrol doesn't even enforce there own regs. Seems a little futile when the fish cops are so forgiving.

 

[Gunsmith]

You have to remember DFO is fisheries and oceans, nowhere do they mention sustainable resources or sport fishing.
This go a long way in explaining why they know nothing and do nothing about the survival of a wild species of fish.

 

[Hoochiebob]

Good on ya Profisher! We (as in the responsible sportfishing community) have to do our part to educate the uneducated and intimidate the ignorant.DFO officers can't be everywhere to enforce the regs, and if we love what we do then we must take measures to preserve it.
Plus it pisses me off when I see obvious offenders act like nothing is wrong.
REPORT THEM ALL!


Hooch

 

[Time]

Ever seen a poster identifying the different types of salmon at a cleaning table? Or identifying how to tell a clipped hatchery from a wild?
Didn't think so, because I haven't.
Next time you go down to Cheanuh, Pedder Bay, Sooke Marina, or wherever, take a few tacks and a few of the picture pages out of the regulations and stick them up at the cleaning table.

They may not stay up very long, but we can always replace them.
It may embarass the 'poachers' to mend their ways, and would probably help educate the occasional fisherman about the differences.
A lot easier to identify the type of fish if you have a real one laid out in front of you. Also a good conversational intro if you want to help a fellow angler recognize that his catch is not legal (without having to sound like a know-it-all critic, which usually doesn't lead anywhere positive).

A bit of guerilla marketing techniques to spread the word on fishing regs.

 

[Hoochiebob]

Agreed, Time.
Go into a confrontation with the thought that the person isn't aware of their infraction, and you will help educate.Those who know better will show their colors right away, and those who don't will be thankful for your knowledge.
I like the idea of posting the pic's at the cleaning table.Should see how much my printer can enlarge the pictures.

Hooch

 

[profisher]

Maybe a quick pic of the boat's number and some background identifying it being in a closed area..then post it for all to see. Might embarrass a few offenders. I took such a pic of a Washington boat fishing right at Nootka Light inside the 1 mile corridor...didn't hang around to see if he would keep a Chinook over 77cm.

 

[phnapa]

My house is on the water in port hardy, i have sat in my kitchen watching poeple pull my traps, when i approach them, most are quite embarrased they got caught, but i still see them pulling traps, just not mine!!! Some people just think its their right?!!??!!

 

[HOOTEY]

DFO 24 / 7 POACHER RAT ON AN IDIOT LINE IS----1-800-465-4336