DFO Authority

I've said from the beginning the Govt will create a smoke screen to lessen the attention and opposition to the west coast water way Transport of Bit. The same pipeline TRU-Dhum has paid 4 billion in tax payers money for a defunct deal...Whats better then the attention and internal fighting and turmoil we now have in our west coast salmon industry .....Just a thought
 
Next time I get approached by the soldiers of Trudeau, I plan on getting on the radio and informing them it is too rough for them to safely board my vessel without endanger the safety of my crew. And if they wish they can escort me to the nearest port for inspection.

They will find that I am 100% in compliance.

These turds need to be abused. I bet their salary for 1 day could pay for 10,000 hatchery chinook.
 
A reminder - most fisheries officers are also active anglers and are interested in sustainable fishing. I suspect many don't agree with what Mr. Wilkinson has decreed.

They may not agree with the Minister's decisions but their jobs don't let them express it. They don't get to pick and choose the laws they enforce. Let's be respectful to Fisheries Officers - they're not the enemy here. I suspect the powers up the chain at DFO listen to them less than the average citizen when making regs.

Field level experience tends to bring in better results. Let's encourage DFO to listen to logic.
 
what would or could be the ramifications of not allowing a DFO officer to board your boat? What if you told them you do not respect their authority and advise them to call the rcmp or **** off? A fine? If they don’t have probable cause to search?
To answer your question yes you can tell them you do not respect their authority and they cannot board your boat. However you greatly increase your chance of them charging and/or arresting you. Read the legislation on their powers they are similar to peace officers.
 
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A reminder - most fisheries officers are also active anglers and are interested in sustainable fishing. I suspect many don't agree with what Mr. Wilkinson has decreed.

They may not agree with the Minister's decisions but their jobs don't let them express it. They don't get to pick and choose the laws they enforce. Let's be respectful to Fisheries Officers - they're not the enemy here. I suspect the powers up the chain at DFO listen to them less than the average citizen when making regs.

Field level experience tends to bring in better results. Let's encourage DFO to listen to logic.

Well said.

The guys enforcing have no say in what they’re enforcing. Certainly no voice when it comes to species restrictions. They’re doing what they’re told to do and you can bet they’re told at work to keep their personal opinions to themselves if those opinions are different than that of their employer, the Gov of Canada.

No need to abuse these guys, it’s not their doing. Any encounter I’ve had, when I behave reasonably, I am treated reasonably.
 
Well said.

The guys enforcing have no say in what they’re enforcing. Certainly no voice when it comes to species restrictions. They’re doing what they’re told to do and you can bet they’re told at work to keep their personal opinions to themselves if those opinions are different than that of their employer, the Gov of Canada.

No need to abuse these guys, it’s not their doing. Any encounter I’ve had, when I behave reasonably, I am treated reasonably.
Pretty funny, had a chat with several fisheries officers today. One of them was completely open and told me he doesn’t agree with what the government restrictions are and even he said it was all political!!! Was pretty surprised to say the least. Like others have said they are just doing what their told and most realize the restrictions aren’t based on any science.
 
I have been boarded well over ten times, been checked well over 25 times in the last eight years. i have all my paperwork in order, i don’t drink on my boat. i treat them with respect and have never been fined a penny. warning once for not having a working flashlight.

i don’t plan on starting to poke the bear.

these guys on the ground are mostly fishermen who also hate the regs and understand that it’s a pile of crap coming from their superiors.
 
I don’t know, I can see trophy 21’s original point as in the current situation sure has a lot of us not having much respect for DFO. It sure has had me thinking screw DFO and these political regs. That being said I am a law abiding citizen and follow all the rules and I don’t feel it’s the officers on the ground at fault here. I mean it sure doesn’t seem right that illegal netting on the river hasn’t been taken care of. At what point do you stop fighting for your rights the environmental groups, First Nations they stand up for what they believe in sometimes by disobedience and it seems to work. That being said I’ll be going out in the next few days catching what is legally allowed and being polite if approached by an officer. Just venting My frustration with the new dfo/First Nations decision making


" I don’t feel it’s the officers on the ground at fault here. " You hit the nail on the head. There may be ( probably ) been the odd FO that should not be carrying a badge, but the average Fisheries Officer is just trying to do a job that is impossible now to do in a fashion that does not **** off someone. The anglers, the general public, First Nations, commercial fishermen, the greens, and his boss that is being ordered to enforce regs that make no sense by some Ottawa bureaucrat , so he pressures the guy in the field. It used to be a job as a fishery officer was an enviable profession. Beats working at the Golden Arches, but certainly not what it used to be,
 
Went out in my Buddys boat today to try and find a water leak that appeared last week when we were fishing. Went out into Departure Bay, Nanaimo and no further. Figured it out and headed in. A Fisheries Officer approached us at the wharf when we were docking. Nice guy. Simply told him we weren't fishing and what we were up to. I have no issues with being approached. Nice to see them around.
 
the lads and the ground or water get all the respect as long as it is reciprocated.... Ottawa gets less than zero of course. I have been checked over the years a few times with no issue.. except once in Vancouver harbour by overzealous rcmp during some training day in crap weather.
 
Have yet to see a DFO officer this summer, and yes I have been going out. We got checked by the RCMP "Ship Rider" for the usually requirements plus fishing licences.
 
We where board down south of Winter harbor in brooks bay last Friday. I have never seen the DFO out there. The guy was very friendly and checked out our licenses and checked out our catch. Ask if we have a descending device onboard which we did. No issues at all on our end but he had yelloweye in an evidence bag from a previous stop, apparently the guy tried to claim it was a vermilion rock fish. I have no issues with the guy's on the ground they are out there doing their job its the puppet masters which are hated on my boat....
 
Kind of a funny but not so funny encounter yesterday with the DFO. I was about half way to Passage island coming out of the north arm as we were heading over to Gambier. Flat water so cruising speed about 50km/hr and to the port side I see a boat in the distance heading on the perfect line for a collision with me. A minute or so goes by and the other vessel does not change course and I am starting to think this guy has no idea of the right-of-way rules on the water. As the boat approaches, I throttle up to avoid and he turns next to my boat about 30ft away running parallel still on my port side. At this point I throttle back and stop as they stop and start the conversation. The DFO boat asks if I am going to do any fishing and I say yes. He then confirms that I am aware of the current slot size and areas of retention and I say yes and give him boundaries so he is confident that I know the rules.

This is when it gets interesting, he then very passive aggressively asks if I am aware of the marine vessel regulations... I replied with yes and asked him if he was aware that I was looking at his starboard side and the fact that I had the right of way in the situation that just unfolded. He then asked me if I was sure and said that the right of way rules are different on the way back to port. I kind of chuckled to myself at this point and looked at the other officer and requested that they look up the information. They wished me a good day and off they went. As they were idling off, I saw the two of them discussing and using arm signals to represent directions etc.

I understand that they have a lot of rules to know but some should be second nature.
 
what would or could be the ramifications of not allowing a DFO officer to board your boat? What if you told them you do not respect their authority and advise them to call the rcmp or **** off? A fine? If they don’t have probable cause to search?
Basically they need 'Reasonable Grounds' to believe that you are doing anything relating to fishing. If you are and you refuse they can arrest you for Obstruction under the Criminal Code of Canada. If you do get arrested and you can show that you weren't doing anything fishing related then you'd win in court. The threshold isn't very big, if they see a downrigger, net, fishing rod, anything relating to fishing, you are pooched and must allow them on board. Have a read below...

Powers of Fishery Officers and Fishery Guardians
Marginal note:Inspection

  • 49 (1) Subject to subsection (2), for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this Act and the regulations, a fishery officer or fishery guardian may enter and inspect any place, including any premises, vessel or vehicle, in which the officer or guardian believes on reasonable grounds there is any work or undertaking or any fish or other thing in respect of which this Act or the regulations apply and may
    • (a) open any container that the officer or guardian believes on reasonable grounds contains any fish or other thing in respect of which this Act or the regulations apply;

    • (b) examine any fish or other thing that the officer or guardian finds and take samples of it;

    • (c) conduct any tests or analyses and take any measurements; and

    • (d) require any person to produce for examination or copying any records, books of account or other documents that the officer or guardian believes on reasonable grounds contain information that is relevant to the administration of this Act or the regulations.
 
Basically they need 'Reasonable Grounds' to believe that you are doing anything relating to fishing. If you are and you refuse they can arrest you for Obstruction under the Criminal Code of Canada. If you do get arrested and you can show that you weren't doing anything fishing related then you'd win in court. The threshold isn't very big, if they see a downrigger, net, fishing rod, anything relating to fishing, you are pooched and must allow them on board. Have a read below...

Powers of Fishery Officers and Fishery Guardians
Marginal note:Inspection

  • 49 (1) Subject to subsection (2), for the purpose of ensuring compliance with this Act and the regulations, a fishery officer or fishery guardian may enter and inspect any place, including any premises, vessel or vehicle, in which the officer or guardian believes on reasonable grounds there is any work or undertaking or any fish or other thing in respect of which this Act or the regulations apply and may
    • (a) open any container that the officer or guardian believes on reasonable grounds contains any fish or other thing in respect of which this Act or the regulations apply;

    • (b) examine any fish or other thing that the officer or guardian finds and take samples of it;

    • (c) conduct any tests or analyses and take any measurements; and

    • (d) require any person to produce for examination or copying any records, books of account or other documents that the officer or guardian believes on reasonable grounds contain information that is relevant to the administration of this Act or the regulations.


what about the rcmp?
 
A couple of years ago My wife and I were soaking our prawn traps in an RCA. We were just kinda drifting around, as we obviously couldn't bust out a rod and reel. I see in the distance an inflatable moving at a high rate of speed directly beam-on. 4 guys on the boat, pull up alongside and ask to see my licence, which I produced forthwith. My Wife was on the bridge deck running the boat. We had 4 traps in the water, the legal limit per person. Meanwhile, they are bouncing up against my boat as its getting rough. They asked if we were doing any other fishing, I said no, this area is closed to fin fishing. They asked "are you sure you're not doing any other fishing"? By this time, knowing they are making black streaks all over the hull of my boat, I became a bit impatient. I said, well" since there is no other gear out, then no, we are not". Then they asked for my wife's fishing licence, which I knew was in my wallet. I said "why do you need to see that?" The officer said, "because you're prawning." I said, " we have 4 traps in the water, I'm fishing them, she is running the boat". There was a few moments of awkward silence, then the guy who seemed to be in charge said, "ok, have a nice day" and they sped off to make a mess of somebody else's hull. I understand they are just doing their jobs, but sometimes...
 
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