How Many Times Have You Been Stopped By DFO.

[Rockfish]

Twice on the water by DFO in over 50 years of ocean fishing. Once on the Oak Bay flats in the 70's and once in Sannich Inlet in the mid 80's. My understanding is they do it sometimes to show the flag, but they get a much greater bang for the buck given their limited resources, folloeing up on tip line complaints. Have been stopped once in a buddies boat off Victoria a couple of years or so back by one of the RCMP marine units, but they were only interested in Boat regs. - paper work, safty equipment etc.

 

[Gear'n'beer!]

In 29 years, never on the salt. Couple times by a CO on logging roads. Have seen the joint American/Canadian guys out lots. Plenty of guys getting checked out of sooke but my number has never come up.

I have a theory however........they seem to pick on guys in smallish 15/16' runabout style boats more. Boats that seem more of a lake style boat than actual fishing machines.

 

[Mark L]

I agree with your theory GnB. I've been stopped by RCMP 4 times since June in between Mill bay and Sidney. Did have to replace my fire extinguisher the 3rd time. I keep my safety gear pretty organized so the checks never last long. They've all been quite polite and easy going.
Dfo once a year last 2 years and they've been pretty cool as well.

 

[SteelyDan]

Once by dfo in 18 years of hard fishing. I flagged him down on the Chilliwack river to report poachers and he checked my license and carried on his way. Also once by rcmp this year in bamfield.

 

[Travo]

3 times .. i forget the name of the river but its between rupert and terrace was fishing with my friends dad mid 70's his wife and a few friends ... im 29 with lots of tattoos they came up the river in a jet boat we were fishing off a bridge pulled up very quickly didnt matter we were following the rules ... came running up and told my friends dad hey you dont pinch your barb lol he was tying on some roe or a new spoon it was priceless he was pretty grumpy as he always follows the rules .. told me he hadnt been stoppes in 25 years till he fished with me .... one more stop on shuswap actually got a ticket for not having my fishing license on the boat and had to call the day short .. and one time at nootka last year guy was a real dick thinking we had taken a fish from beano but it was taken from hoiss an hour before finally got that sorted and after he found out we were from kelowna he was cool i guess he grew up in the okanagan.

 

[photocopy]

Never in 16 years

 

[Rockfish]

Gear'n'beer I noticed your comment on joint Canada US patrols . We were out in the thick fog this past Sunday off Sooke Inlet and noticed a large and very expensive boat that had to be Feds of some sort. Visibility was around a hundred yards at the time and we were on the outside of another sport boat who was playing a decent salmon when it pulled up on the inside of him and watched him play the fish for a while and then he picked up speed and left, I was expecting them to inspect that boat and then come over and check us since they could see us and we were showing up on each others radar but they just left. Later as we were comming in to round the Sooke Spit we passed them comming out of the harbor and it was clearly marked US Coast Guard which surprised me. I assume patrolling in Canadian waters they must have a Canadian Federal official of some sort on board.

 

[profisher]

I think they have to prioritize their presence based on compliance in certain areas, especially with shrinking funding and resources. If compliance is considered to be high then you won't see them in your area as often. I now fish away from the crowds most of the time so I don't observe much illegal activity. I did fish Otter yesterday afternoon in a bit of a crowd and a boat cut me off and even though I slowed down to an idle to try and keep from him getting into my gear, his gear still snagged my downrigger cable. When I pulled it up his main line had broke and his flasher, teaser and hooks were still dragging on my cable. A quick check and his tandem trebles were all fully barbed. It makes me wonder how many others are cheating.

 

[baddogg]

Once in Satellite Passage during the Labour Day Salmon Derby about 15 years ago, twice in one day at the Browns Bay Chum Derby, once near China Creek about 3 years ago. If you compare being checked on the water to being checked while driving your car, I bet it isn't much different if you are obeying the laws of the road.

 

[RiverBoy]

Once by rcmp, once by dfo in 30 years of fishing.

 

[Capt_Ed]

I can't count the times as a commercial fisherman for 35 years, and never an infraction. Couple times a year running the lodge in the Charlottes, no problem. Funniest was at Telegraph a couple years ago when one junior guy said my Masters ticket was no good and I needed the boaters card. I asked him what he thought the judge would say when we go to court just then his senior partner came along and straightened him out. Would have been a fun day in court.

 

[ericl]

Got checked ohh Ahousat north of Tofino in March early 1990's. 16ft RIB comes around the corner opposite Millar channel; thought i saw a large CG ship back there. Pretty sure that fish was not what they were looking for. Years earlier i had met 3 very stout guys at the Canadian Princess bar - they were getting lit-up pretty good & alluded they were the equivalent to Miami Vice except with proper armament. Dunno about now, but hard drugs were very common on the WCVI back then; fishing boats ran them in from the smugglers offshore.

 

[Humpbubble]

Twice this year in oak bay by a U.S. coast guard gun ship with one RC on board..common place to get talked to out at the border..though they didn't care about anything fish related. Maybe washington just protecting their new cash crop
Last time I mentioned that they might want to pay the big bayliner around the corner in the rca a visit, you know, the guys that fill their coolers with rock fish and female crabs, but no, f that..

DFO presence on the water protecting "stocks" um no NEVER seen that as a priority.
But our new prime-mincer has made some promises.

 

[Fish Camp]

Every year .When you are stopped by the booggie men ( coast guard,rcmp,and DFO in one vessel),expect for each to have a turn of inquisition.I am often in a small craft alone in a squating almost praying position at the transom helm with three towering bodys asserting athority ,quite intimidating and I am left feeling out of sort when the boogie men departs from my small craft.A good trip plan and built confidence in my ablility will get me though it next time.

 

[Pippen]

Only a few times over the years.....got checked by the fish cops when they deployed a high speed rigid hull off a larger Coast Guard vessel this spring out between the Bell and QA. Nice guys....just checked our licenses and asked if we had any fish; they DID ask in that order so be sure to write any fish you whap right away!

2 Saturdays ago saw a lot of boats at the Bell getting checked as we trolled from the QA down towards the north arm; was a bit of a distance so not sure if it was VPD or DFO doing the checking.

 

[bones]

never been stopped!!! 40 something years..... by dfo or rcmp (fishing out of secret cove the most and brentwood bay). my father has been stopped a couple times and witnessed boats slinged and brought aboard the cutter.

 

[Da Bay Bye]

Last time was 1988 when I was using a rental boat from King Coho at Little River. The only time I see them now is driving by in their truck.

 

[Ocean Jade]

Once while diving off sooke, I guess he thought We were taking abalone. D0g went through my truck, this was in about 96. All legal no issues. A few times by the same DFO guy diving for crabs off the lagoon, always legal so no problems. Oh we did have a mishap once, our measuring device was off a mm or two, we got a fine . Was an honest mistake. Not sure if any of you remember this particular DFO guy , he had a grey moustache and liked going after divers. While fishing never been checked in 20 years fishing off SVI.

 

[fish stalker]

Once two years ago at Cheanuha and once by a creel guy in alberni

 

[tinboatrobb]

This past May off the golf course in Oak Bay. RCMP and Oak bay police. Wanted to see all my safety gear and registration. Had it all. Got a fully compliant note and that was it. My boat is a 14.5 foot Lund, no place to hide anything...lol