Area 19/20 SFAB meeting - Victoria/Sooke - Sheraton 7:30 this Wednesday (16th)
- Thread starter Deewar25
- Start date
When it comes to fish politics I only can wish to know as much as the likes of Cris Bos and the Tom Davis. I do however feel I have learned a lot over the years by attending the meetings. I have gone from mostly a listener to someone who now feels like I have a somewhat informed mind and can use my voice to express my views. If you keep attending you will get their too.
wolf
Well-Known Member
To answer your question fishstalker I have attended all meetings last night I didnt for the first time in about 4 years dont blame us guides we have been the ones fighting the hardest I came on her 3 years ago begging for more "sportfisherman" to come and nope hardly anyone....4 years ago there was only maybe 20 people that showed up, one only has to look at any summer day off of sooke/ vic and there is maybe 15 to 20 guides working and 300 "sporties" out there so take a good look in the mirror folks we have tried and tried its called SFAB thats "sport fishing advisory" not guiding alot of us including myself have had private meetings with DFO, mayors,councilmen.DOT the list goes on. what more do you want us to do .??? many on here have really stepped up to the plate and I give credit to those who have...
Thanks Wolf
Thanks Wolf
Roy, the same guys come all the time, a few attend often and the majority only when they hear something bad might be about to happen. That is not good enough. If someone who's income is riding on being able to fish can't be one of the "all the time's" or at least "one of the often's" ...then why should the average Joe blow care? These meeting are often frustrating to take but being there is still important. There are over 100 charter companies to be found online in area 19/20. Where are they all? Two at a meeting? That is only 2 away from a big 0!!!!!! That is a bad joke!
fish stalker
Active Member
Sorry for the misunderstanding Wolf, no blame at all. Just thought half the room was going to be guides. I thought the some of the most active people definitely would be the people who count on it for a living, tackle makers, guides etc. Just surprised to see 2 hands. Thankyou of course for all the time and energy. How many guides would you say there is on the south island including people they employ?
I cant wait to learn more so I can speak a little more edjamacadly
I cant wait to learn more so I can speak a little more edjamacadly
wolf
Well-Known Member
Hey no problem at all just telling you the truth more than I can say what DFO does they lie to us and right to our face. Like Rollie says we need better attendance to them I unfortunatlly had plans i couldnt get away from (no not the hockey game) LOL saying that yes it was sad to hear only 2 guides who were they???
I have hardly ever seen many guides from the Vic area attend them anyways dont know why???
Rollie and I sat in a meeting 2 years ago with 2 biologists saying if we helped them they woulkd help and work with us guides guess what when the 2011 season was coming up no consultaion nothing just a shaft in the butt and our spring/beginng of summer fishery was elimanated, we have suggeseted EASY solutions and fair ones for all to only be said nope your wrong.... really???
The fact is DFO and ottawa could really care less out here they simply dont care they are a complete waste of sapce look at the "halibut soulution" they came up with thats the biggest joke ever.... one word IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!
I have hardly ever seen many guides from the Vic area attend them anyways dont know why???
Rollie and I sat in a meeting 2 years ago with 2 biologists saying if we helped them they woulkd help and work with us guides guess what when the 2011 season was coming up no consultaion nothing just a shaft in the butt and our spring/beginng of summer fishery was elimanated, we have suggeseted EASY solutions and fair ones for all to only be said nope your wrong.... really???
The fact is DFO and ottawa could really care less out here they simply dont care they are a complete waste of sapce look at the "halibut soulution" they came up with thats the biggest joke ever.... one word IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!
Me and Sidetrack Ron. Dave Homer and Serge were there as well, not sure if they are back guiding or not. (didn't put their hands up) I agree there are a couple of prominent Victoria guides (A & B - should tell you who I mean) who fall into the only attend when crap is really coming down the pipe. Those same guys have never made them self available for other community events either. (Pink Salmon Festival as an example) Says something doesn't it!
scott craven
Well-Known Member
I guess if my livelihood depended on it, I would attend more meetings as well.
A meeting is only useful if there is a result drawn from it.
I don't see that from these.
The one I attended had some interesting points from some good speakers, but it all
fell on deaf ears and DFO went right ahead with additional restrictions the next season.
I give Chris Bos and the SFAB a lot of credit for working so hard to benefit the rest
of us.
Also huge credit to Profisher and all the others who are working on restoration
and hatchery volunteering.
In my mind those things are more important than meetings.
A meeting is only useful if there is a result drawn from it.
I don't see that from these.
The one I attended had some interesting points from some good speakers, but it all
fell on deaf ears and DFO went right ahead with additional restrictions the next season.
I give Chris Bos and the SFAB a lot of credit for working so hard to benefit the rest
of us.
Also huge credit to Profisher and all the others who are working on restoration
and hatchery volunteering.
In my mind those things are more important than meetings.
Theb55
Active Member
An awful lot of people profit from fishing many more than just the guides. DOF will listen more when the room is filled with sport fishermen, sporting good store owners, marine stores, boat mechanics, marina owners/ operators, etc. This is off the to of my head. Reduced fish affects more than just fishermen.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
The problem is that DFO is a gov't agency that makes law.
(rules/regs whatever you want to call it )
What they say go's, you can question it but you can't change it.
Until the time that an elected government determine that DFO
has bungled the fisheries and is either replaced or restructured,
the same problems will continue.
If there was a public referendum where people could vote on a positive change
to the fisheries act, I think you would see a huge turnout.
(rules/regs whatever you want to call it )
What they say go's, you can question it but you can't change it.
Until the time that an elected government determine that DFO
has bungled the fisheries and is either replaced or restructured,
the same problems will continue.
If there was a public referendum where people could vote on a positive change
to the fisheries act, I think you would see a huge turnout.
Wake up people! Begin understanding what democracy is: people are part of the problem and part of the solution! In a dictatorship you can sit back and wait for someone else to make a decision for you. Not here! All the problems you all are bitching about are also caused by YOU all! You elected those people and ideas and your complacency and laziness allowed all this to happen! Become part of the solution NOW - if you want a solution! Sitting back and hoping for better times will NOT work. We need you all to participate to show them what is important to us, to our fish, to our fishery! You don't punish nobody by NOT coming to meetings and outings. By doing that you only strengthen the opposite position! You CAN change it but only by participating in the process that exists. You don't like the existing process - then get involved and change it from within. Sitting at home and hoping for the change to come by itself WILL NOT HAPPEN! Wake up, people!
Deewar25
Well-Known Member
the problem is, we will never know what kind of effect these meetings truly can have unless we actually had the room jam packed and vocal, and in the DFO rep's face....the halibut meeting was impressive for numbers, but no DFO there. You really think DFO shakes in their boots when 50 people in a region representing 350000 people show up? Now I realize many people may be away or not in a situation to attend (I was actually one of them and I told Chris the reason and some of the guys here know and understand), but I have been to every other one since I knew about it. 1 problem is commitment and the, 'let someone else deal with it' attitude, the other is advertising. There is typically not enough notice, and when the notice DOES come out, its only on a email list and a few forums....it needs to be up in the supply shops, boat launches, ads in the paper, even places like usedvictoria that gets lots of traffic.
We will NEVER know how much influence we 'could' have until we actually pack those rooms with 400 people and get in their faces. Unfortunately though, 1 of 82 regular season canucks games is more important to most.
So be it...like has been said though, don't b*tch when we can't fish.
We will NEVER know how much influence we 'could' have until we actually pack those rooms with 400 people and get in their faces. Unfortunately though, 1 of 82 regular season canucks games is more important to most.
So be it...like has been said though, don't b*tch when we can't fish.
scott craven
Well-Known Member
So you really think DFO will be shaken just because 3 or 4 hundred people show up to a meeting ?
They are the core problem and no matter how many meetings there are , it will not change that.
they just don't care what sport fishermen want.
The only way for change IMHO, is to get rid of the source of the problem and then rebuild.
They are the core problem and no matter how many meetings there are , it will not change that.
they just don't care what sport fishermen want.
The only way for change IMHO, is to get rid of the source of the problem and then rebuild.
You can wait forever, craven for that change if it's not initiated by us ALL! We have to use the tools that are there to make the change. And that is for instance this vehicle called SFAB. Is this vehicle the best instrument ever? Maybe not but it is there for us to use it now!
Getting involved is KEY! Maybe they don't teach in schools anymore how democracy works - very sad indeed as many seem to have forgotten or never learnt. Our fathers have fought and died to give us the power to be part of the solutions. Use it! Don't sit and wait for the solution to come to you! It's not only a right but an obligation - a civil responsibility. Everytime in history people did not exercise their civil responsibility and sat back and waited what would come of it, terrible things happened: Hitler came to power because people thought it probably wouldn't be so bad and let him do. Net pen fish farms showed up on our coast - because we all sat back and are still sitting around for someone else to take them out for us. What else do you need to be convinced?
Getting involved is KEY! Maybe they don't teach in schools anymore how democracy works - very sad indeed as many seem to have forgotten or never learnt. Our fathers have fought and died to give us the power to be part of the solutions. Use it! Don't sit and wait for the solution to come to you! It's not only a right but an obligation - a civil responsibility. Everytime in history people did not exercise their civil responsibility and sat back and waited what would come of it, terrible things happened: Hitler came to power because people thought it probably wouldn't be so bad and let him do. Net pen fish farms showed up on our coast - because we all sat back and are still sitting around for someone else to take them out for us. What else do you need to be convinced?
scott craven
Well-Known Member
You are kidding yourself, all the time and energy devoted to meetings
should be channeled into fighting a legal battle that could actually bring about change,
A class action lawsuit brought on by 100,000 sport fishermen, guides ,lodges etc.
against an inept gov't agency that has already killed the east coast fishery, and
is well on the way to killing the west coast as well.
There is only one way out of this, get rid of them.
should be channeled into fighting a legal battle that could actually bring about change,
A class action lawsuit brought on by 100,000 sport fishermen, guides ,lodges etc.
against an inept gov't agency that has already killed the east coast fishery, and
is well on the way to killing the west coast as well.
There is only one way out of this, get rid of them.
And the all so mighty DFO! It's actually laughable when you really think about it. Everyone who knows government well will agree, beaurocrats working for government did not become entrepreneurs for a reason! They don't want daily challenges and tough battles. They want a laid back work life while doing something halfway interesting and maybe exercise a little power here and there without too much responsibility. If they were keeners and doers they could make way more money in the private sector. Do you really believe they have it in them to battle a huge and determined crowd? Oh god no. They will always go the way of the least resistance over time. We have made it only all too convenient for them to put us and our resources on their back burners! Know the weaknesses of your enemy and you know where to start your fight!
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scott craven
Well-Known Member
I don't think the 2 of us can swing it on our own bud, i think we are on the same page with slightly different views.
my point is we need electoral reform and a government that will get rid of an agency that does us no good.
Believe me, i have written many letters to my M.P. indicating my displeasure with them.
my point is we need electoral reform and a government that will get rid of an agency that does us no good.
Believe me, i have written many letters to my M.P. indicating my displeasure with them.
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
IMHO r.s craven and Chris73 are both right. craven is right in that we need to have a lawsuit to really bring some big changes fast. The question is where does the origanization and the $ come from to do this?
Chris73 is right that greater turn out at SFAB meeting can make a difference to DFO (I have worked in govt and have experienced that large attendance and continued lobbying pressure do make a difference), but it many times it is slow progress, so persistance and patience is required. We need to increase our attendance rates 10 fold at every SFAB type meeting and have all those attendees actively lobbying DFO, etc. to make the needed changes.
One thing that struck me at the meeting was the lack of under 35 year olds in attendance. There was a lot of gray hair at the meeting (no insult intended). Where are all the younger guys with the energy and social media savy to make our plight with the DFO a noticed issue like they are with the Occupy movement? Support it or not, it is in the headlines and generating lots of discussion. I think we need to get hire a good organizer/campaign manager to; (1) develop a campaign to unite the various sportfishing stakeholders/supporters and groups, (2) do some clever marketing for our cause and (3) conduct a fund raising campaign with our supporters to start or lawsuit and/or hire professional lobbyists to continue to push our cause.
If anyone wants to get together anytime to talk about ideas like this more PM me.
Chris73 is right that greater turn out at SFAB meeting can make a difference to DFO (I have worked in govt and have experienced that large attendance and continued lobbying pressure do make a difference), but it many times it is slow progress, so persistance and patience is required. We need to increase our attendance rates 10 fold at every SFAB type meeting and have all those attendees actively lobbying DFO, etc. to make the needed changes.
One thing that struck me at the meeting was the lack of under 35 year olds in attendance. There was a lot of gray hair at the meeting (no insult intended). Where are all the younger guys with the energy and social media savy to make our plight with the DFO a noticed issue like they are with the Occupy movement? Support it or not, it is in the headlines and generating lots of discussion. I think we need to get hire a good organizer/campaign manager to; (1) develop a campaign to unite the various sportfishing stakeholders/supporters and groups, (2) do some clever marketing for our cause and (3) conduct a fund raising campaign with our supporters to start or lawsuit and/or hire professional lobbyists to continue to push our cause.
If anyone wants to get together anytime to talk about ideas like this more PM me.
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