Discouraging

[Saxe Point]

DFO hands out multiple tickets in Southern Gulf Islands enforcement blitz

Not all of those harvesting food from the ocean are playing by the rules, a two-day enforcement blitz by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has revealed.

www.cheknews.ca

Very discouraging to see so much non compliance. The resource will suffer if we depend on enforcement rather than the honesty of fishers for rules to be followed.

 

[eroyd]

If half the hearsay I hear is true, they could do that every day.

 

[wildmanyeah]

Same deal when they did the off the Fraser in 2017 lots using barbed hooks.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/dfo-officers-step-up-salmon-fishing-enforcement-1.4273026

 

[Saxe Point]

Think of how badly this undermines the message that sports fishers are stewards and guardians of the resource. And it’s even worse if DFO shares eroyd’s view about how this may be the tip of an iceberg.

 

[agentaqua]

I hope that the vast majority of the public are smart and informed enuff to not judge the actions of a whole user group based on the actions of an individual. For me - it's the number of fish X the number of times that poaching happens that are the metrics to look at when considering impacts. I'm seeing this patrol as an opportunity to educate people rather than a failure.

 

[dradons]

These are precious resources. The fines/punishments do not match up.

There is more publicity for someone cutting down a tree without a permit in their yard than the assholes poaching/non-compliance with fishing regs.

 

[Rockfish]

To me, there is a big difference between the guy who screws up with the regs and say keeps a fish they should not have and the professional poachers. With the incredibly and increasing complex regulations and the frequency of change, sometimes with poor notification, or perhaps an absent-minded moment, even those on this forum who are likely far better informed than the average citizen who occasionally fishes, can make a mistake. The warnings, fines/punishments should reflect that and be education oriented. On the other hand, for example, the guys working all night without a commercial licence, catching and selling crabs, females, undersized by the hundreds, night after night; those guys you can throw the book at.

 

[agentaqua]

To me, there is a big difference between the guy who screws up with the regs and say keeps a fish they should not have and the professional poachers. With the incredibly and increasing complex regulations and the frequency of change, sometimes with poor notification, or perhaps an absent-minded moment, even those on this forum who are likely far better informed than the average citizen who occasionally fishes, can make a mistake. The warnings, fines/punishments should reflect that and be education oriented. On the other hand, for example, the guys working all night without a commercial licence, catching and selling crabs, females, undersized by the hundreds, night after night; those guys you can throw the book at.

X2, absolutely RF - like that scott character...

 

[dradons]

X2, absolutely RF - like that scott character...

The tough part is drawing the line. A new to fishing family out with their kids and accidentally fish in an RCA, lots of sympathies there. Someone that has been fishing for many years should be well aware to always keep up with the regulations.

It is the people that know better that really need and deserve a smack.

 

[tinboatrobb]

As with starting any new sport you need to know and understand the rules. I am sure DFO guys can tell if you are legit unaware of your error or just lying. Pretending to not understand English is not a good defense. It is quite easy for a seasoned fisher to wrongly identify a fish.