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[chris gadsden]

Have just been told the extra fishery officers are now on the Fraser River. Some have been transferred in from Ontario and are in the process of being shown the ropes in the Chilliwack area.

Also while at a meeting today I was told from a reliable source that a seizure of 4 to 5 totes of fish were confiscated in the Yale area this week. Apparently mostly springs were in the totes but there was sockeye as well.

Hopefully this is the start of the stepped up enforcement that I heard Fishery Minister Hearn stated was going to take place this fishing season. He made this statement answering a question from another Conservative MP during Question Period in the House of Commons last week.

[Big Steel]

Thanks for the news Chris!!  That sounds like one heck of a step in the right direction!!

[troutbreath]

Hope they do bring lots of C.O.s because I hear of poaching and 10 dollar sockeye all the way up the Fraser. Sounds good to me though.

[Old Black Dog]

By Jeff Nagel
Black Press
Jun 25 2006


An outspoken Conservative MP says his own government is so far failing to provide enough extra fisheries officers to enforce laws and stop salmon poaching.

Delta-Richmond East MP John Cummins was responding to claims by new federal fisheries minister Loyola Hearn that the number of officers in B.C. is being beefed up significantly.

Ottawa will spend $2.4 million to increase the number of officers from 162 to 176 on the West Coast, Hearn announced June 20.

“While the previous government threatened to cut the enforcement presence on the West Coast, we are actually increasing the number of officers patrolling British Columbia’s waterways,” Hearn said.

But Tory backbencher Cummins says the numbers aren’t as they seem.

About 172 DFO officers were on the job in B.C. last summer, he said, and about 10 were lost to attrition over the winter.

He said that means the “increase” will in fact give the province only a couple more officers than it had last summer.

“We’re still fighting for more,” Cummins said.

The MP, who has been a vocal critic of the aboriginal fishery, repeatedly demanded the former Liberal government dramatically boost the number of officers.

Cummins now said he believes the West Coast needs at least 210 DFO officers – about 20 per cent more.

Asked why he hasn’t had more success now that his own party is now in power, the MP said change takes time.

“I’m working on these things –  there’s no question about it,” Cummins said. “We’ve got a new minister who’s only been there four months and an old bureaucracy.”

He also noted new officers must be trained.

“It’s impossible in a sense to do it overnight,” he said.

Cummins said he’d like to pursue enforcement partnerships with the province that would see conservation officers assist federal officers.

Ottawa also announced it will add 12 new habitat monitors in B.C. as part of ongoing work to modernize its habitat protection program.

Sto:lo Tribal Council senior policy advisor Ernie Crey welcomed the enforcement increase, but said that’s not the only answer to unrest on the fishing grounds.

“More officers, more guns and more electronic equipment is no substitute for cooperation and sound policing practices,” he said.

[Eagleye]

I ran into a group of 3 COs on Friday.  Three COs travelling together seems like a bit of a waste to  me but maybe one of them was showing the others the ropes.  I told the one who came up to me that I was glad to see them and that it is a very rare occasion. He told me that a CO boat had gone by earlier as well.  I also saw the chopper on a couple occasions over the weekend.  It was nice for a change to not see any nets in the water, even in places where they are usually there all season.  Talked to a native and he told me they are not allowed to fish for three weeks.  From my observations so far it looks like enforcement is indeed being stepped up! 

[Schenley]

Hey guys, this may sound a little picky-- but it isnt... The terms "Fishery Officers" and "Conservation Officers" are NOT interchangable.

The primary enforcement officers that are tasked ( when thier bosses will let them) enforcing the Federal Fisheries Act , such as salmon fisheries in salt and freash water, are FISHERIES OFFICERS  They are federal officers-- they have nothing to do with provincial regulations such as the Game Act or Freshwater Fisheries Regulations .

Conservation Officers are provincial and responsible for enforcing things such as the Game Act, Waste Management Act, and recreational  fishing in lakes and river. There IS a crossover on enforcing the respective Acts, but only if the Feds and the Prov have agreed to it.

Hope this clarifies things..

[leaseman]

Schenley....
It does clarify the diff' between the two...BUT...you wil and do see both on the Fraser (lower for sure) ... as I have been checked twice while sturgeon fishing and there was a CO and FO in the boat...

Mike
 

[Schenley]

Yes-

Union regulations do not allow an individual officer out in a boat for safety reasons. There has to be two-- so they team up and do joint patrols.  But they each issue thier own tickets.

Same thing at Game checks-- not uncommon to see RCMP, DFO and the COs all staffiing the same checking station.

[Rieber]

Good to see efforts stepped up however on the 3-totes that were confiscated it's really a lose/loose situation. The loss of the fish from the river in the first place - then the additional loss from the river because someone now is going to replace what was confiscated. There really is no win to it other than face-to-face persistence and education to the Band Council. And good luck with the education part.

I don't think this mess will ever be resolved. I think compromises will have to be made and a level of acceptance that this is going to happen.

[2:40]

CO's do a lot with the sturgeon so that is why you often see them out there. They'll check on anglers as well targeting salmon, but priority is sturgeon usually.

[Steelhawk]

I hope DFO & its new officers patrol the Fraser more frequently, and that they dare to confront FN if found fishing illegally. This is where most of the 'endangered' or 'unaccoounted for' fish will disappear. In the last few years, natives were fishing illegally days and nights. Sporties were reporting numerous illegal fishing while DFO seemed out of sight most of the time.