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[ride604]

Just a heads up that a West Vancouver Bylaw Officer was out around 4 PM today ticketing any individual fishing between the 14th street pier and the wooden fence east of the totem pole rock pier.  Supposedly you cannot fish off the totem pole rock pier as it is a swimming zone, even if you are casting directly out off the very point, or to the east.  8 people were ticketed for this offence.

[TheFishingLad]

Just a heads up that a West Vancouver Bylaw Officer was out around 4 PM today ticketing any individual fishing between the 14th street pier and the wooden fence east of the totem pole rock pier.  Supposedly you cannot fish off the totem pole rock pier as it is a swimming zone, even if you are casting directly out off the very point, or to the east.  8 people were ticketed for this offence.

kind of a dick move, but it makes me happy hearing people getting tickets.

[Rodney]

Just a heads up that a West Vancouver Bylaw Officer was out around 4 PM today ticketing any individual fishing between the 14th street pier and the wooden fence east of the totem pole rock pier.  Supposedly you cannot fish off the totem pole rock pier as it is a swimming zone, even if you are casting directly out off the very point, or to the east.  8 people were ticketed for this offence.

Interesting. Are there signs posted along the beach which inform the public about the no fishing zone? It's the first time I've heard of it and many years ago we used to fish from the beach just west of the rock pier. This should be included in DFO's area 28 regulations too if it is the case.

[Fish Assassin]

Just a heads up that a West Vancouver Bylaw Officer was out around 4 PM today ticketing any individual fishing between the 14th street pier and the wooden fence east of the totem pole rock pier.  Supposedly you cannot fish off the totem pole rock pier as it is a swimming zone, even if you are casting directly out off the very point, or to the east.  8 people were ticketed for this offence.

Never heard of that before. Thinking of taking my niece fishing off the pier this weekend.

[ride604]

Interesting. Are there signs posted along the beach which inform the public about the no fishing zone? It's the first time I've heard of it and many years ago we used to fish from the beach just west of the rock pier. This should be included in DFO's area 28 regulations too if it is the case.

I have never noticed any signs regarding a no fishing zone, I will look around tomorrow morning and report back.

[4TheKids]

I scoured the West Van Bylaw site and there is no mention of a "no fishing" bylaw. There are a lot of fun things you can't do in a park such as playing ball, shooting off rockets, and spray painting graffiti. It seems like an unusual time of year to be enforcing bylaws to protect swimmers. Anyone else see the West Van want-a-be cop out and about? If not, this is a great start of an urban legend.

[ride604]

I was unable to find any signs designating a no fishing area along the Ambleside shoreline.  I will send the municipality an email to confirm if such a bylaw actually exists.

[bigblue]

Just a heads up that a West Vancouver Bylaw Officer was out around 4 PM today ticketing any individual fishing between the 14th street pier and the wooden fence east of the totem pole rock pier.  Supposedly you cannot fish off the totem pole rock pier as it is a swimming zone, even if you are casting directly out off the very point, or to the east.  8 people were ticketed for this offence.

That is very interesting. I have never seen a no fishing sign there. Were those guys ticketed smelt fishing?

[ride604]

Were those guys ticketed smelt fishing?

They were targetting salmon.

[Rodney]

I've been discussing this with Eric Carlisle in the last couple of days via email just to gather facts so we can get the correct information out there. Unlike TheFishingLad, I'd hate to see people being fined when out enjoying the fishing and unaware of a poorly publicized by-law. Here's what Eric told me so far.

Hi, Rod.  Talked to Coffee Dave (Dave Clark) yesterday; he fishes smelt on the sandy beach west of the totem pole groyne as well as salmon at the various rivermouth beaches. Dave said that when a lifeguard was present, the lifeguard would tell anglers not to fish the area west of the totem pole groyne.  Can't say I've ever noticed a lifeguard present, and there certainly isn't a lifeguard there now.  No mention of any bylaw or ticketing.

If anyone has gotten in touch with West Vancouver and managed to get an answer, please feel free to post it up.

[fisharoo]

Rodney, say hi to Mr. Carlisle for me! I just picked up a copy of his book "West Coast River Angling" can't wait to read it.

[bigblue]

While walking the Ambleside Beach today, I had a chance to chat with the life guard on duty. He said the beach between 14st pier and totem pole groyne and enclosed by a line of red buoys is designated as a swimming area by the district and is off limits to fishing during the swimming season. During the afternoon high tide, the life guard asked smelt fishermen on the west side of the groyne to move to the east side where fishing is allowed. He said the by-law has always been in place and it is not a new restriction. He also said a line of red buoys on a beach typically marks the boundary for a swimming area. I checked the east side of the groyne and there were no red buoys on that side. 

[ride604]

While walking the Ambleside Beach today, I had a chance to chat with the life guard on duty. He said the beach between 14st pier and totem pole groyne and enclosed by a line of red buoys is designated as a swimming area by the district and is off limits to fishing during the swimming season. During the afternoon high tide, the life guard asked smelt fishermen on the west side of the groyne to move to the east side where fishing is allowed. He said the by-law has always been in place and it is not a new restriction. He also said a line of red buoys on a beach typically marks the boundary for a swimming area. I checked the east side of the groyne and there were no red buoys on that side.

It doesn't surprise me that the area west of the totem pole jetty is off limits to fishing, after all, it is enclosed by swimming area markers and heavily utilized.  What concerns me is that the Bylaw Officer stated that you cannot fish east of the totem pole until the wooden fence that marks the start of the dog area.  According to Google Maps Pedometer, it is almost 200 meters from the start of the totem pole jetty to the fence, 200 meters which has no swimming area markers, and no signage indicating that you cannot fish.  In addition, the totem pole jetty itself was said to be off limits, even if you are casting off the very end or to the east, which in my opinion, does not infringe upon the swimming area.

For reference, this is the southernmost tip of the fence in question
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.3220567,-123.1483152,34m/data=!3m1!1e3

[bigblue]

Please note that my posting is based on my conversation with the life guard on duty today. I specifically asked him where the swimming area extends to and that is the answer I got. If the bylaw officer, stated that it extends to the wooden fence, it would be best to use that guideline until someone can confirm with the West Van town office on the exact boundary of the swimming area as there are no signage anywhere on the beach regarding fishing prohibition.

[Rodney]

Thanks for the info bigblue.