So what can we do?
The usual writing campaign along with phone calls to your MP. As well the SDA is you can see by Bill Otway's letters is very involved and are taking a major lead in this so donation can help of course. As well if you can, anyone can help by donating prizes and buy a ticket to attend the SDA dinner/fundraiser in March, here in Chilliwack.
Keep reading the information Rodney is posting on the SDA web page as well as the forum so you can abreast of the numerous issues facing the recreational angler.
The problem I see at this point is that the authorities are going down the road of appeasement as opposed to incrementally dealing with the problem through due process and consultation.
Loyola Hearn and the guys back East are truly oblivious to what's really going on.
How oblivious? Just to give you an idea, the CBC recently aired a 1 hour program where they were discussing the effects of bottom dragging, and the issue on a world scale by nations which fish aggressively. Despite overwhelming evidence to suggest a moratorium on bottom dragging in international waters, and Canada which should have been a signatory, was not as it would have meant that Canada would have to make adjustments to the fishery within it's own international boundaries.
When the journalist and scientists asked Loyola to justify his departments and his decision, he basically went to far as to say that the scientists didn't know what they were talking about, and then drew a parallel between the cod fishery on the east coast and the dragging on the west coast.
The problem is that the DFO is looking to avoid conflict and their policy of appeasement is one way to "not rock the boat" due to the fragility of his government. Well...history the world over is filled with these lessons of appeasement and decisions such as this.
In my opinion, the original drafters of this bill should be fired, and the bill and actions of the department does not support the interests of Canadians. Nobody voted for this bill.
If anything, you need to get ahold of the Liberals on this issue to confront Loyola on the issue during Question Period in the House of Commons.
This is what needs to be done. Write all the letters until you're blue in the face about this issue, unfortunately it's not going to get them to ditch the bill.
I've tried to deal with Loyola Hearn, and on every issue I've written to him about, he doesn't hear me, let alone correspond with me---how can you tell he's a conservative pork barrelling politician?
I give up and I'm through with eastern appointed Fisheries Ministers. The best fisheries minister I can remember in recent years was Brian Tobin--now there was a guy that could listen and take information and do something with it.
Unfortunately, due to the size of the DFO now, it's all politically motivated as opposed to conservation and resource motivated.
SHAME!