Here are some clarifications and commentaries before other participants wade into the discussion, which often heats up as expected when the racial/cultural factor is included.
Daily quota
The daily quota of trout in Region 2 Lakes, unless otherwise stated, is four. The four fish you keep can be of any size, regardless of wild or hatchery fish, and only one maybe over 50cm long. Unlike the steelhead fishery, once you have caught your limit of four fish, you can continue fishing as long as all fish are released. What Britguy was referring to is that people continue to keep fish for other people after keeping four fish for him or herself. Even though he or she maybe catching other anglers' quotas, or giving fish to unlicensed by-standers, this is considered as poaching.
Age restriction/put and take lakes
Lower Mainland lakes are primarily not productive so there are no viable resident trout population in most of them. If they do, most of the fish are small. Fishing pressure is directly correlated to population. The closer a system is to an urbanized area, the more heavily it is fished. Urbanized area also has the largest non-fishing populations. The objectives of put and take lakes are to increase angling participation, create viable fishing opportunities for those who are unable to travel due to budget constraint. Not all anglers are fortunate enough to spend several hundred dollars per weekend on travel and accommodation to remote lakes for better trout fishing, not to mention the initial purchase a boat and its accessories. Depending on the skill level, anglers find different enjoyment when it comes to fishing. Some only finds enjoyment when solitude is achieved, while others are satified enough to connect with small rainbow trout as long as success rate is high. Many anglers progress as their angling experience increases, moving from put and take lakes to trophy lakes. Some choose to fish at put and take lakes for the rest of their lives, but that would be their choices, not for you to judge whether they should be doing so or not.
Age restriction may not necessarily prevent poaching, as it is often observed at Como Lake too. Those who oppose of age restriction do not want their angling opportunities taken away, which is understandable because the location of many put and take lakes makes them fantastic get-aways after work on weekdays. What might be more sounding changes are perhaps a reduction of daily quota, or granting of trout retention exclusively to anglers under the age of 16.
Significance of poaching at put and take lakes
Poaching at either a put and take lake, at a wild steelhead stream, or a trophy interior lake all fall into one category. Regulations are being broken and should be reported. Some see poaching at put and take lakes as a victimless crime, because they are simply stocked fish and no endangered species are being threatened. What people should be aware of that each fish illegally taken out equates to your license money being stolen. The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC operates five trout hatcheries across this province. Money used to raise these trout come from your license money, therefore poachers are indirectly stealing from you. As mentioned in an earlier post, violations that are regularly reported will generate attention from enforcement. Poachers may temporarily gain, but in the long run they are caught if actions continue.
Non-English speaking anglers
Like some of the previous posts on fishing forums, Britguy's reference of non-English speaking poachers unintentionally generalizes all anglers in ethnic minorities as poachers. It may not have been intended, but that is usually how it is interpreted. As an individual coming from an Asian background, it does not offend me for two reasons. I've seen the same innocent remark too many times when monitoring the forum and Britguy's comment does hold some truth. I think some may have interpreted the non-English speaking poacher remark as an unwillingness to share Canada's natural resource with other ethnic groups, which I don't think (or at least hope not) it was meant that way.
Since I am still quite connected with my Asian background, I can relate to Britguy's frustration. The social stigma of poaching mostly does not exist in the Asian community. It simply isn't identified as a crime. How this comes about can be traced back to how the government operates in most Asian countries, which is a whole other in-depth discussion.
Without moderating anyone's post, I wish to see people focusing on the problem instead of creating a racial boundary based on how they interpreted one remark.
Ideas, solutions, changes for the better
The problem is identified here and you have the opportunities to create solutions because it is not going away. The Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC is not only creating angling opportunities and increasing angling participation, but it is constantly working on developing a positive future in this community. New ideas are always wanted so all options are put on the table. The benefit of an internet discussion forum is that brainstorming can easily be done since everyone has an opinion. Unfortunately, at this point the negativity outweighs this benefit. Individuals can contribute by being critical and constructive. When opinions turn from critical to negative, the discussion sidetracks and eventually loses its momentum, as we are seeing here. Good ideas suggested on the discussion forum are also lost in the archive most of the time. This can easily be reversed since I have the contacts to get the wheels turning.
There are several young participants who regularly fishes Lafarge Lake in this discussion. This is your fishery to improve if you wish to, so start putting forward ideas on what you would like to see. Perhaps more signages in different languages are needed. Perhaps pamphlets for new anglers can be distributed via the shop where Cody works. Perhaps in addition to reporting the violation, people can post it in this thread so over time there is a number that we can refer to. Perhaps everyone should be carrying a small notebook so violations are written down and compared with others so regular violators are identified.
This is your lake to enjoy. Make a difference.
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Topic: lafarge poachers (Read 13812 times)