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[Gone_Fishin_]

Caught the 2 guys on the right in photo trying to keep a 2' baby sturgeon on Sunday at Island 22.

Out Sturgeon fishing for the day and was making one last drop just outside the launch before packing it in. Watched these 2 guys hook something and reel it in then net what I thought was a salmon.

Proceeded to let them know that salmon is closed for retention as well fishing and to let it go. Couldn't understand what I was trying to tell them and all I got from them was "dinner" as they proceeded to stuff it into a plastic bag in the water.

Alright, guess we'll pull anchor and head over. After creating quite the commotion as I was started to get frustrated so my voice was getting fairly loud. Another bystander came over to assist as I couldn't quite get close enough to shore without bouncing off some rocks (fiberglass and prop)

A bunch of going back and forth without them understanding what we were trying to say my buddy on the boat says it that a sturgeon? as they start to pull it out of the bag we can clearly see its a 2' sturgeon alive still... bystander on shore started getting into it with them and made them release the fish. I started asking if they have a license which they said yes so why can we not keep and so on. I asked the guy on shore to grab his license and proceeded to pull my phone out for some pics. Well they sure did understand English and a camera as they instantly said sorry and turned around so I couldn't get any more pictures.

As I go to back out I almost hit there other line in the water, buddy of mine starts hand lining it in as its around the motor. Get it up and it has 3 baited/barded hooks on it. The one pulled from the sturgeon was the same setup. 3 barbed hooks. I cut their line and tossed them back their float. Hooks went into the garbage bag on my boat.

Long story short. Caught some poachers mid act, shut them down and made sure they didn't go back fishing. Notified the guard office when leaving who said he will call DFO. Reported it myself as well once home.

Not sure if posting a picture this way works. Posted it on the BC Hunting and Fishing facebook site and just copied it from there.






https://scontent-ort2-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/21231253_1481818315230599_9114624271800280617_n.jpg?oh=4bf79c095c7b91fc2a93c606d3c45300&oe=5A5D7E37

[chronicfisher]

Great job!I hope these idiots get caught and fined up the you yang.

[Hike_and_fish]

Good for you !

I reported a violation on the Sloquet this year. I sent picture to the RAPP  line and got an response that day. I was even given the name and number if the acting officer attached to my claim and had a response that they acted within a week and talked with the people responsible. Things do happen if acted on. The main thing I've been told is pictures. The more evidence the better.

Good stuff man.

[canoeboy]

Good job! Nice to see that people care.

[Drewhill]

When the poaching is that brutal I wonder if it helps to call the police in as well. Say these guys are causing a disturbance or something like that. The police can't give them tickets but maybe they can keep those guys around long enough for DFO to come. And if DFO gets a call from police maybe they're more likely to actually show up.

[Shmoke Shaman]

Awesome, great work!. I hope those guys realize there's rules and regulations.

[96XJ]

Awesome, great work!. I hope those guys realize there's rules and regulations.

Seriously ? , i'm sure they know there are fishing regulations

[Knnn]

2 thumbs up!

[Rieber]

Nice catch of these two bandits. Good on you, your partner and the guy on shore. Looks like he's packing a side arm on his hip - and a couple big guns hanging from his shoulders.

 I often wonder the impact of saving just one fish - like this sturgeon. If this sturgeon gets to mature and spawn how many offspring could it add to the population. Impossible to measure. Kill the fish and all that potential is gone.

Hopefully these two have had such a negative experience that they don't poach again.

Well done guys. Thanks.

[Blood_Orange]

Good work! Makes me angry to hear that they were either keeping the sturgeon intentionally or didn't know squat about fish ID. Little do they know that sturgeon doesn't actually taste very good

[Fish Assassin]

Little do they know that sturgeon doesn't actually taste very good

Au contraire

[wildmanyeah]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/07/wildlife-sturgeon-california-caviar-poaching/

[Ry the fly guy]

Disgusting

[redtide]

hmmm...it does look like a pistol along his hip. Nothing shady there..

[milo]

Little do they know that sturgeon doesn't actually taste very good

I disagree.
I grew up catching and eating sterlet ( a small sturgeon species). So tasty and boneless it's called the sausage of the Danube. It's among the best tasting fish in the world. We kids used to catch them with a bit of rope and rubber bands - no hooks! LOL!
I have also had the opportunity to try large Russian sturgeon back in the day. It was very tasty, too, but not as good as the sterlet. And if they ever opened Fraser sturgeon for retention, I'd be among the first to buy a tag and target them. 

The guys in the pic look Rumanian ( Vlachs ). If they are, they would be familiar with the sterlet and its delicious taste, and they probably thought the small sturgeon was it, or a very close match.
They are no idiots, no. They are likely either a pair of temporary workers who have no clue about what they are doing because they have serious English language limitations and stay inside their own "ghetto", or they are immigrants who very well know what they are doing, but can't help themselves because they are individuals of little moral fiber, who turn into criminals when they think they can get away with it (think looters).
Either way, hats off to Gone Fishin for intervening.
I hope the two poachers get educated and hit hard in the pocket.