Time To Protect Our Mountain Streams

[mtbkr]

Obviously the presence of non-native species (namely brook trout) in many streams is a big issue. There are a lot of guys on here with very respectable yet differing opions about this matter. I admit didn't appreciate just how big an issue this was until I started doing some more research on it.

We all want to see our fisheries protected and improved and as such we should be working together to fight for changes we do agree upon. We can argue all we want on this forum but at the end of the day it's not getting us very far. I don't mean to discredit the brook trout issue but it would be great if we could set this particular arguement aside for now and push for the other changes that could significantly help our fisheries.

 

Brook trout aside, here are the things I'd like to push for:

 

1. Increase licencing costs, with revenue to go directly towards better enforcement of regulations, stream reabilitation, research, conservation etc

 

2. A conservation (C&R) licence at a reduced price

 

3. Catch and Release regs on Cutts and cutt hybrids in ES1 and ES2 moving water

 

4. A conservation stamp say ~$20 annually required for fishing foothills and mountain streams. Revenues to go towards more regulations enforcement, and for other necessary conservations efforts where needed

 

5. More officers enforcing regs

 

6. Much stiffer penalties for poachers

 

7. Tighter restrictions on ATVs in and around streams

 

8. Tighter restrictions on clearcut logging and developement near rivers and creeks. Specifically noting the clearcutting that will go on in the castle area this summer.

 

9. A few fly fish only streams. BC has them, Montana has them, probably other states do to. Why not a few in Alberta?

 

I don't know a great deal about effective lobbying, letter writing, and otherwise getting my voice heard and ultimately regulation changes to happen so I really appreciate the suggestions a couple of you have made about how to go about doing this.

I understand from what some have said that we have to do more than just write letters to MPs. I've also heard that contacting regional biologists with our concerns and asking them the best way to further push for changes is a good idea. This certainly seems logical to me, Mel Knight was kind enough to forward my letters I wrote regarding the Castle headwaters to the biologist in that area.

How about contacting Jim Stelfox? I understand he sits at the roundtables

How about writing letters to the AFGA, or to the specific members who sit at the roundtables?

What does it take to be able to join a roundtable?

 

 

Cheers

 

 

Mat

[PGK]

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[mtbkr]

Thanks so much PGK, I'll stick with what you mentioned.

 

 

[Austin]

 

And you can't enforce a regulation change if you don't have money to buy gas for CO trucks! Increase the license fees!

 

 

Nice work man Im with you there we should be helping and saving our mountain streams. People need to recognize that

[Smitty]

I don't mind helping out if you need some mtbrk. I can volunteer communication skills.

 

May I suggest something? Clearly there are lots of issues that need attention...

 

So at this point I'll interrupt that point and tell a story from a tv show I loved. You've probably heard of it; The West Wing. So the new president is trying to decide which issues to tackle in his first 100 days in office, and he and the staff they're going to tackle lobbying reform. And its because, as the president says, "because if we can reform lobbying, everything else we want will be that much easier to get."

 

My point I was starting is that maybe - only maybe, I'm open to counter arguments - we should focus on one issue.

 

And I'd say that issue is enforcement. I think if we're going to spend time and energy, political capital, momentum, and get people to care about something, better to pick a single issue.

 

Am I wrong to suggest it be enforcement? Is not logical to think that, if - and yeah, I know, its a rather massively huge if - we are going to try and get the gov'ts attention for more than 5 minutes in caring about our fisheries, maybe lets not waste it. I say enforcement - doesn't everything come from enforcement? Is it not true that nothing makes a law or regulation more useless than no enforcement?

 

My final argument for enforcement is the year's edition of the regs. It clearly states in the regs this year that (a) not much has changed for 2011 and yet ( significant changes will/may be coming to the management of our fisheries. Clearly the bios, SRD, whomever is already paying attention to proper management - or not - debatable. But they are doing something. Which means why not spend our time on something actually less on the radar?

 

So I think we should spend time on lobbying the government for more enforcement of whatever changes are coming.

 

Thoughts?

 

Smitty

[PGK]

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[Smitty]

Enforcement of crappy regulations isn't going to solve much. And where is the extra $$$$ coming from to fund all this enforcement. You need the money first. Whatever shakes out afterwards (reg changes) is a bonus.

 

Clearly I disagree: One, not all the regulations are crappy, and I wouldn't characterize them as such using such a massive blanket generalization. Two, no matter what the regulations, compliance and poaching are issues, and if you want people to follow a new set of rules, why not start and show anglers you're serious by enforcing the "old" ones. Three, the money issue is EXACTLY my point. I think we should stop sending the message to the gov't that says to them "hey, don't worry about funding SRD properly, we'll just outsource it for you by private initiatives like Streamwatch."

 

This is a big sticking point for me. I think before we convince a gov't official that we need to raise fees, we should first pick the fight that increased funding is needed now, and needed from the gov't, not us. Doesn't matter - and in fact, completely irrelevant - no matter how high we raise licensing and other fees, we need to bang on the gov'ts thick skull that we won't stand for the continued decline of the SRD and the gutting of its budget. Sure, I'll pony up to pay for more for my angling, but you know something? Its high time the gov't bloody well stepped up and quit treating SRD as a mere afterthought.

 

Smitty

[PGK]

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[troutfriend]

Point for clarity:

Enforcement is not just writing tickets, ASRD would likely tell you they are equally about engagement and education- with ticketing being a tool towards their goal.

 

From the ASRD website:

• patrol geographic areas to monitor the activities of hunters, anglers, trappers, commercial fishers and industry

• enforce federal and provincial laws, regulations, rules and orders relating to fish and wildlife resources

• provide information and answer questions from hunters, anglers, trappers, commercial fishers, landowners, students, industry and the media

• investigate complaints, apprehend violators, prepare administrative and court documents, issue summonses and warnings, and prepare and present evidence in court

• take accurate notes and testify as a witness for the prosecution at trial

• investigate complaints about nuisance and problem wildlife, take appropriate control measures and advise landowners and industry about effective wildlife control measures they can implement on their own

• deliver public service programs such as presentations in schools and at sport club meetings

• co-operate with wildlife researchers and collect related data (for example, conduct wildlife inventories or collect samples to assist with natural resource research)

• maintain government issue equipment

• recommend changes or amendments to legislation and regulations, and hunting/fishing seasons and methods of harvest

• issue licenses and permits, or provide information to licensing agents

• inspect commercial operations (for example, taxidermy shops, furriers, tanners, game bird farms, outfitters or guides).

 

So if you want more "fines and tickets" drawn on infractions- likely this is going to need a much larger presence and more staffing in the field (ie not only trucks, but gas for them, Ever call report a poacher for an infraction in the Nanton and get a call back from and officer in Red Deer?...), also remember that asrd does not actively patrol all areas like most provincial recreation areas (Alberta Parks has their own officers- and they deal a lot with bears, hiker issues, bears, rowdy campers, bears, traffic violations, bears. etc.)

[Smitty]

Why enforce the old ones if they don't work to achieve the fisheries goals in the first place? Reform the system, wake people up, enforce the new system. You're still missing my point:

 

Ask to increase the license fees. TELL THEM where that money MUST go, or you won't support it.

 

It's not about regulation changes, you're off topic. regulation changes can come afterwards. Get the funding first, then deal with the rest of it.

 

Instead of arguing with me, why don't you get off your ass and go do something about it? I'm a little busy, I have my own fisheries to manage.

 

Hey PGK, pull your own head out of your ass. Or read the posts. I already volunteered to help. Plus, I already agree with you about funding first. You're in favor of volunteering to be taxed/and/or "fee-ed" to death. I think the gov't needs to understand they need to cough up more dough in the first place. Then I'll happily vounteer to be charged more. Or maybe accomplish more at the same time. Whatever. But funding is the bottom line.

 

Don't want this to turn ugly, but I already do alot; just don't trumpet it on the boards.

 

Smitty

P.S. And the more correct statement would be, we keep missing each others points. Fair enough.

[PGK]

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[McLeod]

Yappa yappa all talk no results.

 

 

Such diplomatic skills...Maybe I have an agenda..Keeping an eye on guys like you..

As long as Brian Chan is around then anglers where you are " managing fisheries" shouldn't have to worry to much because the society is really what has improved the fishery in BC.

[PGK]

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[Ricinus]

Sad to see an interesting thread go down the toilet.

[PGK]

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[McLeod]

Prove me wrong. DO SOMETHING to prove me wrong. None of you have the motivation to do anything good for fish. Brian Chan retired. Watch out, the apocalypse is coming. "Guys like me" are the scourge of the fishing community. Yeah, damn those assholes who want to protect wild fish. Damn them to hell!

 

Why such an interest in Alberta ? You state that "none of you have the motivation to do anything good for fish " But what is your defination of good ? All one has to do is read all your past posts such as banning angling in the National Parks to see that your vision of what is good for fish is bordering radical. You have little in the way of tact and diplomacy when speaking with people and

you do not respect other people opinions who are differant than yours. It hard to understand because

you do make valid suggestions on fisheries management at times. Now I assume you know Derek Kingston very well..Maybe get his defination of what is good for fish and contrast it with yours.

Nothing wrong with protecting wild fish , but you need to look at the BIG picture and all other stakeholders who fish and pay the bills.

[PGK]

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[PGK]

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[McLeod]

And again, I'm finished here. If someone wants my help and opinions about this topic, send me a message and let's deal with it in the real world, not on the forum where people can talk loud from behind their computer screens.

OMG

[bigbowtrout]

[reevesr1]

Sad to see an interesting thread go down the toilet.

 

Agreed.

 

[Weedy1]

I have no idea who derek kingston is

 

From: http://www.gitanyowfisheries.com/about-us/our-team/

 

Derek Kingston - Fisheries Biologist

 

Derek is a Registered Professional Biologist in BC in good standing, and holds a diploma as a fish and wildlife technologist from Sir Sanford Fleming College in Ontario and a BSc. in Fisheries Biology from UNBC in Prince George, BC. Derek has over 15 years experience in natural resources management. He has extensive experience in salmonid stock assessment and aquatic habitat assessment. As a skilled welder, he has the specialty skills of design and fabrication of fish fences, fishwheels and other fish capture devices. Derek oversees the construction and operation of the Kitwanga River Salmon Enumeration Facility and the Kitwanga Smolt Enumeration Facility each year, in addition to other projects.

 

Kris - anytime you need help pulling give me a call.

 

 

[Harps]

mtbkr,

 

Any action on this?