Enforcement Of Creek Joy Riding

[seanbritt]

Good to see some enforcement, lets hope this trend of enforcement continues and the instances of destroying stream beds declines!

 

http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Calgar...3437/story.html

 

 

[headscan]

Too bad they didn't fine him more and confiscate his vehicle. Nice to see the money from the fine is going to the Ghost Watershed Alliance Society instead of the provincial coffers.

[cheeler]

Nice to see someone finally get caught, but it was only because he was the one that got stuck. He'll just have a bigger truck next time.

[hairygrump]

Hate to play devil's advocate here but giving a guy a fine for doing something he probably had no clue was illegal isn't going to have too much of an impact. People hear about the fine, get pissed off one way or the other and then forget what the issue really was. Education is the key. Enforcement should be the last resort. In the past two years I have seen a grand total of 2 conservation officers out there talking to people. Theres no way people are going to clue in unless theres more boots on the ground talking to them. Same principle of community policing. Get out there, be visable, talk to people, enforce when you have too.

 

[headscan]

I wheel and I can say that the vast majority of people know what's illegal and simply choose to ignore it. The article says that other people were telling the guy that what he was doing was wrong:

 

According to an agreed statement of facts presented to provincial court Judge Catherine Skene, Bertram had been warned by other campers to get his truck out of the creek. But he continued to drive his truck “up to several hundred feet up and downstream.”

 

I think if you're going to engage in an activity it's up to you to learn what the rules are and that sort of thing, just like we did with the fishing regs. Ignorance is never an excuse.

[Sean84]

Gotta love the comment by the "professional"

[Hawgstoppah]

glad we have something now, it's a start!!! keep snapping those pics... especially ones showing license plates!

[Gil]

Hate to play devil's advocate here but giving a guy a fine for doing something he probably had no clue was illegal isn't going to have too much of an impact. People hear about the fine, get pissed off one way or the other and then forget what the issue really was. Education is the key. Enforcement should be the last resort. In the past two years I have seen a grand total of 2 conservation officers out there talking to people. Theres no way people are going to clue in unless theres more boots on the ground talking to them. Same principle of community policing. Get out there, be visable, talk to people, enforce when you have too.

You would have to be pretty clueless to not know this is wrong on several fronts. They should have taken his vehicle as well. I'm betting he just does give a damn about the harm he caused.

[adams]

That's a start, but sadly only because he actually got stuck. I've seen 15 ATVs lined up to wash themselves off on Prairie Creek right next to the road (after ripping up the surrounding land all day). Next time I'm stopping to take a closeup picture showing their plates.

[Claire]

I wish they (fish cops) would concentrate their enforcement efforts on the hundres of quads that invade the west country every weekend!!! Lots of damage being done out their due to the excessive amount of irresponsible quad drivers.

 

Patch