Stricter Enforcement

[browntrout57]

I saw some people baitfishing on the bow a few days ago. Called it into RAP, the CO showed up fairly quick and caught them. The CO called me back to tell me that they had indeed caught the people baitfishing, and they were also using barbed hooks. However the CO gave them a warning on the barbed hooks and fined them for the bait only. I wonder why they don't throw the book at the poachers?? Firstly the fines are small, now the CO's are handing out warning for barbed hooks?????

[ironfly]

I remember reading, a couple years ago, that regulation violations of all sorts get a warning about 90% of the time, but fishing without a license is virtually guaranteed to result in a fine. Pretty sad, I think. Makes me wonder why that trend is so pronounced, and consistent.

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

i still made about $800 last summer with the help of RAP and plan to do the same this year.

[ruffsranger]

How about the CO's institute the same policy as our Sheriff's & RCMP do on the highways: Zero Tolerance.

Don't try to tell me that you don't know the fishing regulations: if you don't TFB, pay the price!

Ignorance is no excuse ( supposedly ).

[dutchie]

i still made about $800 last summer with the help of RAP and plan to do the same this year.

 

good on you bud , keep at it , i hope you make $1600 this year ,

 

i call them in all the time now also , and from now on after chatting with the Co's , i'll be taking the odd picture from a distance , when my cell has no service on the river ,

 

[Guest Grinr]

I remember reading, a couple years ago, that regulation violations of all sorts get a warning about 90% of the time, but fishing without a license is virtually guaranteed to result in a fine. Pretty sad, I think. Makes me wonder why that trend is so pronounced, and consistent.

I WISH they were consistent in giving warnings......I'd be $200 richer.

[Blake]

Maybe it was the CO's call on the barb. I've heard some will hand out a ticket if there's enough of the barb left to catch a piece of 8x. While others are quite a bit more liberal in their streamside rulings.

Also, it does seem like it's common practice for most law enforcement not to fine for every offence they find someone committing. IE: speeding ticket yes, warning for the cracked windshield.

Doesn't make it sit any better tho...

Bunch of trout stealin, poachin :$*%&:!!!

[Hawgstoppah]

Having learned of a theory of WHY officers often do this I cannot blame them. It's a lot safer to have someone believe you are giving them a break by fining them for the most serious offence and pointing out a LOT more they COULD have been fined with, and the officer walks away with the folks probably feeling grateful they didn't get more in fines. If the officer fines them and throws the book at them, the people are angry and this puts the officer in a potentially dangerous situation. I'd rather our officers play safe and play smart than throw everything on everyone. At least they are out there trying to do their jobs.

[slivers86]

I saw some people baitfishing on the bow a few days ago. Called it into RAP, the CO showed up fairly quick and caught them. The CO called me back to tell me that they had indeed caught the people baitfishing, and they were also using barbed hooks. However the CO gave them a warning on the barbed hooks and fined them for the bait only. I wonder why they don't throw the book at the poachers?? Firstly the fines are small, now the CO's are handing out warning for barbed hooks?????

 

 

When writing a provincial violation, the officer has the opportunity to fill out their own section, which the offender never sees. In this section, the officer will likely write that he let the offender off with a warning regarding the barb violation, and issues the second violation instead. That is the only logic I can see, as it shows the courts / crown that they were given a break already. Could be wrong though! I say write them all, let a judge decide if its overboard!