Skeena Steelhead - Sorry Alberta

[mkm]

Just received this from a friend. Looks Like BC is going to limit non-resident steel heading on the Skeena.

 

Skeena Angling Management Strategy - October 2008

 

"For years, people have told the Ministry of Environment that waters in the Skeena River

system have persistent steelhead angler-use issues — crowding, disproportionate

numbers of non-resident anglers or guided anglers, lack of opportunities for resident

anglers, illegal guiding, and poor angler etiquette — leading to a degraded quality of

angling experience."

 

1.4 Overview of the problem

Following consultation with a broad range of stakeholders and members of the public as

well as discussions with members of the Working Groups, the essence of the problem

with steelhead angler use on the Skeena River system became clear. Some rivers at

some times of year get very crowded. The most crowded parts of the season are

usually the last two weeks in September and the first two weeks in October.

In the areas and times where angler-use issues are a problem, the Angling

Management Plan relies on one main regulatory measure — the combination of a

limited-day licence with a lottery system to allocate those licences evenly over the

classified water period.

 

Draft Angling Management Plan - Skeena Quality Waters Strategy

 

"entire Classified Waters period, so that there were not extreme peaks of angler use that

caused crowding and poor quality angling at specific times in certain places.

The limited-day licence and lottery system is applied to the non-guided, non-resident

sector of the sport fishery. There are several reasons for this:

• Consultations with stakeholders and the public indicated that the number of nonguided,

non-residents fishing in some waters has increased considerably in the

past few years and in many cases, that sector is a major component of the

crowding problem.

• Many people cited specific examples of crowding caused by non-guided, nonresident

anglers.

• The total number of guided anglers for each river is basically capped at specific

levels. Ministry data as well as consultations with public and stakeholders

suggest that in most instances guided anglers do not contribute to the crowding

problem. There may be some situations where there are large numbers of guided

anglers during peak times in the season, and changes to guiding regulations

could be made to ensure that guided angler use was distributed more evenly

over the entire Classified Waters period. However, the number of guides and

assistant guides usually places a limit on the number of guided anglers on a river

at any one time.

• In many cases, public and stakeholder groups said that resident anglers were not

participating in the sport fishery due to crowding. Therefore, regulating the

numbers of BC residents, other than trying to find ways to create more

opportunities, would not be appropriate.

• One of the over-arching principles of the Quality Waters Strategy states that

resident anglers and guided anglers have a higher priority than non-resident

anglers on Classified Waters."

 

Check out the full report here:

https://webmail.shaw.ca/attach/SkeenaAnglin...gManagement.pdf

 

mkm

 

[maxwell]

think this is the same deal tha thas bin posted already dude.. sucks bigtime if it happens. totaly b.s. if u ask me.... atleast too do it too fellow canucks

[Hawgstoppah]

Hey if something like this goes through it's about damn time we fight back and get this happening in alberta to. If we can't go fish over there I don't wanna see another F&**&*&*n BC license plate on the crow, castle, oldman, or livingstone, or bow river.

[wtforward]

Brian

 

I think that possibility was put to Ron Stevens

(Deputy Premier) by some scribe writing for

the Sun awhile back. The answer was basically ' a snow

ball's chance in hell'. With no opposition in the legislature

they can pretty well do what they want.

[snakeman]

If BC is anything like Alberta it'll be easy enough to beat the system and buy a resident license and tags

[maxwell]

it all depends dude i know of soem people who have tried but from waht i know u must be living there for atleast 3 months, need a b.c. plate and registered car and a mailing address... it can be done but its not like going there givin a fake name address n getting a liscence....

[snakeman]

I wish Alberta was that strict. When I worked at Canadian Tire they would sell year long resident licenses to anyone.

[hydropsyche]

Ah. The AMP raises its ugly head again.

 

As some wise man said (I think it was Dr. Phil about spoiled brats): "They do it because it works".

 

But it sounds like they are getting even better. Guided clients will get priority. Beautiful. The rest of you can fight over the crumbs. "Let them eat cake".

 

The next thing you know, they will be claiming its all about the fish.

 

 

[SilverDoctor]

Basically a focused minority wanting the resource for themselves. You must have a guide. Well I know many of the areas very well having grown up in that province and fished it's waters from childhood. It will be interesting to see if there is a drop in Alberta tourism as a result. Especially with the economy the way it, is the market may get too squeezed. I own property in BC have a mailing address. Pay taxes out there but still don't get a break.

[orvisonly]

I think this was overdue. Too many Albertans are plundering BC resources without fair compensation to the local residents.

 

I don't agree that this is meant to disuade Albertans from fishing the river. In fact the tourism BC website has the following to say on the subject:

 

We are Glad tO have Friendly toUrists from the east Come to the sKeena. YOU aRe alwayS wELcome to Fish here ALBERTA".

[SanJuanWorm]

ROFL.

[Harps]

I think this was overdue. Too many Albertans are plundering BC resources without fair compensation to the local residents.

 

I don't agree that this is meant to disuade Albertans from fishing the river. In fact the tourism BC website has the following to say on the subject:

 

We are Glad tO have Friendly toUrists from the east Come to the sKeena. YOU aRe alwayS wELcome to Fish here ALBERTA".

 

Doesn't matter what they do on the Skeena now... This post made my day!!!

[Whistler]

find my post about half way down:

 

http://speypages.com/speyclave/showthread....0954&page=4

 

the SSBC meeting is on November 30th for anyone that is interested.

 

Brian Niska

[reevesr1]

I think this was overdue. Too many Albertans are plundering BC resources without fair compensation to the local residents.

 

I don't agree that this is meant to disuade Albertans from fishing the river. In fact the tourism BC website has the following to say on the subject:

 

We are Glad tO have Friendly toUrists from the east Come to the sKeena. YOU aRe alwayS wELcome to Fish here ALBERTA".

 

And I thought I was sarcastic!

[Jayhad]

it all depends dude i know of soem people who have tried but from waht i know u must be living there for atleast 3 months, need a b.c. plate and registered car and a mailing address... it can be done but its not like going there givin a fake name address n getting a liscence....

When I was there over thanksgiving, they guy at the tackle shop looked at me and said "Do you want to use your parents address, it will be way cheaper?" I responded with hell ya.

You don't need a car or a BC plate, think about that for a second, you can't restrict fishing to those that have a car.

 

Anyways if it goes to *hit, I will happily spend my BC Steelhead budget on trips to Belieze or any other tropical fishing destination. If you are a do-it-yourself kind of guy like I am there isn't much difference in the cost.

[SilverDoctor]

Should read:

We are Glad to have Friendly tourists from the east Come to the sKeena. YOU aRe always weLcome to bring in Alberta money.

 

 

[loyaleddie]

We are Glad tO have Friendly toUrists from the east Come to the sKeena. YOU aRe alwayS wELcome to Fish here ALBERTA".

 

 

 

 

Classic!!!!!!

[hydropsyche]

Should read:

YOU aRe always weLcome to bring in Alberta money.

 

..but only if you are hiring a guide....

[mvdaog]

Its just as easy to get a resident BC license as AB... trust me...

[hydropsyche]

Thats not the point. It would technically be poaching.

[snakeman]

That would just be sticking it to the man, with no environmental repercussions.

[mvdaog]

That would be ignoring imaginary lines drawn on a map that are backed up only by ink scribbles on paper, while practicing catch and release fishing and supporting the local tourism/fishing industry......... while enjoying my life and the earth that I was born into......

[hydropsyche]

The rebel punk in me agrees.....the old man "I wouldn't last a day in jail" doesn't.

[mvdaog]

Hahaha the guilty white man in me says we stole it from another people anyways.... I can't stand private property... Especially vast stretches of forest and river. IF im NOT destroying any of the environment or killing the animals, and Im NOT camping there (usually lol), whats wrong with me walking through there... o well a topic for another thread. I think it's prolly a good thing if they limit the fishing up there. I for one won't bother to care what laws they make - Ill go when I feel like it. But its probably good for the fish who knows.

[headscan]

That would just be sticking it to the man, with no environmental repercussions.

But there might be environmental repercussions. I think that a non-resident angler from another province pays a higher fee because they don't pay provincial taxes, some of which go back into the environment. A non-resident angler from another country pays an even higher fee because they don't pay provincial or federal taxes. So you would be taxing the resource without contributing as much to the protection and maintenance of that resource. I'm not 100% positive that this is how it works, so someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Sure the Skeena AMP sucks, but screwing the system doesn't make it right. Instead, fill out the response form and petition so that it isn't implemented:

http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/ske/qws/feedback/

http://www.opposeskeenaamp.com

 

(Thanks to pkk for providing the links)