Fishermen battle Canada's largest ranch

[Arachnodisiac]

This is an interesting story. (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/04/04/bc-fishing-ranch-dispute.html)

Fishermen are trying to raise money to sue the American owner of Canada's largest working ranch to access a lake and Crown lands.

The issue seems to be that because the original lake was altered and stocked, the B.C. government now sees it as privately-owned. I would like to know how big the lake was initially, and when it was altered.

Certainly, this would be a complicated one for the courts to sort out.

What's your take on it?

[Lornce]

I know the lakes in question, they are not very big but have been good producers. I fished them in the 60's and 70's. They had a great shrimp population and where never stocked but had a natural rainbow population along with eh small spring creeks that run into them. Funny that they should say the trout are private just because they added a few. Sounds like a nasty fight.

[C Taylor]

Sounds like a clear case of illegal stocking of public waters

[Okotokian]

Sounds like a clear case of illegal stocking of public waters

Ranch admits at least part of the lake is public and also admits stocking it. Seems open and shut to me. Amazing BC is backing the foreign billionaire against their own citizen's rights. I'd expect more of taht in Alberta than BC.

Public road to a public resource suddenly become private? Is Vander Zalm involved in this? LOL

I'd think that as a high profile owner this fellow might be vulnerable to a little pressure and publicity. Next time the AVs are in Vancouver protesters should be outside, create a little heat.