Fish and Wildlife vs Conservation officer

[kurthunter]

I've been checked by both doing the exact same thing. What's the difference between them and now I hear that Fish and Wildlife officers are Sheriffs?

Any insight would be great!

[Sako123]

Alberta Conservation officers are actually Park Rangers and have been wrongly titled for many years. This stems back to 2001 in the failed and short lived amalgamation of fish and wildlife officers and park rangers into the title conservation officer.

After the failed amalgation in 2002 each returned to their original mandate. Fish and wildlife officers went back to their original title and it was the expectation that park rangers would do likewise. They did not and it has been a confusion ever since. A very embarrassing situation for Alberta.

Fish and wildlife officers have the provincial mandate for all fisheries and wildlife legislation. The North American definition of Conversation officer. They are now situated within the Sherriff branch of Justice and Solicitor General. They maintain a distinct conservation enforcement mandate from other areas of the Sherriff branch. They are where a professional law enforcement agency should be.

parks conservation officers have the mandate for provincial parks and public land legislation. Like 14 day random camping and trail monitoring. They are under parks and environment.

[thumper]

Very thorough explanation - thanks Sako

[Sako123]

Your welcome. There has also been a recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between parks and JSG that entrenched the mandate of fish and wildlife officers to represent Alberta as the sole responsibility to deliver all federal and provincial fisheries and wildlife legislation enforcement through out the province on all lands, including in all provincial parks and protected areas.

Parks “conservation officers” may help out fish and wildlife officers when required as they are incidentally ex officio appointed but they will not conduct any independent investigations. They will concentrate on provincial parks campgrounds and public land use monitoring.

[Bergerboy]

Alberta Conservation officers are actually Park Rangers and have been wrongly titled for many years. This stems back to 2001 in the failed and short lived amalgamation of fish and wildlife officers and park rangers into the title conservation officer.

After the failed amalgation in 2002 each returned to their original mandate. Fish and wildlife officers went back to their original title and it was the expectation that park rangers would do likewise. They did not and it has been a confusion ever since. A very embarrassing situation for Alberta.

Fish and wildlife officers have the provincial mandate for all fisheries and wildlife legislation. The North American definition of Conversation officer. They are now situated within the Sherriff branch of Justice and Solicitor General. They maintain a distinct conservation enforcement mandate from other areas of the Sherriff branch. They are where a professional law enforcement agency should be.

parks conservation officers have the mandate for provincial parks and public land legislation. Like 14 day random camping and trail monitoring. They are under parks and environment.

Very interesting! I kinda got the run down from an officer this hunting season and it does seem strange. I dont think its actually an embarrassing situation because I dont think anyone really cares.

[EZM]

Very interesting! I kinda got the run down from an officer this hunting season and it does seem strange. I dont think its actually an embarrassing situation because I dont think anyone really cares.

Agreed - except when empire building, egos, and clawing for funding get in the way of self preservation ....

This truly is a strange arrangement here