Informational pamphlet for newbs
 

Hi guys, With seeing fish and wildlife more and more on the NSR ticketing people who don't know the rules (good on them btw), I was wondering if there was somewhere I could get a bunch of leaflets with the basic fishing laws.

I know there are a lot of people who are trying it for the first time and are ignorant to the law, I try my best to educate people, but handing them a leaflet would be a lot easier.

AAAND I am not defending ignorance of the law, just trying to help

Why not just get a copy of the regs. They are free for anyone that wants one and should be given out when buying a license.

What should be stamped on the licence in huge bold letters is: read the Regulations before you start fishing.:)

They can even add a smily face

Wouldn't be hard to make one.

2 page document for a double sided pamphlet, formatted horizontally so it can be folded twice (3 panels) put some walleye pictures, and some city pictures on it to fill space. A short introduction, an exert of the regs for the NSR, fish handling instructions, some sort of notice on barbed hooks (yes they're legal, but info should be presented on how to de-barb if/when law changes), and in big bold letters PACK IT IN PACK IT OUT.

could probably get 1000 made at a print shop for a pretty reasonable price. I'll pitch in if you do.

Fishing regulations there your friend .
 

heres what you need to know

http://www.albertaregulations.ca/fishingregs/

Informational pamphlet...lol

I know the OP means well, but as others have said:

READ THE REGS NEWBS!

There is no such thing as a short introduction to the regs. People would look at it, maybe or maybe not read it, probably assume that its the only regualtions and go about there merry way and likely continue to break the regulations becasue they didint care to read the actual fishing regulations in first place.

The intention is good, but there is already a document in place, the problem is getting the rule breakers to actually read it in the first place.

After this post I decided to add a link to the regulations in my signature.

Here's a link to alberta outdoor regulations...

Choose your activity and enlighten yourself.

http://www.albertaregulations.ca/

Thanks for all the tips guys! In a lot of cases I find, it's curious people from different places in the world and regulations on fish and wildlife is a foreign concept. A little info goes a long way, and I believe as responsible fisherman its also our job to help spread responsibility. A lot of the rule breakers are just ignorant to the fact fishing is regulated. You can teach a man to fish, but teach him responsibly and you can keep fishing. Wild and free, pm me. I'm on my phone and its really tedious.

Good idea to help spread the word on the regulations.

Not sure if it's really practical though. If you start handing out pamphlets with only a portion of the rules printed on it, SRD may have something to say about that.

You may be better off just getting some of the "Report a Poacher" business cards and hand them to people after you ask people to read the regulations (of which they should have a copy of) for the portion of water they are fishing, and if they see any infractions, to call the phone # on the card and report it.

It's possible that it may be a risky thing to do, no matter which way you decide to go. Talking to a person on the riverbank that has had a few drinks and knows everything before they even started drinking could have bad consequences.

Just make sure to state that this is an information pamphlet provided by concerned citizens. Have SRD and/or a F&W officer look it over. Provide information in it to where to find the regulations (which are not legal documents, but an information pamphlet as the Act is the final word and not the regs book) in print and online. have the RAPP number in it, and numbers for the local SRD and F&W.

He's looking for something to hand out to people on the NSR to help them. So long as the information presented is clear and concise then I see it as a good thing. It's a way for the public to reduce the level of ignorance, and to reduce the burden on SRD for education promoting a smaller government with more effective public participation.

To all you guys saying 'read the regs' You should really be saying read any and all appropriate Acts in regards to the use of land, water, roadways, as well as environmental protection legislation, the migratory birds act, and the F&W Act on the provincial and federal levels. I'm sure there's a few other Acts the average fisherman should be fully aware of too, but I'm no lawyer.

He is right
 

You or I may not find it the least bit intimidating to find and read the relevant regs. In fact it is now easier than ever, on-line, to quickly zero in on the special regs for any particular water body. But anyone who is "literacy challenged", generally or in English, does not find it so easy. Just look at the number of threads and inquiries on AO that have a very easy and clear answer in the regs (?). They can type a semi-coherent inquiry, but can't find the accessible and clear answer via google or the government sites?
One problem I see is that when one buys a license, at most places, the retailer does not, and is not required to, deliver a copy of the current regs to the buyer. Even at the specialty stores, generally, one has to actually ask for this.
Whether you see it or not, the comprehensive version of the regs are relatively complicated and intimidating in terms of interpretation, to the "average" person.
Now, I'm not at all confident that this would deter many of the ignorant, or deter the deliberate poachers, or improve their practices in terms of handling, etc., but if some volunteer, with their own energy and money, wants to try it ...? If it even made a small dent in the level of apparent current ignorance, it would be a triumph.

I have to agree with the others.

If they don't read the regs, a pamphlet with a condensed version of the regs would probably not get read or it would be taken as all one needs to know.

I don't think it would work.

It's good that you are concerned enough to try to come up with something to help new comers.
I think the best we can do in that regard is to be patient with them and carefully explain that reading the regulations pamphlet is ultra important.

Great things are accomplished with small steps. I'm all for this initiative. If 1000 are printed and handed out and only 100 people read and follow them, that's far better then them continuing in ignorance.

To those saying it won't work, all I want to know is have you tried it? Shouldn't say something won't work unless you've actually made an attempt at it. If this won't work, and the constant mantra of read the regs doesn't work what will?

To be perfectly honest with you, reading legislation intimidates me. So many comma's, so much ambiguity and different connotation applied to the English there, plus references to previous and future sections... Takes me a while to at least think I actually understand what's been put down.

Don't forget that if you hand out 1000 pamphlets, many of them will just become litter for us enthusiasts to pick up. I think if you're willing to spend some time and money then a couple permanent signs at popular access points would help more than the pamphlets. Kudos for wanting to help, at the very least this thread has got people thinking of other ideas.

Pamphlets become litter, signs become canvas for graffiti artists and vandals tagging.

You can see the negative or you can see the positive.

Im a huge hater on litter, I usually take a garbage bag a day out of our protected areas, BUT at least with paper, it degrades, its the plastic and whatnot thats the real problem. I just leave paper goods behind to go back to the ground.

but also once again, guys thanks for your input. I still plan on making whatever difference I can, ignorance or not

Sorry but I have to chime in on this one:)

Ignorance is not an excuse...If I went over seas or to another country, I would make sure I checked into regulations and fees before fishing any where...just like anyone coming to Canada...If you choose to fish and hunt, they should know there are rules to anything they choose to do..

Remember: Google is your best friend:bad_boys_20:

See, you come from Canada, WHERE there is regulations, many countries do not as they have worse problems to deal with. I agree ignorance is not an excuse, but it's still a reason. I think we should open our minds more and realize not everyone was raised and schooled like the average westerner :P

Poaching is a big problem and affects all of here in Alberta...

I want my kids to have the opportunities that I currently enjoy and if foreigners choose to live here in the westeren world, they need to read up on any laws they need to follow...End of story....

I say Foreigners because of your post...But really anybody including Canadian citizens, Americans, foreigners Etc...

Sorry, just to add...Alberta Regulations are pretty accesible...Find out the section of Alberta and the water you plan to fish...It is all there to read..

even though I usually know the regs of the lake I am going too, I still double check them to ensure I am in the right...LOL

Have you read the Motor Vehicles Act, or the Income Tax Act?

???????....You compare that to the fishing regs book? Just curious...

I think you quoted my other post!

You need to follow those laws, so have you read them?

Income Tax Act is an interesting 2499 page document to read... which after signing your T1 form you've declared that you have in fact read and understand it.

Your kidding Right? Income tax documents compared to Alberta Fishing Regs!

Come on......PP2 Regs...5 pages..Which lake or pond? Limit, size, etc..

5 Pages... Not page two thousand, four hundred and ninety nine:)

Remember reading the section in the regs that states that if there is a discrepancy between the regs book and the act, that act applies?

Have you at least read that Act?

You can't say they have to follow and read laws if you yourself haven't. That's called hypocrisy.

Too much information to easily put on a pamphlet.

All you can do is inform a person if they are doing something illegal and recommend that they check over rules in regulations book or online(easy to have an extra copy handy to give them as well if they don't have one).

If you know a person is breaking law on purpose(don't listen when you say it is illegal or if it is just obvious) then report them.

I actually find the Alberta printed regulations to be very difficult and annoying to read. More of an advertisement booklet then set of regulations... Online version is much easier to read over though since it doesn't have all the unnecessary crap thrown in.

Alberta could learn a lot from reading through Sask's old regs book on how to make things clear and concise which would help a lot imo. Hopefully they don't pull the same crap Sask did this year and make it so you have to buy license and view regs etc online...

I fish at a lake, river, pond Etc...I read the fishing regs and I am set...Really, do I have to read the Fishing Act...Why? Too read a bunch of malarkey that does not apply to me what so ever...After fishing 30 years myself or someone fishing their first time...Does not matter....If you are going fishing for the first time...read the regs, ask questions...On a forum, or a friend...Google..Etc..

Because the Regs book is not the law, the act is the law. There have been misprints in the regs book before, and the act changes from time to time as well sometimes it's after the regs book has already been printed and if you're not closely monitoring what the gov't is doing then you can be breaking the law by following the regs book.

K...Thanks

I will keep that in mind:)