[Lornce]

Years ago, I helped Trout Unlimited install regulation signs along trout streams. Sadly, most did not last more than a couple of years, either shot to pieces or sawed/knocked down.

Seems to be an attitude with some campers on catch and release waters of “well we’ll only catch a couple to eat or let the kids taste fresh fish”. Not realizing that stocking does not happen on most Trout streams in Alberta. They are taking next year's spawners. And leave nothing for stock. The attitude of I’ll only take a couple of magnified times the number of uneducated outdoor users might be more than our Stream can take. Poaching is not always a greedy individual filling a freezer but uneducated people doing stupid things.

Finding more and more worm containers and evidence of poached fish (all reported) in areas where camping is heavy. There is also much more garbage and less respect for the land than ever before.

Last week while fly fishing through a campground I gathered a crowd of various ages and did an impromptu lecture for about an hour and a half about the stream ecosystem with lots of questions applause at the end (I’ve often given talks at sportsman and fly-fishing shows). Wish we had the funds to have people do this for the public. I believe it would help.