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03-07-2012, 10:18 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,349
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Fish and Wildlife officers bust illegal fish-trafficking ring
News Release
March 7, 2012
Fish and Wildlife officers bust illegal fish-trafficking ring
Operation lasting three and a half years concludes with charges laid
Edmonton... Twenty-seven individuals from Pigeon Lake, Wetaskiwin, Camrose, Rimbey and Edmonton have been charged with 72 counts under the Fisheries (Alberta) Act. Charges include the unlawful sale and purchase of walleye and whitefish.
Court dates have been set for May. The maximum penalty for illegally killing, buying or selling fish under the Fisheries (Alberta) Act is a $100,000 fine and one year in jail.
Fish and Wildlife Enforcement launched the three-and-a-half-year investigation in 2008 after officers in Wetaskiwin received confidential information about illegal buying and selling of fish in the Pigeon Lake area.
The individuals accused are not associated with the legal commercial fishing industry. The charges allege the accused formed an underground network of illegal buyers and sellers to avoid detection by authorities. This type of illegal activity poses a serious threat to Alberta’s fish populations and harms the legitimate commercial fishing industry.
Anyone with information that would assist in solving any fish or wildlife crime in Alberta is asked to contact a local Alberta government Fish and Wildlife Enforcement office or call the toll-free Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800. The Report A Poacher line is open 24 hours. Anyone who provides information can remain anonymous and could qualify for a reward.
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Respecting the land, water, fish, and wildlife is what makes true hunters and fishermen.
Road hunting is not hunting.
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03-07-2012, 10:28 AM
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Calgary
Posts: 1,769
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Best news in a long time!
Congrats to the people involved for uncovering this and laying charges.
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03-07-2012, 10:33 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 12,078
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Any names or Pictures? 
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03-07-2012, 10:43 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: edmonton
Posts: 1,087
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That's right poachers! It may not come today,tomorrow,or next month........but its coming! Pay up! 
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 NO BAD WEATHER, JUST BAD GEAR!!
Remember 99.8% of fishin gear is ment to catch fishermen....not fish!!
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03-07-2012, 10:49 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,154
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Shame on those people!!! I am glad they were busted.
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03-07-2012, 10:59 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,020
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good to hear...
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"If I could not hunt... The only thing left... I guess would be to die." - Phil Robertson -
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03-07-2012, 11:40 AM
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 859
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Best news I have heard all day. good job to F&W as well!
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If there is fishing in heaven, I hope I don't catch one on every cast.
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03-07-2012, 11:47 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 874
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gold mini van ?
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03-07-2012, 12:31 PM
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,844
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Quote:
Originally Posted by darius
gold mini van ?
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hope so!
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03-07-2012, 12:38 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 147
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Hang em....get the rope. (not physically hang) but i would agree with letting every single person who bought a fishing license and followed the law to give them each a swift kick in the nuts, because thats what it feels like they did to me by taking my potential fishing fun
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03-07-2012, 12:58 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: down by the river
Posts: 11,428
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Would like to see the maximum penalty applied.
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03-07-2012, 01:01 PM
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,291
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Poaching
Here is a photo of some of the fish F&W has recovered. What a waste... 
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 Poisson,tyee, reba, pesci, sakana, samakeh, fische, machri,enfisk, mool gogi, vissen, peixes, fish chasseur ( hunter )!  Western Canadian Walleye Trail Sponsor 2013-2014.
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03-07-2012, 01:01 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Quesnel BC Canada
Posts: 5,603
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Amazing it took 3 1/2 years to get enough evidence to put a stop to it???? Sure makes a fellow wonder why it takes so long.
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03-07-2012, 01:01 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 635
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I suspect someone may have been exercising their constitutional rights here. Thus no names, even fewer details - which always raises suspicions.
If that be the case, you can expect this one to go sideways real quick.
Just a hunch.
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03-07-2012, 01:11 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Posts: 1,353
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CanuckShooter
Amazing it took 3 1/2 years to get enough evidence to put a stop to it???? Sure makes a fellow wonder why it takes so long.
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Make sure you have an overwhelming amount of evidence for court and gives you an opportunity to bust as many people involved as possible. For the time, effort, and money it takes to bust these people - I would imagine they want to make sure the charges stick.
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03-07-2012, 01:11 PM
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 1,291
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil Waugh
I suspect someone may have been exercising their constitutional rights here. Thus no names, even fewer details - which always raises suspicions.
If that be the case, you can expect this one to go sideways real quick.
Just a hunch.
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I like to know where and when they will appear in court. I think that the investigation took so long due to the amount of people involved.
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Poisson,tyee, reba, pesci, sakana, samakeh, fische, machri,enfisk, mool gogi, vissen, peixes, fish chasseur ( hunter )! Western Canadian Walleye Trail Sponsor 2013-2014.
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03-07-2012, 01:18 PM
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Rocky View County AB.
Posts: 3,561
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil Waugh
I suspect someone may have been exercising their constitutional rights here. Thus no names, even fewer details - which always raises suspicions.
If that be the case, you can expect this one to go sideways real quick.
Just a hunch.
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F&W caught some of the buggers a few years back at Crawling Valley with 2 12ft. boats draging a net between em and then taking the catch to a van on the shore that had a power plant running a few freezers.
Sad part of the whole deal is they will be back at the lakes and rivers tomorrow and the next day and the next day tickets or not.
Max fine and jail time is the only answer, that and letting us fisherman have the option of spending some time alone with the little buggers.
Last edited by lilsundance; 03-07-2012 at 11:50 PM.
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03-07-2012, 01:24 PM
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Calgary
Posts: 214
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That's frustrating for sure. Still, kudos to F&W on a job well done.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CanuckShooter
Amazing it took 3 1/2 years to get enough evidence to put a stop to it???? Sure makes a fellow wonder why it takes so long.
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03-07-2012, 01:46 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: down by the river
Posts: 11,428
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TROLLER
Don't want to be accused of ratial profiling here but anyone wanna bet the last names are of those who not only enjoy poaching then claiming they no unnerstan engli but also love eating egg foo yung.
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If you don't want to be accused of racial "profiling", ie racism.
Just don't do it.
I've seen a lot more of your caucasian kin folk poaching in this province than I have any 'new Canadians'.
Ignorance is a characteristic of ignorant people, not of any particular race or creed.
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03-07-2012, 01:53 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 3,552
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeeGuy
If you don't want to be accused of racial "profiling", ie racism.
Just don't do it.
I've seen a lot more of your caucasian kin folk poaching in this province than I have any 'new Canadians'.
Ignorance is a characteristic of ignorant people, not of any particular race or creed.
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03-07-2012, 01:54 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: FISHING!
Posts: 1,892
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeeGuy
If you don't want to be accused of racial "profiling", ie racism.
Just don't do it.
I've seen a lot more of your caucasian kin folk poaching in this province than I have any 'new Canadians'.
Ignorance is a characteristic of ignorant people, not of any particular race or creed.
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I have seen WAY more "new canadians" Poaching... I see it numerous times every year, all over the place. Don't get me wrong, I've seen white folk poaching too, but the way of life overseas is different and they bring it here with them. Eating fish is an every day occurrence in a lot of places, and some people just can't give that up. I am in no way racist, BY ANY MEANS, but its the truth. The Asian Community consumes a lot more fish than most. Everyone knows that, and if you don't think so than your lying to yourself.
Regardless, props to F&W. I hope those bastards get what's coming to them.
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03-07-2012, 01:58 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: down by the river
Posts: 11,428
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitarplayingfish
I have seen WAY more "new canadians" Poaching... I see it numerous times every year, all over the place. Don't get me wrong, I've seen white folk poaching too, but the way of life overseas is different and they bring it here with them. Eating fish is an every day occurrence in a lot of places, and some people just can't give that up. I am in no way racist, BY ANY MEANS, but its the truth. The Asian Community consumes a lot more fish than most. Everyone knows that, and if you don't think so than your lying to yourself.
Regardless, props to F&W. I hope those bastards get what's coming to them.
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Well then, I hope for the sake of assumptions, that these 27 poachers turn out to be asian.
Charges have been laid, so their names should be available to those that would like to confirm their suspicions before throwing around wild accusations.
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03-07-2012, 02:02 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: FISHING!
Posts: 1,892
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I wasn't throwing around accusations.. I don't know who was charged, nor do I know what ethnicity.. NOR DO I CARE... What matters is that they were caught. I was simply stating from my fishing experiences in Alberta what I have noticed and my belief of why... No reason to get all sensitive here Beeguy, I mean no harm, and I certainly have not done any accusing.
Last edited by lilsundance; 03-07-2012 at 11:51 PM.
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03-07-2012, 02:06 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: down by the river
Posts: 11,428
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Fair enough.
I respectfully disagree with your observations.
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03-07-2012, 02:22 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 9,677
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I would like to see names of the poachers published wether its 1 fish or a ring like this one. I dont care if it's white guys, asians or anyone else. Let us know who these people are. Glad they were caught, lets hope for a judge that swings a big stick.
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03-07-2012, 02:24 PM
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Gone Hunting
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Between Bodo and a hard place
Posts: 20,168
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sooner
I would like to see names of the poachers published wether its 1 fish or a ring like this one. I dont care if it's white guys, asians or anyone else. Let us know who these people are. Glad they were caught, lets hope for a judge that swings a big stick.
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X2
With pics
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I'm not lying!!! You are just experiencing it differently. 
It isn't a question of who will allow me, but who will stop me.. Ayn Rand
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03-07-2012, 02:27 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: down by the river
Posts: 11,428
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sooner
I would like to see names of the poachers published wether its 1 fish or a ring like this one. I dont care if it's white guys, asians or anyone else. Let us know who these people are. Glad they were caught, lets hope for a judge that swings a big stick.
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Agree. With pics.
A public shaming is a great way to discourage thieves and other low-lifes.
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03-07-2012, 02:44 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 3,821
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i like stories like this....im always the guy who shakes the CO's hand after he checks my fish and boat and says how nice it is to see them out protecting our resource...wish i saw them everytime i was out.
it gets tiring playing by the rules and watching others crap all over them with only a wrist slap as a consequence.
no matter what ethnic group they are from i hope they get max penalties....which, sadly, are most likely not enough to deter them from future offenses...but still.
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03-07-2012, 02:48 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: parts unknown
Posts: 213
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I couldnt be happier about this bust.....Not going to get into the racial stuff but white,black,asian,hutterites,brown what ever.
PHONE THEM IN!!!!!!
Report a poacher program offers rewards for your help!!
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C.P.R. (CATCH PHOTOGRAPH RELEASE) LEGENDS BREED LEGENDS
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03-07-2012, 02:51 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: FISHING!
Posts: 1,892
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T
i like stories like this....im always the guy who shakes the CO's hand after he checks my fish and boat and says how nice it is to see them out protecting our resource...wish i saw them everytime i was out.
it gets tiring playing by the rules and watching others crap all over them with only a wrist slap as a consequence.
no matter what ethnic group they are from i hope they get max penalties....which, sadly, are most likely not enough to deter them from future offenses...but still.
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I try to be that guy too.. But last year I had a dick of a CO give me a ticket for having my license in my vehicle 20-30 ft away from me... I am glad co's are out and protecting our resources, but a few of them need to learn not to treat everyone like a criminal right off the get go... I've been hassled 1 or 2 times by ******* cops, and its not fun.. especially when I do everything in my power to obey the regulations every time I go out.
back to the thread, I hope these guys get Jail time, and maximum fine. There are too many slaps on the wrist for stuff like this, your right.
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