Fish and Wildlife

[yada]

so, i went to McGregor Lake res, didnt get anything but saw a guy keeping walleyes, so i called F&W and they said they'll be on it.

Are they gonna call me back?
As a fish lover, i want them to get fined because i find it stupid that some people just can't follow simples rules.

oh plus the regulation book says there is a reward. What is it? Hope it is bug relepent because McGregor was FULL of bugs!

[alodar]

They wont nessicarily fill you in unfortunately

[Mish@]

Always report people. The reward is money. The officers carry 50 dollar bills. one of my friend reported one guy and he got caught gaught for keeping too many fish, fish that were too big, and for not using barbless hooks and he got $180 for it Always do it - Saves the environment aand gets you extra cash

[alodar]

Ive reported many people and mever recieved anything and many times theyve showed up while im still there tickets have been issued and my spot has been cleared out a few times i never ever jrard of them handing out cash is there any ifno i can get to become informed on it

[marlin1]

we also received a cash reward 15 years ago or so for guys fishing the closed Bow , it's worth it without any reward IMO .

[yada]

They called me back and they said, if he goes to court , i would need to testify

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by yada

They called me back and they said, if he goes to court , i would need to testify

If you can't or don't want to go to court....

You could likely provide a notorized statement instead of attending as a witness.

As well, the Report a Poacher hotline provides an ability to remain anonymous.

http://www.ab-conservation.com/go/de...ort-a-poacher/

All information about the caller is kept completely confidential. A caller can remain anonymous and still qualify for a reward. If the information you provide leads to an arrest, you may qualify for a reward.

It sounds like you weren't there when the officer arrived. He/she either has sufficient evidence to lay charges or they do not.

The officer can lay charges regardless of your attendance in court. Tell the officer to press charges if he/she feels there is sufficient evidence.

[Fishfinder]

Good job reporting him.
Guy I was fishing beside the other day said FnW gave him $400 in fines. They performed the "sweater test" on his pinched barbs.... they were not pinched enough and failed so, $200 fine per hook. They never charged him for the open booze and happy smoke he had on him though, just took it from him

[yada]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

If you can't or don't want to go to court....

You could likely provide a notorized statement instead of attending as a witness.

As well, the Report a Poacher hotline provides an ability to remain anonymous.

http://www.ab-conservation.com/go/de...ort-a-poacher/




It sounds like you weren't there when the officer arrived. He/she either has sufficient evidence to lay charges or they do not.

The officer can lay charges regardless of your attendance in court. Tell the officer to press charges if he/she feels there is sufficient evidence.

thanks, i really dont want to go to court becasue of many reasons, first is i can't drive yet so ill be hard to get there, also i have school

[yada]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

Good job reporting him.
Guy I was fishing beside the other day said FnW gave him $400 in fines. They performed the "sweater test" on his pinched barbs.... they were not pinched enough and failed so, $200 fine per hook. They never charged him for the open booze and happy smoke he had on him though, just took it from him

that sucks, especaily if the barb was almost completely gone but it still got hooked on a little bit by one thread.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Originally Posted by yada

so, i went to McGregor Lake res, didnt get anything but saw a guy keeping walleyes, so i called F&W and they said they'll be on it.

Are they gonna call me back?
As a fish lover, i want them to get fined because i find it stupid that some people just can't follow simples rules.

oh plus the regulation book says there is a reward. What is it? Hope it is bug relepent because McGregor was FULL of bugs!

They have your information that is if you decided to leave it with them . If you qualify for the reward you will receive it , if not you wont .

Its sad that Fish and Wildlife has to use money from the licenses and fines to be given as reward money . I think if people need to be given a reward for doing the right thing there's something more wrong with faith in humanity then there ever was before . Myself have been submitted many times for reward money I refuse to take it . I simply say put the money into more officers to patrol , or into information , etc . Not to reward me for calling there hot line because some idiot is a poacher .

[5Weight]

Originally Posted by BIGBADJOHN

Its sad that Fish and Wildlife has to use money from the licenses and fines to be given as reward money . I think if people need to be given a reward for doing the right thing there's something more wrong with faith in humanity then there ever was before . Myself have been submitted many times for reward money I refuse to take it . I simply say put the money into more officers to patrol , or into information , etc . Not to reward me for calling there hot line because some idiot is a poacher .

x2

[ronnyboy]

I have heard of rewards being given after court appearances

[ronnyboy]

[QUOTE=ronnyboy;950108]I have heard of rewards being given after court appearances

[ronnyboy]

I have heard of rewards being given,but only after appearing in court to testify

[lone wolf]

Originally Posted by BIGBADJOHN

Its sad that Fish and Wildlife has to use money from the licenses and fines to be given as reward money . I think if people need to be given a reward for doing the right thing there's something more wrong with faith in humanity then there ever was before . Myself have been submitted many times for reward money I refuse to take it . I simply say put the money into more officers to patrol , or into information , etc . Not to reward me for calling there hot line because some idiot is a poacher .

Very well said BBJ !!

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by BIGBADJOHN

They have your information that is if you decided to leave it with them . If you qualify for the reward you will receive it , if not you wont .

Its sad that Fish and Wildlife has to use money from the licenses and fines to be given as reward money . I think if people need to be given a reward for doing the right thing there's something more wrong with faith in humanity then there ever was before . Myself have been submitted many times for reward money I refuse to take it . I simply say put the money into more officers to patrol , or into information , etc . Not to reward me for calling there hot line because some idiot is a poacher .

I completly agree that the reward should not be the reason for reporting poachers.

However, I do suggest that you take the reward. Donate the funds to a good conservation group, or buy some equiptment for a needy kid.

The reward money sitting in a government account does not help conserve wildlife. Like most government programs, if the money is not spent, then the gov. may decide to reduce the amount of funding available to this program in the future.

The Report-a-Poacher program is recieving more calls every year, and the number of convictions is dropping every year. The public needs to pressure the government to follow through with these reports. Requesting updates on your complaints, and collecting the reward money when offered will remind the government that this program is important.

[pickrel pat]

Originally Posted by BIGBADJOHN

They have your information that is if you decided to leave it with them . If you qualify for the reward you will receive it , if not you wont .

Its sad that Fish and Wildlife has to use money from the licenses and fines to be given as reward money . I think if people need to be given a reward for doing the right thing there's something more wrong with faith in humanity then there ever was before . Myself have been submitted many times for reward money I refuse to take it . I simply say put the money into more officers to patrol , or into information , etc . Not to reward me for calling there hot line because some idiot is a poacher .

honest people will always call it in to RAP without a reward.......now...... offer a reward and even the poachers are turning in other poachers.........(there own selfishness and greed works against them, as now they are snitching on each other....... the reward thing probably helps catch a few more poachers ). its a good idea.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Fishfinder

Good job reporting him.
Guy I was fishing beside the other day said FnW gave him $400 in fines. They performed the "sweater test" on his pinched barbs.... they were not pinched enough and failed so, $200 fine per hook.

I heard the courts are throwing out the tickets for barbed hooks if it was evident the fishermen made a honest attempt to pinch the barb. The court is not expecting perfection that some officers are demanding.

[ninimaafan]

From a legal perspective, two things:

1. A notarized statement will NOT be sufficient should your evidence be required in trial. An accused (or their lawyer) has a right to cross examine any witness on their evidence. You cannot cross-examine a sworn statement. The officer may appear in court should he/she have actually observed the offence and refer to your sworn statement as grounds for originally approaching the accused... but in those circumstances the sworn statement isn't really required anyway.

2. I totally agree about the attempt to pinch a barb being sufficient for a defence. There is a defence to any provincial offence (vs. criminal offences which are federal) of "due dilligence". It essentially says if you made a genuine effort to comply with the law and ended up breaking it anyway, the crown cannot satisfy their burden of proof to convict you. It would be the same thing as if you kept an undersized fish based on a tape measure with faulty measurements - you tried but you ended up breaking the law.

I will now require $500 for the members for that legal opinion.

[pikester]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

I heard the courts are throwing out the tickets for barbed hooks if it was evident the fishermen made a honest attempt to pinch the barb. The court is not expecting perfection that some officers are demanding.

Good to hear that some common sense can prevail. Last weekend on Newell I had 3 brand new lures in my box. First thing I did as my buddy was running across the lake was pull out the pliers & crimp the barbs on those lures; problem was a couple of those hooks were pretty darn big & the barbs just broke off instead of flattening down. Not a real big deal since every fish I released was easily unhooked in the water with a quick twist of the wrist but they likely wouldn't have passed a "sweater test"!