Hello,
I am not sure if this has been discussed on this forum before, but even if it has the timing is appropriate to cover it again. I came accross a thread on an ice-fishing site that hit a sore spot with me:
http://forums.fishontario.com/thread.jspa?threadID=29356&tstart=30. The scenario is an individual asking for advice on what to do when witnessing a blatant poaching situation. I have seen dozens of similar violations over my 30+ years of fishing but have never reported them to the authorities. Enough is enough. Some of it is ignorance of the rules (new Cdn citizens) while some are blatant, pre-meditated actions.
Examples:
1) At Hogs Back Falls in Ottawa I've seen people/individuals fishing the area and keeping ANY sized game fish they catch, including dozens of 3-6" Small mouth bass (Ottawa, ON).
2) Witnessing people/individuals casting large spinnerbaits and large bucktail spinners during early May for Musky/Pike along the Rideau River by Carleton U (Ottawa, ON).
3) Fishing in sanctuary for Walleye below Innisville Bridge on Mississippi River at nite (Innisville, Ontario).
4) Fishing with Barbed hooks in Barbless only watershed (Bowron Lakes, BC).
This year I am adding this number to my PDA/Cell phone's address list and adding it to my Outlook contacts as well:
1 877 847 7667 (1 877 TIPS MNR)
Website:
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/mnr/enforcement/
Every situation is different and it is up to each individual to decide whether to approach the person(s) and discuss it or simply call the number and report it. I hope all of you with cell phones/pdas add the number so you have a valid option instead of just getting mad witnessing it and feeling helpless/frustrated. I realise in the Park that cell phone range is limited and your options are likely to address the individual or report it to the access/gate staff when leaving. However most of you likely do a fair bit of your fishing outside the park where cell phone coverage does exist and reporting such incidents in real time is an option.
It is doubtful of course that the perpetrator(s) will be caught in that particular episode. However even if one out of 50 such reported incidents results in some action against the individual(s), the location is scouted more frequently by the CO, and/or the individual you are reporting is aware that you are calling and may give him/her seconds thoughts on repeating it, is more then worth our efforts to report them, imo.
If you have any other numbers/contacts to suggest please do.
