We have a problem!!!

[cranks bait]

I happened to glance at our paper last night while hangin' out at the laundry mat www.recorder.ca Dec 13 2007.

 

It seems that the council in Westport have taken it upon themselves to prohibit night time shore fishing, which I think is the Rideau. Don't quote me on that though. They plan on making this for the whole Leeds and Grenville, including the St. Lawrence River, to name just one. They see it as the perfect solution to poaching and one incedent of abuse.

 

This is a huge concern. It starts in one place and continues everywhere. First of all poaching doesn't just happen at night, nor from shore. Nor did the beating that took place. This is going to severly affect a lot of people. Those that enjoy fishing at night, especially for a species that bites best at night. Those that do not use boats.

 

This is going to make a huge impact on people. I have seen 10-20 people almost nightly fishing from shore just in one area here.

 

This is not the perfect solution. I am going to be writing the council with my concern. I am amazed that this is in place, as there was not even a mention of it, it just took place? What happened to the publics input.

 

Beyond writing them, what do you guys and girls propose? I need help and ideas.

 

I do not fish in Westport, nor do I shore fish much anymore, but this still has an impact on a recreation I enjoy.

Edited December 14, 2007 by cranks bait

[Terry]

it is not part of their mandate to control poaching....it a line of crap....

 

will I think it's time for me to start making and selling quick blow up personal floating docks...

it wouldn't be shore fishing then....

[irishfield]

I'd suggest that Townships have no constitutional capacity to access planning power over the fishery..... I'd approach it that way. Call the OMNR and ask them when a township started making fishing laws.

Edited December 14, 2007 by irishfield

[cranks bait]

They are doing this because of the lack of MNR presence. By doing this it give the OPP juristiction and they can lay fines for trespassing.

[Terry]

so are you saying that if I am standing on shore feeding the ducks, I am not trespassing but if I have a rod in my had I am trespassing ...I think they need to give their heads a shake

[bigfish1965]

I'd suggest that Townships have no constitutional capacity to access planning power over the fishery..... I'd approach it that way. Call the OMNR and ask them when a township started making fishing laws.

Irishfield is quite right. The town does not have the authrority to restrict or govern fishing. It is only controlled by the Federal or Provincial government. The town either knows this and is trying to placate someone, or they have their heads up their butt.

The by law is unenforceable. As long as you have a fishing license, you are not violating the law by fishing where it is not prohibited by provincialor federal law.

If they try and make it a land use issue by not allowing angling from parkland shores at night (unlikley they worded it this way), step into the water and you have been absolved of this by-law.

Niagara on the Lake has a similarly toothless by law. It is also not enforceable, but was put in place to quiet whiny townspeople.

[Golfisher]

They might as well outlaw fishing altogether.

[dannyboy]

Not that I agree with what is happening but the Township must have or have had some type of authority; I have to buy a Township license to hunt rabbits and pheasants in addition to my hunting license. Not fishing I know but similar.

The MNR enforces this.

 

 

 

Dan

Edited December 14, 2007 by dannyboy

[capt bruce]

Danny Boy I think this falls under some land use thing (the rabbit hunting) Im not sure tho , but like Rick said if your wadeing in the water you are not on the land ?? Cant fish at night , WHAT will these people come up with next , what happened to Canada ?????????

[irishfield]

WHAT will these people come up with next , what happened to Canada ?????????

 

 

That starts a whole new debate... and i don't think we wanna go there ! LOL

[keram]

Not much of a surprise. It is only confirmation, that to be a " democraticaly elected representative" your IQ should be <=12.5 .

Let see what we can ban just in case.

 

Pitbulls - already done

Guns - see above

Snow - this is little bit tricki because of forecasters, thus ban them too

Cars - see above ( to much snow - ban driving )

Somebody drowned under ice - ban the ice fishing, ATV went through the ice - ban ATV's, sled - the same , to make it easier ban winter alltogether.

boat capsized - ban the boats

And so on and on and on .............

Then!!!! ban the taxes, no we cannot ban our heritage, "goodwill" of people, what makes every canadian proud, no we cannot touch this . Lets find something else. Eureka, we can ban beer . Then we will have revolution ( let me think - if they ban Molson Ex I will support it ).

lets call it "Friday funny"

[Sunny]

:Gonefishing:I am at the point that nothing would surprise me any more! This is to placify the people who are up in arms over the media hype on the radio today over abusive actions of a few morons. It saddens me that they are trying to take control of the fishing industry. There are already too few spots for anyone that doesn't own a cottage or boat to fish, they are trying to make it impossible. It the same old story of "my lake syndrome". Pretty soon the average "joe" won't be able to find a spot to fish let alone afford a spot to fish!

[Terry]

what get me is

this report says it is because of poaching they are doing it, as the problem was not racist ..

 

the same day another report comes out and states it's a racist problem and it is making Asians worry about fishing at night

 

I wish they would all decide what the problem is before they start creating laws to fix the problem

[wuchikubo]

It would almost seem like discrimination against anglers of all backgrounds that don't have a boat or private fishing spot on the water. Its just short of saying all night time shore anglers are poachers.

Edited December 14, 2007 by HearingFish

[daisy_girl58]

This is an idea, post an email address where alot of us can flood them with concerns and complaints even send it ot the place in question, the MNR, a few politicians......Numbers always get heard! Especially if done all at the same time! Hey it's an idea.....And the racial thing, it doesn't matter what race, its the fact that THEY are getting away with an illegal act! As always it's the Do Gooder's who pay for it!

 

Lorissa

[kentooley]

I'd suggest that Townships have no constitutional capacity to access planning power over the fishery..... I'd approach it that way. Call the OMNR and ask them when a township started making fishing laws.

 

A couple of years back I was going to fish a section of the Notty and there were signs posted stating that in order to fish you had to buy a permit($40) from the township supposedly to help with clean-up. I believe the area was around Angus.

[Fisherman]

Irishfield is quite right. The town does not have the authrority to restrict or govern fishing. It is only controlled by the Federal or Provincial government. The town either knows this and is trying to placate someone, or they have their heads up their butt.

The by law is unenforceable. As long as you have a fishing license, you are not violating the law by fishing where it is not prohibited by provincialor federal law.

If they try and make it a land use issue by not allowing angling from parkland shores at night (unlikley they worded it this way), step into the water and you have been absolved of this by-law.

Niagara on the Lake has a similarly toothless by law. It is also not enforceable, but was put in place to quiet whiny townspeople.

Well in that case, you better give that Mayor of Essa Township a call, costs $20 to fish the Notty in certain areas around Angus.

[Greencoachdog]

Its just short of saying all night time shore anglers are poachers.

 

HA! I knew Cliff and Carole were up to no good!!!

 

 

They call it "Nipper Tipping"... but it's not racially motivated.... riiiiiight.

 

Y'all need to swarm City Hall at the next town meeting and voice your concerns!

 

Isn't there a Canadian law that prevents anybody from interfering with somebody participating in either fishing or hunting?

 

If they should happen to be able to do that in a town I lived in, I would move to another town... or drive to someplace else to fish! (Not likely it would happen here though, can you imagine a swarm of Alabama Redneck Fishermen?... why the stench alone would be enough to.....)

[boatman]

Its just short of saying all night time shore anglers are poachers.

 

lol - I grew up south of Westport and I can tell you the best time to catch spring bullheads is at night.

 

The town can't regulate fishing (that I know of), but they can regulate land use and that is essentially what they are doing. Pack of idiots.

[POLLIWOGG]

It has been illegal to fish in Ontario for many years now but I have purchased a waiver from prosecution from the crown. I don't think a municipal gov. can override a provincial permit without the permission of the province.

[cranks bait]

More on the subject. I talked to the MNR yesterday. Didn't go so well. Their response was, ya well the township can do what they want, I might read the article. The attitude was as if he was saying don't bother me with this, cause it's a lot of work and I don't want to deal with it. So needless to say, my concerns with them were shot down.

 

Got another newspaper last night http://newsfeed.recorder.ca/cgi-bin/LiveIQ...$rec=24760 and it had another story for it. They did discuss this with the MNR, and they all for it.

 

They are calling this ban because of safety issues. You have to read it to understand. They recognise that a lot of people fish, after dark this is dangerous?. They state the bridge fishing is dangerous because of traffic. If I am not mistaken there is a sidewalk with space, it's not like they are on the road itself. I can understand not allowing fishing from the bridge. If they do this, it should be all the time, not just night.

 

It is stated that the OPP will now handle it. Yet they haven't even talked to the OPP about it.

 

Close to their closing statement "After a couple of incidents, people will understand and they'll go away."

 

Not sure what to say now. I am more than ticked. Typical government. Pass the buck and make someone else do the work, someone suffers, and oh I need a raise. All the while they didn't solve one thing.

[bigfish1965]

There are a few issues here that the people of the town should be addressing.

The MNR said they won't enforce it (because they know it is not a fishing issue but a land use issue). It is not the role of the town to protect fishing stocks.

In my talking with a MNR official during similar issues locally (who would only speak candidly off the record) he said the town can do what they want with their land, but cannot restrict angling, so if we stepped into the water, we have no worries.

But then the really big, big 400 pound gorilla walks into the room and sits there and says..

"Hey...if you cannot even enforce the existing laws on poaching and racial attacks, what on earth makes you think you can enforce a new and even less serious rule?"

So if the OPP says they can handle this new enforcement, why were they not handling the enforcement of the even more serious violations???

 

Answer: Politicians, especially municipal ones, enjoy making new rules to fix complaints. They can then say.."See I did something"..when in fact they did nothing but create more paper. If the town says they are helping the victims by banning them from fishing to save them from themselves, they are idiots. If the town says they are helping prevent poaching by hoping the OPP will give out $120 Trespass tickets as disincentive will work instead of someone receiving thousands of dollars in fines and court costs for poaching, they are idiots.

Poachers don't care about laws. That's why they are poachers. Writing another stupid rule from them to break isn't going to do a thing except help get people re-elected.

The townspeople will cheer their hero politicians for their acts of bravery all the while the hints of stupidity will linger.

[TJQ]

Whats next... no hunting at night???

 

but really... where do all the laws stop... we are an entirely over regulated country...

 

I bet you if you were to track your day that each and everyone of us breaks a dozen or so "laws'... everyday... Its funny that politicians just can't be happy with governing the laws we already have and not making up new ones all the time to justify their pitiful existence...

[TJQ]

Also.. Start a campagn of sorts... an online pettion...

 

http://www.petitiononline.com/

 

and then cruise the other forums and post it... I bet you'll be suprised at the amount of entries you get.