Sturgeaon Poachers Fined

[IronNoggin]

Fraser River sturgeon poachers hit with 'precedent-setting' court fines in 2009
By Graeme Wood, Vancouver SunDecember 19, 2009

VANCOUVER — Sturgeon poachers on the Fraser River were given "precedent-setting" court fines in 2009 as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans continues to carefully manage the endangered fish population, said Herb Redekopp, the conservation and protection chief of the Lower Fraser area.

"What we've found is the judicial community is quite concerned about declining stocks, so we're seeing some significant fines that are acting as a deterrent," Redekopp said.

The fines are being levied to protect the prehistoric fish that is both culturally and economically important to communities along the Fraser River and under increasing threats such as pollution, dams, and dikes.

The largest fines came in February when five recreational anglers were fined a total of $21,500 under the Fisheries Act for poaching white sturgeon.

According to the DFO Han Ly and Raymond Ouyang paid $7,500 each after pleading guilty to molesting and injuring a sturgeon, and possession of a dead sturgeon. Hung Nguyen and David Boriboune also pleaded guilty to molesting and injuring a sturgeon. Boriboune was fined $3,500 while Nguyen was fined $3,000. A fifth man, Charlie Tran, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence and was fined an additional $500.

The men, who were also banned from fishing for one year, were caught by conservation officers in August, 2008, under the Alex Fraser Bridge cooking a sturgeon over a camp fire. Remnants of other mutilated sturgeon surrounded the area as well. Photos of a man shoving his fist inside a sturgeon's mouth were also seized by the officers.

A separate incident under the same bridge in 2008 led to a man being fined $5,000 in May, 2009, for possessing a one-and-a-half metre long sturgeon cut in half and shoved in a garbage bag.

Another case this year involved a man caught at the Kerr Street docks in Vancouver with a cut-up sturgeon hidden in the trunk. He received a $2,000 fine and a five-year fishing prohibition.

The poachers are believed to be after the sturgeon's flesh and potentially valuable caviar sold on the black market both domestically and internationally, Redekopp said.

"Any sturgeon we see harvested is one too many," said the veteran conservation officer who has patrolled the Fraser River for 25 years.

While sturgeon poaching is nothing new to him, he said the department issued 33 new violations related to sturgeon poaching in the lower Fraser River from April to September, including 11 (court) appearance notices for serious violations.

"Most of the individuals fishing for sturgeon have no regard for the law," Redekopp said.

He added that violations have risen in the last three years but this fact may be attributed to increased funding within his department to enforce the area with tools such as infrared technology, high power spotting scopes, and helicopters.

"The federal government has been able to provide more of a budget to conservation protection so the volume and frequency of our patrols has increase," Redekopp said.

White sturgeon are bottom feeders and considered a cultural icon of the Fraser River. In 2007 Canada Post made a white sturgeon stamp and the fish is also symbolic among many First Nations.

Resembling a shark they are the longest-lived freshwater fish in North America having survived two ice ages. They are also known to live for over 100 years and grow up to six metres in length.

White sturgeon are officially endangered in the upper Fraser River under the Species at Risk Act. And although the act doesn't apply to the sturgeon in the lower Fraser River, they are still considered endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, a group of wildlife experts that assesses and designates which animals are endangered.

According to the Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society there are only 8,900 mature sturgeon (males over 15 years-old, females over 25 years-old) in the lower Fraser River and the target is to have over 10,000.

Only mature sturgeon are able to reproduce and even then they only do it every decade on average.

"Those are the fish that are quite coveted among poachers," said Sarah Sugiyama, the society's executive director.

Sugiyama said mature stocks have come into a "holding pattern" with small variations in the past 10 years. Currently the mature population is slightly up at last count, however, juvenile stocks are on a downward trend, she said.

"I think there's a lot that still needs to be done. We know poaching is a challenge. It's important those fines help support the species and recovery programs. Our long-term vision is that this fishery is long-term and sustainable. We're no where near that. If this fish is threatened – and it is - it should be a wake up for all of us," Sugiyama said.

She said sturgeon's are not only "beautiful creatures" but they play a vital role in a multi-million dollar DFO-regulated catch-and-release sport fishery (limited to a barbless hook) that funds conservation efforts.

Graham Drew, a fishing guide for BC Game Fisher in Agassiz, said he continues to see lines tied to log booms used by poachers who collect their bounty at night.

"Boy I'd like to see more of these guys get caught," he said of the poachers.

Drew said he started his business in 2000 when there were about 30 tour companies on the lower Fraser River. Now he says there are well over 100 companies operating guides.

According to the Ministry of Environment a poacher can receive fines anywhere from $1,000 to $100,000 and/or one year in prison for offences related to the killing of an endangered species.

Redekopp said his department depends on the public for information and the BC Wildlife Federation pays rewards up to $2,000 for information leading to the conviction of persons who have violated laws related to the protection of fish.

gwood@vancouversun.com
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Fraser+River+sturgeon+poachers+with+precedent+sett ing+court+fines+2009/2363525/story.html

[Ddog]

in my opinion, it is still not enough to just fine them and ban them for one year, these peoples should be banned a minimum of 5 years. This is an ongoing concern that all people in BC should be aware of.
I grew up in PoCo and fished the Pitt and Fraser rivers for most of my life and always fished for sturgeon. When we were allowed to keep them we kept very few, then a tag was implemented to be able to keep a certain size fish which was 36 inches up to somewhere to 45 inches, ( i forget the longest length). then they were closed for a catch and release only. It is a fishery that is one of the most outstanding fishery that is hopefully around for the next generations to enjoy. Evertime you drop the bait to the bottom you just never know what is going to eat it, it could be a small fish or an average size up to 6 feet or it could be the goliath that takes you hours to get in. It is a thrilling fishery.
Being part of the sturgeon conservation group i do hope more of the people fishing for them realize the fishery and help to sustain for everyone to enjoy, and report people poaching them or finding set lines and reporting those as well.
jmo....cheers

[Devilbear]

I would like to see a law that would mandate immediate deportation of ANY "refugee", "landed immigrant" OR "naturalized" citizen convicted of ANY violation of a Canadian fisheries or hunting law, NO exceptions and ALL persons not born here would be equally subject to this, regardless of conditions in the countries they came from.

Native born Canadians, REGARDLESS of "race" should serve a MINIMUM of 20 years in gaol for such convictions and I would actually prefer to see both kinds of poachers hanged.

I hate people who defile the environment and regard them as I do child molestors and traitors to Canada.

[Steeleco]

Those fines aren't nearly enough. Odds are that this is not the first time they have done this, it's just the first time they were caught.

To ban these poachers from fishing is mute, they never were fishing.

[bsa30-06]

Those fines aren't nearly enough. Odds are that this is not the first time they have done this, it's just the first time they were caught.

To ban these poachers from fishing is mute, they never were fishing.

Completely agree with the above statement.A ban on fishing for any period of time is not likely to stop them from doing it again, as current regulations had no effect on stopping them in the first place.

[Farmer John]

"Most of the individuals fishing for sturgeon have no regard for the law," Redekopp said.

Does this statement ruffle anyone else's feathers???

[fishonbc1]

Sturgeon numbers have declined in 09 and I have experieceed seeing a cut strugeon head floating down the harrison this summer. There is no excuse for such behaviour - they should have a life long fishing ban along with jail time.
May sound too harsh but may stop some other a##hole from doing the same thing!!

[ruger#1]

Good post Hopsing, Made me laugh. If this guide is finding set lines on log booms, maybe they should set up a camera and watch the line.

[kastles]

Cut their thumbs off. Hard to hold a rod with no thumbs

[Elkhound]

keep it on topic people and quit the personal insults

[Gateholio]

"Most of the individuals fishing for sturgeon have no regard for the law," Redekopp said.

Does this statement ruffle anyone else's feathers???

Yeah, but it's probably a misquote....

[FLHTCUI]

Those fines aren't nearly enough. Odds are that this is not the first time they have done this, it's just the first time they were caught.

To ban these poachers from fishing is mute, they never were fishing.

You are absolutely right Steelco.
They should take their cars and gear and fine the hell out of them as well.
I was at the fishing pier off the end of Number Three Rd in Richmond one summers day and watched this guy trying to haul a 5 footer into the back of his Mercedes Benz 300Series, I was jotting down notes and trying to locate someone with a cell phone, when a gal and her dad rode up on bicycles, this chick really torn into the moron, of course he couldnt speak English and eventually figured out either he put the fish back in the River or he was going to go swimming along with the fish.
Again just fineing and prohibiting them from fishing will do Sweet F**K ALL
Take their gear and their possesions and they will learn.
Rob

[Plincker]

What bothers me is that the maximum fine is $100,000, but you never hear of any poacher receiving more than a few grand!?! what's the point in having such a high penalty, to scare people from poaching?. Odviously it's not working, the FO's need to be handing out much higher fines.

[log_roller]

[quote=Devilbear;583514]I would like to see a law that would mandate immediate deportation of ANY "refugee", "landed immigrant" OR "naturalized" citizen convicted of ANY violation of a Canadian fisheries or hunting law, NO exceptions and ALL persons not born here would be equally subject to this, regardless of conditions in the countries they came from.


This should apply to any serious crime , there turning Canada into a 3rd world country and getting away with it, another thing that really erks me is that churches are allowed to give sanctuary to people who Canada found undesirable and they are still here this just under minds our Canadian law Church or no church the authority should go in in force and flex there mussles.I had to go to surrey the other day and there are street signs in Arabic how do these people get there drivers license if they cant read English. I reported a group of Asians snagging fish near the vedder this year they had nothing but some weight and a big barbed triple hook standing on the bank dipping into a deep pool snagging fish and keeping them this was also in a no fishing area where there has been a closure for years ,My wife refused to sell a rifle to a guy who claimed to be a bear hunter , she asked what bear tastes like because she has never tried it and he told he he didn't know and was after only one part , I'm going to be brutally honest I spend alot of time in the bush not only for work but for my other recreational activities and by far this had to be the worst year for bears I have ever saw here in the valley I found 2 bears last year with there paws cut off and there gal bladder missing in the off season up chilliwack lake road one right off the side of the road where theres no shooting .8 k either side of the road.Devil bear its unfortunate more people don't voice there opinion regarding immigration in fear of becoming labeled as a racist, Ill speak my mind and I don't really give 2 hoots what people think of me I don't have a problem with immigration just the people our government lets in there should be no marriage clause everyone should be processed the same no going to India to get a payout to marry someone to get them in the country there are too many loop holes that can be exploited and the book needs to be re written

[Iron Glove]

Totally agree with the comments about the need for stiffer fines and penalties but I've never been able to grasp the concept of allowing catch and release fishing for a species at risk.
I don't accept for one minute that there is absolutely no harm done to some of the sturgeons, it just doesn't make sense to me.
C&R on a more abundent species, fine, but are we not just asking for trouble with sturgeons?
Leave the damn fish alone until stocks are at a reasonable, fishable level, then offer up some opportunities.

[Farmer John]

Totally agree with the comments about the need for stiffer fines and penalties but I've never been able to grasp the concept of allowing catch and release fishing for a species at risk.
I don't accept for one minute that there is absolutely no harm done to some of the sturgeons, it just doesn't make sense to me.
C&R on a more abundent species, fine, but are we not just asking for trouble with sturgeons?
Leave the damn fish alone until stocks are at a reasonable, fishable level, then offer up some opportunities.

Who do you think provides the statistics on sturgeon numbers in the river? Stopping the sport fishery will not curb the poaching. I think it's a good thing to have people passionate about the fishery and the fish on the water.

[Iron Glove]

Who do you think provides the statistics on sturgeon numbers in the river? Stopping the sport fishery will not curb the poaching. I think it's a good thing to have people passionate about the fishery and the fish on the water.

My point had nothing to do with stopping poaching by stopping the sport fishery, it was why do we even allow any fishery for an endangered species ???

[THE SWEDE]

keep it on topic people and quit the personal insults
Killjoy..What happened to care free and cool Dave??LOL

[Devilbear]

I agree with Iron Glove and would end ALL angling for Sturgeon, except research catches immediately, had I the political power to do so. The continual "kowtowing" to the "guiding industry" here in BC just nauseates me and that is what motivates the MOE boffins to allow this "C&R" fishery.

I do not like "C&R" and feel strongly that any species not sufficiently numerous to sustain a sporting-sustenance fishery should receive TOTAL protection from ALL fishing. But, I am a nasty, old "Greenie" and care far more about the fish than I do about some fat dickweed tourist and what he wants to catch.

[Jimr]

Exactlly what i was thinking, They are banned from what? Buying a fishing license for a year?...They killed a fish they had to of known was illegal to kill and did not care , as they say they have no regards for the laws..... They should have Gotten a year in JAIL. that might smarten them up..and if they could not speak english , they would definatlly learn something after a year of being in jail :)


Those fines aren't nearly enough. Odds are that this is not the first time they have done this, it's just the first time they were caught.

To ban these poachers from fishing is mute, they never were fishing.

[Jimr]

That isnt right at all, There is a stat on survival rate of sturgeon captured by anglers, i think it was either 99% or 100% , and survival rate captured by commercial fisheries was still close to 90%. Its seals , and poachers that do the killing. NOT YOUR AVERAGE ANGLER.



I agree with Iron Glove and would end ALL angling for Sturgeon, except research catches immediately, had I the political power to do so. The continual "kowtowing" to the "guiding industry" here in BC just nauseates me and that is what motivates the MOE boffins to allow this "C&R" fishery.

I do not like "C&R" and feel strongly that any species not sufficiently numerous to sustain a sporting-sustenance fishery should receive TOTAL protection from ALL fishing. But, I am a nasty, old "Greenie" and care far more about the fish than I do about some fat dickweed tourist and what he wants to catch.

[Devilbear]

The statistics of any population change in any species are not the only indicator of the health of that species in it's ecological niche and, "C&R" tends to stress fish to an extent I consider unacceptable for a species such as Sturgeon.

If, we see, as we have recently done, dead and dying Sturgeon in the Fraser, that should be an indication that there are serious problems within the species and their environment and we should act, or, quite possibly lose the Sturgeon for good.

An example of "short-sighted" thinking by some is the practical extirpation of Woodland Caribou in the Kootenay Lake area. The union bosses, the forest companies and the hunters just did not listen and they have essentially destroyed this population of a vulnerable and, IMO, very valuable species, by massive clearcutting, over-hunting and general ignorant greed.

Seals are a natural predator and they belong in the Fraser, although some controls may well be in order. We need more biologists, field studies and a ban on fishing until these fish are numerous and healthy.

[Neckshot]

Stories like this make me ill. Taking a fish that has lived 75 years and cut it up for some little eggs is downright murder.

[THE SWEDE]

Devilbear your way off.As Jimr stated angler released sturgeon have a nearly 100% survival rate.If it wasnt for the work of anglers very little would have been known about sturgeon habits,habitat ect.The tagging program has tagged around 48,000 fish with a recapture rate around 50% I think.When my freinds were involved we were astonished at the number of fish we caught without the PIT tag.Maybe around 1 in 5 fish had the Tag..Thats was about 5 years ago.

I think anglers in genral police themselves fairly well.Will over 100 guide outfits on the Fraser from Hells gate to the Mouth thats alot of jobs on the line.Poachers are caught and it seems you were correct in your orignal statement that got deleted..Some people just dont appriciate any resource.

As for the dead and dying Sturgeon on the Fraser, I believe it had nothing to do with any man or man made problem..What I heard from a Fisheries Tech I know is that with higher than normal water temps and the fish gorging themselves on sockeye they got a parasite..

[Dirty]

The Fraser River Sturgeon population is also fluid. They have caught fish in the Fraser that were tagged in Columbia River! There is a program now where fishers in the Columbia Estuary have been given code readers to check for Fraser tagged fish down south. It is in it's infancy so little is known so far. There is relatively little known about how populations migrate in the Fraser River and on the Coast. There have been reports of sturgeon in the Somass River on Vancouver Island! What I am trying to say here is how can you get an exact population estimate when it is open to migration, basically it is a dynamic situation. They used to think that Hells Gate was a population barrier between Lower and Upper River fish. However, recent evidence has shown that there is some migration between populations.

So with this in mind. There is a kill fishery down south. If fish are migrating back and forth, this will have impacts on Fraser River fish. So in essence, there is much more to conserving and managing these fish than people think.

One problem with the current catch and release data from tagging on the Fraser is not mortality. It is the fact that some fish are being repeatedly hooked! There is instances where some fish were caught 10+ times in one season!!!!! The other problem is that data shows that there is poor recruitment in the sturgeon populations in the Fraser. This meaning that the young are not surviving as good as they once were and the younger age classes are decreasing in population. Therefore, if there is something catastrophic that happens to older age classes it could seriously hurt the population. The guides have said the data is strewn this way because they weren't tagging small fish. I call BS!!!

I do not agree that there should be no CR. However, I agree that the amount of NON-Res guided fishing should be limited. I could care less about the guides. They are exploiting OUR natural resource to their quick buck.

[Steeleco]

Have any of these behemoth fish ever succumbed to lead that's been lost by fishermen? With all the pressure to catch salmon that's a lot of lead!!

There was a show on NGTV just the other day called "Monster fish" one episode covered the Sturgeon. Very informative.

[Devilbear]

I do not base my opinions on any aspect of environmental biology, resource management or conservation on what ...I think..., or, ...what I heard... I do base them upon education, research, written data from RPBios and personal observations made while working in resource management.

Your belief that ...anglers police themselves fairly well... or not, is largely irrelevant to the survival of the Sturgeon under current ambient conditions. I do not think that this is factual, as this and quite a number of other illegal, immoral and disgusting incidents concerning Sturgeon poaching and similar behaviour involving bears, etc. make only too obvious.

The conditions that led to dead and dying fish, MAY or MAY NOT have been DIRECTLY caused by ...manmade... problems, however, the pollution, deforestation of riparian zones and overfishing for decades most certainly HAS BEEN a human caused situation and this HAS impacted on ALL of the Fraser's bio-community. Science, has nothing to do with what you or I believe and the ...jobs... issue is the same old crap we heard in the '60s, '70s and '80s, when some of us tried to preserve a little of BC's wilderness from the devastation caused by resource exploitation....I simply do not CARE about a few "jobs", I CARE ABOUT the fish!


Finally, as I have other things to do, I am IN FAVOUR of fishing for, keeping and eating Sturgeon, BY BC CITIZENS ONLY, WHEN the populations will sustain that. I am NOT in favour of ANY commercial exploitation of these or of ANY rare species in BC, non-res. trophy hunting of Dall's Sheep is another example and I mentioned the Woodland Caribou already. Conservation FIRST and by strict scientific means, IMHO.

[THE SWEDE]

I dont think the fish are in as much danger as certian people would like us to think..I think its the watershed thats in real trouble

[Dirty]

I dont think the fish are in as much danger as certian people would like us to think..I think its the watershed thats in real trouble

Yeah especially with your sewer leading to the Fraser. P....Ewww. :mrgreen:

[THE SWEDE]

Yeah especially with your sewer leading to the Fraser. P....Ewww. :mrgreen:

Its that rancid halibut/sturgeon you fed me

[Dirty]

Its that rancid halibut/sturgeon you fed me

Speaking of which, did your shit really stink this morning? Mine did. It looked like rotten Egg Fu Yung rat's nest.

[THE SWEDE]

Pic on its way

[Devilbear]

This makes me think of sitting in the "Nelson Hotel " beer parlour, aka "the Teahouse" some evenings, eating home smoked Kokanee from the "Balfour Narrows" and drinking Guinness Stout.....the next morning, welllllll.....we won't go there!

[hoho]

What bothers me is that the maximum fine is $100,000, but you never hear of any poacher receiving more than a few grand!?! what's the point in having such a high penalty, to scare people from poaching?. Odviously it's not working, the FO's need to be handing out much higher fines.

I am 100% with you.:confused: