Ai2 - The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 2, 1997 Fee hikes repel first visitors Can't afford to fish here, American anglers say By DAVID TAYLOR THE NEW FEES just came into effect yesterday, but anglers visiting here are already heading home in the wake of a 400 per cent increase in non-resident licencing costs. ‘H's impossible,’ says Scott Howell of Oregon, who visits the northwest to fish for several months every year. ‘“You’d have to be a king to afford these fees.’’ Effective yesterday, anglers from out of province will have to shell out $42.80 per day to fish in B.C.’s classified waters. That’s up from just over $10 last year. And now visitors are saying they will have to find another favourite place to fish. “We'll either head home or find some- where else to fish,’? says Howell. ‘“We don’t want to leave, Terrace has world- class fishing like nowhere else, but we can’t afford thousands extra to fish here.’’ Local business people say Howell’s reac- tion will be all too common when tourists find out about the hikes. ‘Anyone who usually flies here will keep right on going,”’ says Randy Murray, owner of Northcoast Fishing Supply. Murray say~ travelling to Terrace is already very expensive. Add to that the licencing hassles and fee increases and he says people will find other fishing holes. “We'll lose a lot to Alaska, It’s cheaper to get there, fees are less and visitors can take home more fish,”” And Murray says Canadian anglers who drive to Terrace are in for a shock, “They'll be so angry,”’ he says. ‘““You almost don’t even want %o sell the licences. It’s their (the provincial government’s) problem but it’s us who's going to fake the crap.’ In a desperate allempt to stem a possible tide of fleeing tourists, fishing guides and business owners held a protest rally and circulated peti- tions and letters te government ministries last week. The letters point out that sportsfishing adds at least $16 million to the local economy every year — money business owners say Terrace can ill-afford to lose in the wake of the Repap dis- aster — and ask for licencing fees to be reduced. But Skeena MLA Helmut Giesbrecht says that’s not likely to happen. He was in Victoria last week and claims the fees aren’t aut of line, just the timing is. “Right now, there’s hardly any return on our TWO UNHAPPY tourists. That’s Scott Howell and Raquel Fielder from Oregon. The couple usuaily spends several months fishing here each year, but bacause of recent in- creases in angling fees for classified waters they say they can't afford it anymore. resource,’” he says, “It would have made more sense for the fees to have steadily increased over the last six years, but the actual dollar in- creases are manageable.”’ ; Giesbrecht says the average angler spends about $230 per day in Terrace, not including travel costs. So an extra $32 every day is rea- sonable. “We'll elther head home or find somewhere olse to fish. We don't want to leave. Terrace has worla- class fishing like nowhere else, but we can’t afford thousands ex- trato fish here.” “T worked it out to be about an eight per cent increase,” he says. ‘*That’s not bad to be able lo use a resource that belongs to the people of B.C.,,”? Giesbrecht admits two weeks notice was not enough, but says there’s not much chance of the province changing the fee structure. “Granied the timing is a real problem,”’ he says. “‘L have sympathy tor the guides and I’ve passed on their concerns, but [ don’t detect a willingness to change the fees.”’ The guides have been hit the hardest. Nol only do they have to contend with the increase in angler licencing, but their own fees have jumped by 1000 per cent, from $1 to $11 per rod day. Those fees are supposed to go to increased habilat conservation aad enforcement. But Mar- shal Perrin of Fish Tales says the net result will be crowding in un- . : classified waters and egal angling. "Everyone, includ- ing guides will pack the Kitimat River (be- cause its un- classified), he says. “And there will be plenty of people fish- ing without licences because they can’t af- ford them. Next year they probably just won't bother coming atall.”’ Glesbrecht Karen Jamieson Dance Company The Shriners of Briiish Columbia present the presents | GRRE RY Thank You STONE SOUP af Terrace Supported by the Kitsumkalum Dancers op: TERRACE INN and the Many Nations Dancers. & Ki tima t t . , ‘ Saturday, April 12, 1997 wold s D “t 7:00 om. Ritsunkalum eo » q The Terrace/Kitimat Shrine Club would like to thank you ce eee eee Community Hall e 9 ¢ for your support of the Gizeh Temple George Carden AC / DC tribute Band Tickets: $10.00 Adults e Circus last year. We are now in the process of our ticket “Great /Scott” $5.00 Seniors pre-sales and again would like to ask for your April 8-9 & those under 14 support of the 1997 Shrine Circus. Tickets $8.00 Advance (Ticket includes real soup) To be held at the $10.00 door — Tickets available at; Sight & Sound Terrace Arena Rest t (Skeena Mall] Misty River Books and Wednesday, May 14, 1997 kesiqurant Sidewalkers . Thank you for your co-operation and assistance. Greek Month Through Apiil Any inquiries please cal Daily Specials Joinily sponsored by Norhwes y ing Development Education Assn, and Terrace . Chek Ou Ow Exe Greek Mena & District Multicultural Assn. “