Zero tolerance j in place

al fisheries enforcement ‘ unit
based in Terrace says he isn’t
happy with how many people are
breaking fishing regulations in
the area,

Dennis Burnip says there’s too
‘many people either using illegal
gear, fishing in closed arcas and
taking too many fish or un-
dersized fish and crabs. -

'“There’s not a ‘whole lot of

days where my ‘guys go out and
‘don’t issue tickets for viola-
tions,’ he says.

Burnip says part of the problem
has been not ‘having enough

. fisherles enforcement officers.

“When there are no patrols,
there’s increasing non-
compliance. People who do fol-
low the regulations look at those
who don’t and then ask why they
should,” he sald,

But that's changing now that:

there are more fisheries officers
in this area then ever before,

Bumip has cight on staff, in-

cluding an aboriginal fisheries of-
ficer from the Kitselas band, and
hell soon be filling one more va-
cancy.

“We're out to increase our
Presence, We have high profile
vehicles and people can expect to
sce a lot more of us,’ he said.

**When you don’t have a con-
Slant presence, you have dif-
ficultics.’’

The officers cover the area from
the Nass Valley, over to
Meziadin, Terrace and down to

| Kitimat,

Travellers on the highway will
have already noticed more road
checks for illegal fish,

“Things have changed since
1993 when ihere was a re-

organization (of the Department.

of Fisheries and Oceans),”’ said
Burnip.

“Our main focus here is Jaw
enforcement. We’re interested in
the protection of the fishery.”

That also involves taking in-
formation from the public, a fac-
tor Bumip says is playing an in-
creasingly important role,

we need the public to assist
» And when we can. respond ::

“quickly, it pays off,” he said,
As for following tegilalions,

Fish regs violators get

THE HEAD of a beefed up feder- -

Burmip says his officers don’t
have much time for people who
say they don’t know what's ex-
pected,

*‘There’s not much tolerance
for that. People should read the
synopsis and if they have. any
questions, please call us,’’ he
said.

Overall, Burnip said there’s not.

much difference between locals
and tourists when it comes to fol-
lowing regulations.

“I's a real mixed bag. We're
really not able to say there's a
difference,” he added.

The. toll. nfree... number. Sor
‘reportin fd a fishing } violation i is i-
800-465-4336, i

ved ted ade ioe re vale

 Iimit,”’
Dennis Burnip. ‘The limit is two -

TWO AMERICAN TOURISTS
found out about an increased fed-
etal fisheries presence here last
week the hard way.

Acting on ‘information from 2
member of the public, fisheries
officers seized 31 pink salmon,
fishing equipment and issued
several hundred dollars in tickets.

“They were way over. the
said’ fisheries official

per person per day aad two days
possession — four each,”” '

The pair were searched at the
airport while waiting for a flight
and ended up missing their plane.

And if they don’t pay the tickets
by the due date, a bench warrant

is isqyed and | ‘their Mames are”

placed. oh. a computerized list.

“TF they istry to conic back and

they’re checked either at im-
migration or by us or the police,
they’l] pop up on the ‘computer, ”
said Burnip.

The seizure of the fishing gear .
is permamient and isn’t being kept
as an inducement to pay the fines,

‘That seizure was a forfeit or-
der issued by the officers at the
scene. It was a fairly serious aver.

‘limit occurrence,”’ said Burnip.

“T want ta make it clear that
what we're dealing’ with here i is a
criminal violation: It’s not a- civil
matter at all, ” ‘he added, -

But :as tough. as fisheries of-
ficers. will be om violators, they

also use discretion, -

Bi

plus derosi

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, August 30, 1995 - Ag

warning

Pair nabbed for overfishing

Regulations require that fish. be
in a condition so that the species
aid size can be checked.

“You can leave the tail on a

smoked fish without hurting it.
And if it’s frozen, leaving the

head and tail on wont burt it”.
_ he said. . :

Bumnip- added that “approved

processors who smoke fish will
provide ‘owners ‘with - the ap:

propriate paperwork.

A. person with a proper fishing

licence who then gives the fish to”
somebody else should provide a
note ‘stating the fish: was caught ,

legally, he said,

_ “Discretion plays a big. role i in

, That. particularly comes into, ese types of cases. If the public
| play when visitors are found in” ist’t sure, all “they Have to'do is |
* possession with smoked fish. ; - phone us n said Burnip. ?

rs

News
In Brief

Post office

scours area

A CANADA POST official is
in Thornhill this week looking
into the idea of establishing a
parcel pickup location, Lutz
Budde says he's talking to var-
iovs businesses who might be
interested.

The outlet wouldn't’ sell
stamps, other than ones in
books, or offer any of the stai-
dard postal services. . a

Budde’s visit to ‘Thornhill.
follows plans to increase postal’
service in the area, The federal:
crown corporation lost one of.
its two commercial outlets ear-—
lier this year leaving the one at’
the Co-op and its main post of;
fice on Lazelle Ave.

Budde said® Canada * Post
doesn’t want to add-a full ser-.
vice commercial service. in
Thornhill for fear of splitting |
up the revenue flowing to ‘Its’
main post office and’ the come:
mercial oujlet at the Co-op, “If
we get too many people -in-
volved, there wouldn’t be
enough revenue and that would .
make it hard to find and keep
outlets,” he said. :

Inn creditors:

to meet

A GOOD TURNOUT is. exe
pected ‘Sept, .6 when’ creditors
‘of the bankrupt company that'| -
once owned the Terrace in.
are to meet here," |
476740 B.C..Ltd., controlled

_ by Surrey. businessmen Amar-
jit Sidhu, owes $2,267 million |
to unsecured, «secured | and”
' preferred ‘creditors.; Assets are]
listed at $1.9 million.
The meeting is ‘the fi st foe
creditors since Sidhu’s’ uni.
bered ‘company: was: ‘declared
_ bankrupt earlier this month’ ‘anid
marks the end of a ‘lengthy
‘court case Which began in‘ the ‘|
spring, That’s when the Ter
sf race” Inn was Placed. ‘in
jemporary receivership," '"!

rte eT ee DO 1

aoe re)

DEPARTMENT STORE |

“The Terrace Co- -op flyer for the week of August 27
| September 2 has two corrections which are as fellows

| COKE PRODUCTS —|

2 LITRE PLASTIC
BOTTLES

_, Advertised at $1.59 plus -
~ deposit should be

97!

6

355 MLTINS ©

- Advertised at $2.69 plus
_ deposi should be

PACKK- |

p29

plus deposit Ty
6 PACK - 355 ML

The Terrace Co- -op apologizes
for any inconvenience this may have caused...

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