Party fishing

[Kurtis1234]

That ranks right up there with getting a speeding ticket for 2 clicks over.....but then you would be ok with that ticket....cause thems the rules ....

That isn't even a close comparison. The regulations are very specific as to what you can and cannot catch and keep. It is all laid out online and in the book. You can't compare speeding to this at all. it's a yes or no question. are you over fish limit or not. Done.

I get how people can see an issue with this, because I bet a lot of people do it all the time. But, in reality the rules are very clear and a CO's job is to enforce those rules.

as far as I am concerned Kudos to that CO for doing his job and enforcing the regulations. They are there to protect our resources, and I will support a CO when a proper decision is made. ( trust me I know there are difficult enforcement officers as well) but sounds like this was an easy decision to make for him.

Maybe a different CO would have given a warning, or educated these men. But who knows if they had attitude themselves. We were not there. Regardless, that is their job. IMO.

[rick_iles]

That isn't even a close comparison. The regulations are very specific as to what you can and cannot catch and keep. It is all laid out online and in the book. You can't compare speeding to this at all. it's a yes or no question. are you over fish limit or not. Done.

I get how people can see an issue with this, because I bet a lot of people do it all the time. But, in reality the rules are very clear and a CO's job is to enforce those rules.

as far as I am concerned Kudos to that CO for doing his job and enforcing the regulations. They are there to protect our resources, and I will support a CO when a proper decision is made. ( trust me I know there are difficult enforcement officers as well) but sounds like this was an easy decision to make for him.

Maybe a different CO would have given a warning, or educated these men. But who knows if they had attitude themselves. We were not there. Regardless, that is their job. IMO.

So are the speed limits!!!

[Kurtis1234]

Right speed limits are the law, but with technology to find said speed there is a degree of error which requires officer discretion. for example 2kmph over is sketchy ticket. so many factors at play. For fish its cut and dry, it's a physical catch is what I was trying to say. Didn't mean anything by it, more just saying there would be a better analogy.

[sawbill]

Laws are established for many reasons but put simply they ensure society acts in a responsible manner. With game and fish laws their intent is to have people take game in a humane manner while ensuring the perpetuation of the species.
To this end a regulation exists so that an individual doesn't take more than what is acceptable so individual limits apply. One person may take or possess a limit of 2 while a group of 5 may take or possess their limit of 10. The intent of the law is met in both cases. Who catches them doesn't change the fact that the intent of the law is met because there is no over harvest.
In this case whether an officer is being hard #ss or going by the book or just having a bad day, he's done more harm than good when it comes to the long term by souring a group towards enforcement. Honest persons react more positively to a warning than they do to a chintzy charge such as this one is.

[finsfurfeathers]

Laws are established for many reasons but put simply they ensure society acts in a responsible manner. With game and fish laws their intent is to have people take game in a humane manner while ensuring the perpetuation of the species.
To this end a regulation exists so that an individual doesn't take more than what is acceptable so individual limits apply. One person may take or possess a limit of 2 while a group of 5 may take or possess their limit of 10. The intent of the law is met in both cases. Who catches them doesn't change the fact that the intent of the law is met because there is no over harvest.
In this case whether an officer is being hard #ss or going by the book or just having a bad day, he's done more harm than good when it comes to the long term by souring a group towards enforcement. Honest persons react more positively to a warning than they do to a chintzy charge such as this one is.

In a prefect world your right. However in the real world people are self serving at best. I see this as a bigger picture message. Although in this case all seems in order the extreme end result would be the case where the lone angler catches limits of fish for all over and under age people they can think of. This lone ticket has generated over 1200 views educating sportspeople to know the rules and follow them. The only chintzy thing I see here is the general lack of personal responsibility by not saying yup I ignored my responsibility for my own self interest and got my knuckles wrap.

[rick_iles]

In a prefect world your right. However in the real world people are self serving at best. I see this as a bigger picture message. Although in this case all seems in order the extreme end result would be the case where the lone angler catches limits of fish for all over and under age people they can think of. This lone ticket has generated over 1200 views educating sportspeople to know the rules and follow them. The only chintzy thing I see here is the general lack of personal responsibility by not saying yup I ignored my responsibility for my own self interest and got my knuckles wrap.

You really don't have a clue .
Given your rationale, everyone should be charged with every violation......period ! Every person here has violated one law or another, without question. The facts with this case, not reading anything into them, are....two guys caught and kept 4 walleye. When contacted by a CO, they readily disclosed who caught what. A LEO using common sense would believe that these guys were not aware of the rules. If they intended on poaching, they would have kept a lot more that their limit of 4, and they certainly would not have readily admitted that they purposely broke the law.
There is no indication here that they "intended" to break the law, no intent!
A similar instance would be you getting stopped because your trailer lights were not working, but you had them hooked up properly when you left. There is no intent to break the law. I can just imagine the squawking if you were whacked for every breach of any law. But as you say, thems the rules !
Thankfully, LEO,s still have discretion where enforcement is concerned. The LEO in this case, did not use any discretion, and as Sawbill said, did more harm than good ! I would pretty much guarantee that any JP hearing this case would dismiss it. This was a bullchit charge.....period !

[finsfurfeathers]

Actually Rick your the one without a clue. Right now there was an announcement by the OPP zero tolerance for distracted driving you' re on the phone for a second its 390 plus 3 points is that going to be as you say bullchit charge? They already announced a zero tolerance next week for speeding in school zones. Will that also be bullchit charges? You still contend they didn't know. How could they not? your allowed 2 you kept 3 end of story. Its your responsibility to know the most basic of rules not the CO's to play nanny.
Good for him to apply zero tolerance so the next guy might think twice about it. Time to give LEO their teeth back.

[rick_iles]

Actually Rick your the one without a clue. Right now there was an announcement by the OPP zero tolerance for distracted driving you' re on the phone for a second its 390 plus 3 points is that going to be as you say bullchit charge? They already announced a zero tolerance next week for speeding in school zones. Will that also be bullchit charges? You still contend they didn't know. How could they not? your allowed 2 you kept 3 end of story. Its your responsibility to know the most basic of rules not the CO's to play nanny.
Good for him to apply zero tolerance so the next guy might think twice about it. Time to give LEO their teeth back.

Comparing an offence that is now the number one cause of traffic deaths, with one fish taken in all likelihood, in error, proves how out of touch with reality you really are !!

[finsfurfeathers]

Comparing an offence that is now the number one cause of traffic deaths, with one fish taken in all likelihood, in error, proves how out of touch with reality you really are !!

Again you got no clue.
I asked you earlier how many fish over before it becomes an offence. You haven't answered why? For me one over is like 100 over. I am comparing the fact people don't obey the rules because they are honest. It takes the rod to get the point across that no amount of education gets people to follow the rules. Zero tolerance is zero tolerance. Age old adage Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Again the bigger picture here is follow the rules and if you don't be prepared to suffer the consequences.

[sawbill]

The big picture in the case of the fishery is to protect it from exploitation. Two anglers had 4 fish. Not only acceptable in the eyes of the law but legal as well. That's the big picture.