Plan For Wildlife Enhancement Agency
MLA Mike Morris and Michael Schneider, President of the Guide Outfitters Association – photo 250News
Prince George, B.C.- A new model for wildlife management in B.C. will see all revenue from the sale of hunting licences re-invested to enhance wildlife management activities.
In addition, the Province says it will establish a new agency this fall with startup funds of $ 5 million dollars, then supported by hunting licence revenue of $9 to $10 million year.
Currently, hunting licence revenues support a number of government activities. Hunting licence surcharges totalling more than $2.6 million annually would still be dedicated to the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation for its conservation projects.
Prince George Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris authored a report recently which made several recommendations on steps which could be taken to improve wildlife management and habitat. ( see previous story) “I am hopeful the recommendations that I made in that report will be considerations this new group will look at. The whole focus of going in this direction is to enhance wildlife populations in British Columbia.” He says the focus needs to be on “getting wildlife populations back to previous levels, and better.”
Michael Schneider is the President of the Guide Outfitters Association of B.C. “We’re excited the Government is dedicating funding towards rebuilding wildlife . There are some populations that have had huge declines. The other thing is that it brings stakeholders with a common interest to the table. We know our relationships with various stakeholders haven’t been the best they could be, but I think we have way more in common than we don’t. This will see us working together for the same goals.”
To determine the governance model and investment priorities , $200 thousand dollars has been budgeted to hire someone to meet with someone who can meet with all the stakeholders in the Province and come up with what the model should look like and how it will operate.
Comments
Wow the guide outfitters getting another handout from these scumbag politicians….I have been paying license and tag fees for 40plus years…I have not got a limited entry draw in 17 years now but these guides get more and can sell them to other guides….sounds fair doesn’t it…I can not see how any person that hunts or fishes in this province would support these crooks…
Ditto.
guiding will be the demise of the resident hunter. This is their agenda.
Hey Prov2 sounds like you and I should put in together…our luck has to change??
Wow the guide outfitters getting another handout from these scumbag politicians….I have been paying license and tag fees for 40plus years…I have not got a limited entry draw in 17 years now but these guides get more and can sell them to other guides….sounds fair doesn’t it…I can not see how any person that hunts or fishes in this province would support these crooks…
sounds like a easy $200,000 job. where do I apply.
Morris should be shaking the hand of some regular BC citizen hunter not someone that donates to the liberal party.
The facts support your assertion Dumbfounded.
“As the Canadian chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) explained in a Facebook post last Friday, “NDP have vowed to end the Grizzly hunt in BC if elected. SCI chapters from CANADA and the USA banded together donating $60000.00” (sic).
As evidence, here is a picture of that SCI group presenting the $60,000 cheque to the Guide Outfitters Association of BC (GOABC), who in turn donated the money to the BC Liberal Party.
ht tps://dogwoodbc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Safari-Club-International-cropped.jp
I remember some of the Conservatives on this site being up in arms about environmental organizations, working against pipelines in BC, being funded by foreign donations. Yet it’s OK when the American Safari Club International donates to the BC Liberal Party, via the GOABC, to keep Grizzly Bear Trophy Hunting alive in BC.
I would like to retract the following portion of my comment as mot being accurately correct; “…(GOABC), who in turn donated the money to the BC Liberal Party.”
It is not known if the GOABC donated that money directly to the BC Liberal Party, or if they used it to fund some other anti-NDP campaign initiative.
Also the link to the picture in my above comment does not work so here is a link to the complete article, including the pictures. Give the article a read, it is very interesting!
dogwoodbc.ca/trophy-hunters-pass-hat-for-christy-clark/
There is nothing wrong with grizzly bear hunting or any species for that matter. What you have to look at is it sustainable. Our monitoring system on animals in this province is pathetic…no one knows exactly how many of each species is at risk. We have to change that. If a temporary closure is justified than so be it. But before we jump to conclusions just because David Suzuki said so…uh no. Lets get some solid data first.
The University of Victoria’s Applied Conservation Science Lab completed a 2013 assessment of the ‘performance’ of grizzly bear ‘mortality management’ in BC.
The following map shows the areas in green where Grizzly Bear mortality management numbers were met, the other colours show how much over the number of grizzly bear management numbers grizzlies were killed. * Note the areas coloured in black where the populations have been wiped out, and the grey areas where the grizzly bear populations are threatened.
ht tp://www.web.uvic.ca/~darimont/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Grizz-overkill-map.jpg
“Note the areas coloured in black where the populations have been wiped out, and the grey areas where the grizzly bear populations are threatened.” .. I am not in favour of grizzly bear trophy hunting, or ANY trophy hunting for that matter, but I don’t necessarily agree that hunting has any effect on the bear population, especially around this area. I have been hunting and fishing the MacGregor region for many years and there was a time you had to get very remote, up into sub alpine to see any grizzlies, now when we go out there camping and fishing we see more grizzlies than black bears, and that is in the lower elevations around the lakes we fish. So I don’t believe there is any reason to think hunting is an issue when looking at bear populations. Also another area I frequent is the Omineca and most years you hardly see anyone up there hunting Grizzly. The REAL issue to me is allowing people from out of country preferential choice when it comes to our big game hunting. THAT picture on this article pretty much sums up who gets the ear of the law makers.
“…$200 thousand dollars has been budgeted to hire someone to meet with someone who can meet with all the stakeholders in the Province and come up with what the model…”
I know a guy who knows a guy who will have a “meeting” for half that amount. :)
Once again lets start with a proven program that can keep predators at acceptable levels. All existing rail lines have proper overpasses escape exits to reduce wild life collisions. Reduce the # of allotted animals to guides. Purchase some guiding territories outright. Total revamp of LEH system.
What about poachers?
Hire a hundred more C.O.’s
What about poachers. Pretty difficult to stop poaching completely. You know as well as I that there is always someone who will shoot an animal illegally. Grizz is probably right, more enforcement in the bush year round. Bottom line is that we as conservationists all have to take a hit whether we like it or not…before its too goddam late!!
The BC Wildlife Fed has been lobbying for this for many years. Sure the timing is suspect, given the impending election, but with moose numbers down 50 to 70% from 15 years ago we can’t start soon enough to enhance the funding for wildlife rehabilitation. The most recent (2017/18) Limited Entry Hunting Synopsis reveals a 17% reduction in moose draws for the area around Prince George.
There are 50,000 members of the Wildlife Federation and many more unaffiliated recreational users paying taxes. Most will support this announcement. Remind your local wannabe MLA’s that the majority of resident hunters, fishermen and recreational users deserve their attention.
Resident hunters won’t forget the Liberals backed out on the agreed upon resource allocation model (Fed/GOABC/Ministry) to direct more opportunities to the guides, to the detriment of the resident hunter population.
When BC hunters have a reasonable chance of getting a draw then, and only then, should guides have access to the resourcePERIOD
Exactly.
Why are resident hunters applying for the LEH Bison hunt up north getting repeat winning draws when others that have been putting in for it since day one have never received one? The luck of the draw you say? Our LEH system is terrible and needs to be modeled after the Alberta system. As it stands now is totally unfair.
The leh system is flawed…I have been putting in for elk in 7-21 7-22 for years…I personally know a farmer with elk problems on her 2 sections of land….there is 2500 tags in this area and I have never gotten one..seriously the system is supposed to move you up every year you don’t get one and move you to the bottom when you do…I beg to differ…like I said early 17 years since I have gotten a leh moose in 7-24..I should be at the top of the list according to the way I understand it…I was a regional director for BC Wildlife in MacKenzie for years and quit because there main goal in my opion only was too get trophy hunting species expanded…trophy sheep transplants etc.as far as the average day hunter like myself and family I need proof in what the actually do for me…I spend a fair amount of time in the woods fill in all my data information sheets…and I don’t care what any of you say it’s all about the Guide and Outfitters and foreign hunters that they care about not my grandkids my kids and family..enjoying quality family time and life skills handed down.
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