Ministry Says O.K.To Fish Without Licence Till the 17th

Thursday, April 09, 2009 03:57 AM

Prince George, B.C.- You have about a week left to head out fishing without worrying about having a licence.

Environment Minister Barry Penner has signed an order exempting sports fishers from having a fishing licence between now and April 17. This will allow enough time for the Ministry of Environment to deliver paper licence
stock to vendors throughout the province and fix some bugs currently affecting the new e-licensing system.

The temporary exemption applies to basic licences, classified waters licences, white sturgeon licences and conservation surcharge stamps for all non-tidal waters in British Columbia. The exemption applies to all
anglers, regardless of residence status, with the exception of individuals whose angling licences have been suspended or cancelled, or are prohibited from fishing under the Wildlife Act.

All existing freshwater fishing regulations, including quotas and gear restrictions will continue to be in force during the licence exemption period.

The Province eliminated paper licences and implemented a fully Internet-based e-licensing system on April 1 after several months of successful trials in which both paper and e-licences were available. The
heavy volume of anglers attempting to purchase 2009-2010 licences last week caused the system to malfunction and repairs are underway.

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Posted on Thursday, April 09, 2009 03:57 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: metalman on April 9 2009 7:00 AM

Typical for the heavy hand of government.
metalman.

Posted by: rufus1 on April 9 2009 7:02 AM

Is Accenture involved in running the system?

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on April 9 2009 7:13 AM

That's why I don't fish anymore, I have a computer.

Posted by: dirtcheap on April 9 2009 8:41 AM

Hmmm,I wonder why all the breaks and the money for jobs is all of a sudden available, there would'nt be an election coming up? No this has never happened before. How stupid do these people think we are?

Posted by: Born in BC on April 9 2009 9:27 AM

I dont think most of them bother to buy a licence anyway, so this really doesnt change anything. There is just no inforcement out there. They need to get out there and hand out fines and confiscate equipment.

Posted by: My3Centsworth on April 9 2009 10:01 AM

Do those of us that bought licences get a percentage back for this period of "free fishing?"

Posted by: Outwest on April 9 2009 10:16 AM

I do all my fishing at Costco.

Posted by: thereasonableman on April 9 2009 1:35 PM

They do enforcement in lots of places where you would not expect. I wouldn't have believed it either.
I have hiked into remote lakes to ice fish, only to see an enforcement officer on snowshoes coming out to check our licences. I have been checked by boat on rivers, I have even hiked up the bank of a river away from everyone else and been checked by a guy that followed my trail.