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"Melford Williams, member of the Sumas Nation, was sentenced to 30 days
in jail for attempting to sell 180 sockeyes to a restaurant last August.
These fish were caught under a food-fishing permit. It would be the first
time in Canadian history that somebody is jailled for selling illegal fish."
I say it's about time. I do respect the "fish for food" permit, but this is a breach of trust and the punishment, although it's a precedent, will send a clear message.
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Finally.
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Now there is some good news.
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It's only a slap on the wrist though!
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It's a Start!!!
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Boy! long responses
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Yep.
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What about the people who buy from the natives because the fish are cheap.
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Terry If there were no buyers,then no buisness. You can bet there's some big buyers out there though.I would think some are talking tons not a 100 or 200 fish.If the truth ever comes out,I it would be quite suprising to many of us.
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Dale, Read your post, what exactly are you suggesting? Attack the buyers or attack the Sellers?
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The Native fishery is closely linked to the Vancouver Drug Underworld. Fish for drugs, then fish are sent to the prairie provinces in reefer trucks and a tidy profit is made. Hotels in Vancouver are canvassed by natives selling fish. many buy the cheap fish! So yes we are not talking 100 0r 200 fish, we are talking about many, many truck loads. Target both the seller and the buyer! Both are guilty and know it. With are legal system the way it is, enforcement and punishment are a joke.
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Scott why don't they let the natives have a fishery with quotas that they can sell in a fair market. Not for gov. rev. as this money is lost anyhow.Just for the fact that they could take the black market out of it and have a better understanding of what is comming in and out of our rivers to better manage the resorce. The way it is now the natives have nothing to lose.Maybe if they had a lisence to sell there catch to lose,it could change things around.This is an old buisenss that has coverd it's trax well,but the proffit could be taken out of it for them.I beleive that if the natives are given a chance to build a legitimate economic base out of there fishery that they will succeed.
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What? " Fish for drugs, then fish are sent to the prairie provinces in reefer trucks and a tidy profit is made." Why not just take the dope to the Prairies and sell it? No truck to pay for, much smaller amount of goods makes transportation easier and cheaper thus less chance of being caught and the dope won't go bad if you lose power. Sounds like a lot of BS to me. People are caught dealing dope all the time the cops know how it's done, no-one has ever been caught pulling this elaborate scheme. Somebody's been reading the 'Province Enquirer' too much.
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Nope, I have friends in Fisheries involved with these transactions! BC salmon is in high demand in the prairies. This has been going on for decades, and is not a recent day problem.Yes people have been busted for this. Lots of arrests in Jubilee Park in Abbotsford. If you think this is b.s. that's your perogative. At least I'll still what's right. By the way call fisheries in Mission 604 814-1055 and ask them why they carry sidearms. No better yet, ask them why one of their officers would think up this fantasy. Sorry if I've brought too much reality into your world!! tight lines
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Fisheries Officers are best at what they know-enforcement of Fisheries law. As to someone being busted with a bag if Skunk Weed in a park in Abbotsford-well Duh!-happens every day Don sorry to bring so much reality to your world. BC Salmon is indeed popular on the Prairies-it's sold in every Grocery Store in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, all farmed Atlantic recognisable by the sickly bright orange flesh;having been to those provinces and seen the stuff on ice I know. Fisheries Oficers don't carry sidearms to bust people smoking Dope they have to protect themselves against armed and dangerous Poachers and rightly so. It's when Fisheries Officers get off duty, have a few, legal ones we hope but who knows, and start telling 'war stories' to their friends that the bull starts to fly proving that they are in over their depth and that you shouldn't believe everything people tell you.
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