10-19-2014, 05:10 PM
[#0000FF]Wow! A whole lot of emotion here. And everybody has their own ideas of what "justice" should be.
2 problems. First is that the laws and penalties are fairly weak...and potential violators usually know them well enough to be able to weight the risk vs reward potential. Those who claim ignorance of the law are usually very knowledgeable of the laws and just feign ignorance in hope of getting a break. And those who claim ignorance based upon language differences do not deserve lenience either. The folks who issue drivers' licenses...and the highway patrol...do not recognize language barriers. The laws are the laws.
Second problem is DWR manpower problems. Each CO has a large area and many responsibilities. Virtually impossible to make daily checks on all waters...especially during hunting season when their workload multiplies. Those who don't buy licenses and overharvest are relying on a very low potential for being checked and cited. And many of them fish in groups who have cell phones or radios and keep a watch for officers. Those in violation usually have plenty of time to dispose of evidence or leave the area before a CO arrives.
Over the past ten years I have witnessed and reported several violators. None that I know of were caught and cited. And during that same ten years I have been fishing hundreds of times...on many different waters...and I have never been checked by a CO for a license or for fish kept. Just a couple of biologist surveys.
Sadly, the prisons are overfull of folks who would be better off on the outside and constitute no threat to society. Fish poachers are generally not terrorists. Most would be "chastised" more by a loss of personal belongings (vehicle and/or tackle) and hefty fines than by jail time. And it would be less of a drain on our tax dollars. However, the prospect of jail time and/or extensive community service for repeat offenders might add a measure of deterrence not only for first offenders but for others considering "rolling the dice" and violating game laws.
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2 problems. First is that the laws and penalties are fairly weak...and potential violators usually know them well enough to be able to weight the risk vs reward potential. Those who claim ignorance of the law are usually very knowledgeable of the laws and just feign ignorance in hope of getting a break. And those who claim ignorance based upon language differences do not deserve lenience either. The folks who issue drivers' licenses...and the highway patrol...do not recognize language barriers. The laws are the laws.
Second problem is DWR manpower problems. Each CO has a large area and many responsibilities. Virtually impossible to make daily checks on all waters...especially during hunting season when their workload multiplies. Those who don't buy licenses and overharvest are relying on a very low potential for being checked and cited. And many of them fish in groups who have cell phones or radios and keep a watch for officers. Those in violation usually have plenty of time to dispose of evidence or leave the area before a CO arrives.
Over the past ten years I have witnessed and reported several violators. None that I know of were caught and cited. And during that same ten years I have been fishing hundreds of times...on many different waters...and I have never been checked by a CO for a license or for fish kept. Just a couple of biologist surveys.
Sadly, the prisons are overfull of folks who would be better off on the outside and constitute no threat to society. Fish poachers are generally not terrorists. Most would be "chastised" more by a loss of personal belongings (vehicle and/or tackle) and hefty fines than by jail time. And it would be less of a drain on our tax dollars. However, the prospect of jail time and/or extensive community service for repeat offenders might add a measure of deterrence not only for first offenders but for others considering "rolling the dice" and violating game laws.
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