[Sea Chaser]

While I'm in agreement that more (many more) conservation officers are needed. It would also would appear that some oversight might be in order to keep our tax dollars from being abused. I have found the majority of conservation officers to be reasonable and decent people (if you don't give them any attitude)and generally with common sense. HOWEVER..I had the misfortune of witnessing what I would describe as a inexcusable waste of tax dollars and IT MAKES ME QUESTION HOW MUCH OF THIS IS GOING ON? While at the stave river in the middle of chum season, I sat on the bank and watched a conservation jet boat with 3 officers come all the way up to just below the Ruskin boat launch, beach beside a guy who hadn't been there that long, and appeared to be float fishing like the majority of the 60 or so people there, then they proceeded to get out and check his license (that part I agree with) however 2 minutes later they jumped back in the boat and left heading all the way down towards the mouth as far as I could see. Now I'm not going to waste time on any more details unless asked. However I would like to raise these points;

1) Why with 3 officers there with and a multitude of fisherman all around and ample opportunity, they only checked "1" license? After time(wages) and boat hrs accumulated, fuel spent and the fact that there were people fishing every 20ft.....???

2) The main fishing area for the majority of the stave river day trippers is the Ruskin park site...easily accessible to CO's by road...Conservation using a jet boat to access the park is similar to flying across Burrard inlet to access N. van (it just doesn't make sense unless you're Bill Gates)

3) I appreciate the job the conservation officers of this province due. It is generally a thankless job and comes with inherent hazards. A few can undermine it for the rest as the RCMP found out recently, and I only mention this as a gross over statement of how respect can be lost, when less than better judgement is witnessed by others. For the majority of Conservation Officers out there keep up the good work! For those of you abusing the position and joyriding around meeting your minimums, please step aside for someone who cares about the conservation of this provinces' resources and the time and effort put in by others to maintain it.

 

[Fishaholic]

Good call Sea chaser, unfortunately thats not the only area of concern when it come to the gov....


I have quite a few freinds in the Coast Guard. Now depending on the boat you end up on that sounds like a fun job :beerchug:

But in all seriousness Ive witnessed the same thing in the chuck. A zode runs out from Victoria to Otter point, 2 225's, 2 officers on a about a 26ft zode. Check one boat, turn around and dissapear beyond the horizon towards Victoria. I know I was a small business owner It sure would be nice to have little if any accountability

 

[Pat AV]

While it sounds suspect to me, maybe we should give them the benifit of the doubt and assume they got a serious call on their radio that they had to attend to.

Here's hoping that was the case or I would agree that money was wasted that day.

 

[Sea Chaser]

When I was a kid...I wanted to be Coast Guard...used to go out with them on "training exercises"...lets just say its the only time in my life I've had abalone...remember it being one of the best burgers I've ever had in my life...hands down...that being said, its not about who, so much as why its allowed to happen.

 

[Salmonator]

While it sounds suspect to me, maybe we should give them the benifit of the doubt and assume they got a serious call on their radio that they had to attend to.

Here's hoping that was the case or I would agree that money was wasted that day.

I have to agree on this one if they are patroling the river something could have called them away. :cheers:

 

[Lastcar]

As a former provincial government employee, there is no accountability. If it is attempted by the managers, the unions resist it immensely regardless of the facts or their own knowledge of the employee's performance. The union I was in would turn it around on the employer stating they made the mistake of hiring the person, they now owe it to the employee to help them improve. This would involve the employer advising the employee they did something undesirable which is a form of accountability. The majority of the union membership (employees) would love to see a few dead crows hanging form the fence post, would be the closest thing to employee recognition, at least they know who the bad ones are. I recall often cringing and ducking for cover as my co 'work'ers were interacting or exposing themselves to the public. Not worth the hassle for a manager to do much more than suggest they shouldn't have done that, even then, where I was the harassment card was played by the employee in question often folowed by a stress leave approved by a family doctor, not a practitioner who specializes in workplace stress. The employee on leave would receive 75% pay for up to six months. It was too much too be part of, even when you are the right side of the fence.

Some serious tail wagging the dog going on there. Too bad as there have been some great managers there who moved on to 6 figure salaries in the private sector and have been extremely successful.

Suffice to say I am baffled at union's current role in labour relations, no pay raise in 9 of the twelve years I was there, union dues were up to 2.25% when I left. Unions greatest asset is complacency amongst their membership.

Please do not ask me to provide which government agency as there are great people there who love the type of work (not the job/employer) and do not deserve to be painted with one wide brush, I have lived it and base my opinions on the 12 years I was there. The percentage that is what I speak of above is about 30%, too high for an outfit with 4000 employees.

It was a great twelve years during which I had a lot of fun at work most days and tons of fun away from work. I left to chase the six figure income while I was still young(ish) and sane (have you seen the price of gear these days....). Oh well I am not there anymore and I am surprised I miss not one bit of it, good or bad.

In the same light as not wanting to paint my former peers with one brush, the first thing that comes to mind is perhaps they left to respond to a valid complaint of a blatant violation called in by a member of this board. Who knows maybe someone will post that they called in a complaint in that area and three COs showed up in a jet in under five minutes and delivered the service the poachers deserve.

Or perhaps one should simply reread above, be it far from employees of most places to not take the cool 'toys' out for a joyride once in a while...

To end this long painful journey I have taking you on, the original post was well written and contained a balanced and curious approach. Be interested to hear an official take (or better yet an unofficial take) on this type of situation.

I'll stop now....

 

[ribolovac]

when we are talking about go wasting money like to ad this one,last year my company did a job for city of vancouver,we were told the job is gona be ready for us at 4:00pm were talking about a 2 hour job here,we were there waiting for them to finish preping the job for us for 6 hours on double time of course ,they decided to pay,mind ya we were a whole crew of 7 men with al the equipment waiting there.We had to wait becouase it was a major road we were working on, that had to be open in the morning,and there crew was busy.wasted around 15 000 i estimated,not the first time eithere.