Natives levied with charges

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Following a five month long investigation in the Cold Lake/Bonnyville area, the Department of Public Lands and Wildlife in conjunction with the attorney general's office has charged 78 individuals and firms with the illegal sale of fish and game.

Most of these charges, which total 153 violations collectively, are levied against people holding Native or Metis domestic fishing licenses. Most will appear in court in nearby Grand Centre April 4 to answer the charges.

The investigation began after the legally licensed commercial fishermen and anglers in the respective areas complained to the detachment that illegal marketing of fish was contributing to the depletion of stocks in some lakes and the presence of poor quality fish in the local consumer market. On a provincial and national basis, the commercial fishermen complained that the illegal fish marketing was suppressing sales on the non-local market as well.

Agreeing that a problem may exist, the department assigned a special team of undercover agents to investigate the illegal sales in these northeastern Alberta lakes: Cold Lake, Muriel Lake, Moose Lake, Beaver Lake, Fishing Lake, Sturgeon Lake, Whitefish Lake, Kehewin Lake, Goodfish Lake, and Fork Lake. The agents reported witnessing the sale of 14,000 lbs. of big game.

Associate Minister of public Lands and Wildlife Don Sparrow said at a press conference held during the annual meeting of the Alberta Fish and Game Association Februaty 25 that illegal marketing "is a continuing problem, and one that I am not prepared to tolerate." He said his department, which includes the province's Fish and Wildlife division, "will continue to direct considerable field time and effort to address the problem," which he said was not confined solely to Alberta's northeast.

"The illegal sale and marketing of both big game and fish is reported by those investigating the situation to be significant and relatively widespread," he said.

In fact, the minister considers the activity to be of such significance that the limits on commercial fishing may be reduced to try to lessen the pressure on depleted stocks. He is also considering tighter limits on sports fishing.