A few extra snowmobiles SA国际影视传媒� and eyes SA国际影视传媒� were on Yellowknife Bay over the weekend as an awareness campaign led by law enforcement and government agencies kicked into gear.
Members of the G Division, Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) hit trails and fishing spots along the Dettah Ice Road Saturday as part of an inter-agency initiative to remind outdoor enthusiasts of sledding and ice fishing regulations.
SA国际影视传媒淭he initiative this year is to increase visibility of the SA国际影视传媒� patrols we're doing,SA国际影视传媒� said Const. Andrew Moore, who represented the during the blitz.
Const. Andrew Moore, representing the in a inter-agency awareness patrol, scans the ice road Saturday. Unregistered and uninsured sleds - and speeding drivers - are the most common infractions come across, according to Moore.
During Saturday's joint patrol, the second outing of the season under the partnership, participating officers were keeping an eye out for a number of offences related to snowmobiling and fishing.
SA国际影视传媒淲ith the snowmobiling within Yellowknife city limits your snowmobiles are supposed to be registered and insured, so that's one thing we're looking for,SA国际影视传媒� Moore said.
A lack of proper paper work, Moore said, yields the most infractions, but speeding sledders also pose a problem.
SA国际影视传媒淵ou're supposed to abide by speed limits as well, so any excessive speeds we'll be stopping and talking to those people,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Within the limits of Yellowknife, snowmobilers riding in SA国际影视传媒淎SA国际影视传媒� zones SA国际影视传媒� built up areas of the city SA国际影视传媒� must observe a speed limit of 30 km/h, while SA国际影视传媒淏SA国际影视传媒� zones have a speed limit of 70 km/h. Violators can be fined $100 or more, states the city's website.
According to Moore, it's up to the officer's discretion and a SA国际影视传媒渨hole bunch of variablesSA国际影视传媒� whether a ticket or a warning is handed out.
After scoping the area for passing snowmobiles, the four-person patrol team headed out to inspect a nearby ice fishing tent.
Amanda Leaker, one of two fishery officers on patrol Saturday, told Yellowknifer the DFO encounters a number of sport fishing violations during the winter months.
SA国际影视传媒淐ommon infractions would be ice fishing with too many lines, as well as people being too far away from their ice fishing holes,SA国际影视传媒� Leaker said.
Amanda Leaker, one of two fishery officers on patrol Saturday, says the joint patrols are also aimed at raising awareness about ice fishing regulations. While on patrol, Leaker keeps an eye out for unattended or too many fishing lines and unlicensed fishers.
Ice fishers are prohibited from setting more than two lines and must remain 50 metres away from their fishing holes, said Leaker.
SA国际影视传媒淎nother infraction we may come across is fishing without a licence,SA国际影视传媒� she added.
Also, Leaker said people possessing too many fish is a reoccurring issue during the season. Inspecting the ice fishing site Saturday, Leaker checked inside the erected tent to tally the number of lines and see if any were left unattended.
SA国际影视传媒淲e'll just have a look inside and see if anybody is in there fishing. If no one is in there we'll have a look to see if there's any lines set,SA国际影视传媒� Leaker stated.
With no one inside and no lines set, the patrol team was off to its next destination across the lake, where they encountered ice fishers.
The DFO, a total of six warnings for sport fishing infractions were issued Saturday.
SA国际影视传媒淎ll fishers should be familiar with the relevant regulations prior to setting out for the day,SA国际影视传媒� a spokesperson from the department wrote in an email.
SA国际影视传媒淔isheries and Oceans is committed to the conservation and protection of northern fish stocks and fish habit through public awareness, regulations, partnerships and, where necessary, enforcement action,SA国际影视传媒� the email stated.
While the purpose of the initiative is to enforce regulations, Const. Moore said most of the sledders and ice fishers they encounter are thankful for inter-agency patrol team's presence.
SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of people do appreciate seeing us, even if we're just stopping and talking. They appreciate the fact we're out there looking at other people not abiding by the rules,SA国际影视传媒� Moore said, adding Yellowknifers are SA国际影视传媒渉appySA国际影视传媒� to see others being held accountable in the same way they are.
SA国际影视传媒淕enerally, it's a positive experience,SA国际影视传媒� said Moore.
After a day of patrolling, Moore said the positive feedback makes it all worth while.
SA国际影视传媒淧eople are appreciative of us being out there. That alone makes it self-rewarding SA国际影视传媒�,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
