01-08-2006, 03:50 AM
Yes, I can see the difference. The U.S. method is based on economic reasons. Putting the fish where they will be most likely pay off the most.
Our system is similar when you get down to it. A Controlled Exploitation Zone (ZEC) here in Quebec must upkeep the fauna otherwise their profits at the gates drop. When the profits drop, the ressource suffers through layoffs (the biggest expense), upkeep (second biggest expence), surveillance, scientific research all follow along.
These ZECs would like to increase their prices, receive the money their conservation agents from any illegale practices, receive governement subsidation (I opt for the last one). The only government subsidation they get now is for projects .... like return to work projects. The bill is splitt 50-50 so then again the ZECs are in the red. Some ZECs have fared better than most (like the one I used to work in which is about 20 minutes from where I live because the fauna is abundant. Others fare well by cutting on costs yet are remote or difficult to access enough that they break even. Others have taken to increasing revenu like renting boats, selling ordinary items at the gate, renting cottages, convienience store on the territory. I am fully against this approach. There are outfitters who depend on their ability to fill vacancies. ZECs were put into place to get rid of the private clubs and allow the whole population who are the true owners of the land to have access. Rates are controlled by the government. If the ZECs were let loose, they would up the price so much that only their members would go.....back to the private club regime.
ZECs are set up close enough to urban centers that it will allow the surrounding population to be able to use these territories and be back at home at night. Outfitters (with exclusive hunting and fishing rights) are usually outside of that range. There are outfitters set up on public territory (do not have exclusive hunting and fishing rights). Outside of all this again are the native lands. Most of the territory belongs to the indian bands. There are quite a few outfitters (owned by the natives) throughout their territory. Lands rights are being disputed and each province seems to be slowly making arrangements.
There is a new entity in all this. It was one of my ideas from over 20 years ago called "Aire Faunique" (Area for Fauna). These are territorys that are very close to a number of municipalites, yet have an interesting ressource....lets say a long section of the Mississippi River that crosses a couple of state lines and goes through many cities and towns. All of these people get together, invest in the ressource, set up a system similar to ZECs (surveillance, testing, selling (ex. licences to fish in the river). All the money made goes to protecting and increasing the ressource. Ok, there are losses for the first years but eventually more money will be made and secondary revenus will increase throughout the municipalities in the region. The board of governors that controls this "area", is made up of people from the Quebec Wildlife Federation, local hunting and fishing associations, biologists, represntators from the municpalities.
The one example I know best is " Lac-St-Jean" (you can find stuff on the internet). It all started over 20 years ago when I co-founded an association to protect the landlocked Atlantic salmon (ouananiche) in the lake. 10 or 12 years later, when the ouananiche was on the come back, we closed our association who was now a member of the board. Since we belonged to the Quebec Wildlife Federation, we just gave our chair to them and closed shop....our job was done....the ouananiche and also the walleye are well protected and on the slow comeback .
Lac Gouin is another such entity. It was public land where a bunch of outfitters had set up operation. They have banded together with similar partners in protecting the ressource (walleye).
The Quebec Wildlife Federation is associated to the Canadian Wildlife Federation....which is associated with the World Wildlife Federation.
I'm a firm believer that the population should control have the final say in it's own ressource...not the government nor local commerce....these 2 should be there in a secondary role.
Tourism is becoming more and more popular and important. It's a good investment. It is self supporting. Canada is a huge playground. There are no deadly animals or diseases. Crime is very low. Huge spaces where you are surprised to see anyone else. I only have to go north about 20 minutes and there are no more cities, towns, villages between me and the North Pole. I can drive 2 hours north on a logging road and fish in a lake that maybe has never seen a fisherman....and it's free. Yes, I love wilderness canoing and camping. Futher north east or north west there are a few native communities and small logging and mining communities. But north of the 50th parallel...it's almost all wilderness.
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Our system is similar when you get down to it. A Controlled Exploitation Zone (ZEC) here in Quebec must upkeep the fauna otherwise their profits at the gates drop. When the profits drop, the ressource suffers through layoffs (the biggest expense), upkeep (second biggest expence), surveillance, scientific research all follow along.
These ZECs would like to increase their prices, receive the money their conservation agents from any illegale practices, receive governement subsidation (I opt for the last one). The only government subsidation they get now is for projects .... like return to work projects. The bill is splitt 50-50 so then again the ZECs are in the red. Some ZECs have fared better than most (like the one I used to work in which is about 20 minutes from where I live because the fauna is abundant. Others fare well by cutting on costs yet are remote or difficult to access enough that they break even. Others have taken to increasing revenu like renting boats, selling ordinary items at the gate, renting cottages, convienience store on the territory. I am fully against this approach. There are outfitters who depend on their ability to fill vacancies. ZECs were put into place to get rid of the private clubs and allow the whole population who are the true owners of the land to have access. Rates are controlled by the government. If the ZECs were let loose, they would up the price so much that only their members would go.....back to the private club regime.
ZECs are set up close enough to urban centers that it will allow the surrounding population to be able to use these territories and be back at home at night. Outfitters (with exclusive hunting and fishing rights) are usually outside of that range. There are outfitters set up on public territory (do not have exclusive hunting and fishing rights). Outside of all this again are the native lands. Most of the territory belongs to the indian bands. There are quite a few outfitters (owned by the natives) throughout their territory. Lands rights are being disputed and each province seems to be slowly making arrangements.
There is a new entity in all this. It was one of my ideas from over 20 years ago called "Aire Faunique" (Area for Fauna). These are territorys that are very close to a number of municipalites, yet have an interesting ressource....lets say a long section of the Mississippi River that crosses a couple of state lines and goes through many cities and towns. All of these people get together, invest in the ressource, set up a system similar to ZECs (surveillance, testing, selling (ex. licences to fish in the river). All the money made goes to protecting and increasing the ressource. Ok, there are losses for the first years but eventually more money will be made and secondary revenus will increase throughout the municipalities in the region. The board of governors that controls this "area", is made up of people from the Quebec Wildlife Federation, local hunting and fishing associations, biologists, represntators from the municpalities.
The one example I know best is " Lac-St-Jean" (you can find stuff on the internet). It all started over 20 years ago when I co-founded an association to protect the landlocked Atlantic salmon (ouananiche) in the lake. 10 or 12 years later, when the ouananiche was on the come back, we closed our association who was now a member of the board. Since we belonged to the Quebec Wildlife Federation, we just gave our chair to them and closed shop....our job was done....the ouananiche and also the walleye are well protected and on the slow comeback .
Lac Gouin is another such entity. It was public land where a bunch of outfitters had set up operation. They have banded together with similar partners in protecting the ressource (walleye).
The Quebec Wildlife Federation is associated to the Canadian Wildlife Federation....which is associated with the World Wildlife Federation.
I'm a firm believer that the population should control have the final say in it's own ressource...not the government nor local commerce....these 2 should be there in a secondary role.
Tourism is becoming more and more popular and important. It's a good investment. It is self supporting. Canada is a huge playground. There are no deadly animals or diseases. Crime is very low. Huge spaces where you are surprised to see anyone else. I only have to go north about 20 minutes and there are no more cities, towns, villages between me and the North Pole. I can drive 2 hours north on a logging road and fish in a lake that maybe has never seen a fisherman....and it's free. Yes, I love wilderness canoing and camping. Futher north east or north west there are a few native communities and small logging and mining communities. But north of the 50th parallel...it's almost all wilderness.
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