Camera Lights - IR ok, Spectral Response Illegal

[Zee]

I checked with Sustainable Resources on this one, here is their response.

Section 9 of the federal Alberta Fishery Regulations, 1998 provides that a light may not be used while fishing other than a light that is attached to a hook or line used in angling.

Alberta considers that the use of an underwater camera that emits visible light while fishing in the immediate vicinity is unlawful. However, if the camera only emits non-visible light such as infra-red light, the practise would not be considered unlawful. Please note that the purpose for using the light is not addressed by the regulation and is therefore considered non-relevant. Please contact your local Fish and Wildlife Division district office for further information.

Thank you.

[PigShanks]

Clear as Mud those government regulations.

[icejunky]

Thats interesting, I know that In Ontario we can not fish using lights, and I have been thinking about up grading my Auquavu to the one with the Spectral. I guess I should dig a but deeper.

[Zee]

Most of the fishing stores here in Alberta still sell spectral response, I don;tt hink it's being enforced yet, but if you get a savvy CO, you could be in trouble.

[PigShanks]

I do find it funny though that they are allowed to be sold in Alberta when they don't meet the regulations. The use of gaffs and barbed hooks is prohibited in fishing here but you can still go into Comedian Tire and find them in the fishing section. I feel that even though ignorance is not an excuse in breaking the regs, I feel that shops should have to respect the regs as well and not offer for sale such items. IMO

[icejunky]

I was laughing at my local Canadian Tire manager as well, he has the shelves stocked with quick strike rigs for Pike, problem is that they have 2 trebels which is illegal in Ontario. When asked he said "it's not illegal to sell them".

[PigShanks]

When I enquired at CT and Wally World, I got the same answer. They stock what head office tells them to stock.

[icechip]

Same here in BC. Many things illegal on shop store shelves...3 way spreaders, minnow pails or traps etc

[pizalm]

I was laughing at my local Canadian Tire manager as well, he has the shelves stocked with quick strike rigs for Pike, problem is that they have 2 trebels which is illegal in Ontario. When asked he said "it's not illegal to sell them".

You can only have one treble but can have barbed hooks? In manitoba we can have two trebles on a quickstrike but no barbs. 

[keny]

Wow - I never would have thought about the camera light as being an illegal light. Good thing to know as i was considering acquiring an underwater camera, will need more research. I have a proper submersable fishing light that I can no longer use since I moved here.

[icontact]

I do find it funny though that they are allowed to be sold in Alberta when they don't meet the regulations. The use of gaffs and barbed hooks is prohibited in fishing here but you can still go into Comedian Tire and find them in the fishing section. I feel that even though ignorance is not an excuse in breaking the regs, I feel that shops should have to respect the regs as well and not offer for sale such items. IMO

On some models with SR lightning you can turn the lights off when your hook goes in the water, which then makes them legal to fish with. You can look around with the lights on as long as your hook is not in the water, then you simply turn the lights off when you lower your hook. As far as respecting the rules, would that mean no sporting goods store in Alberta should be able to sell hooks, as about 99% of them all come with barbs?You have to realize as well that a lot of the big sporting goods stores sell product through mail order to provinces and other countries where some of the rules you mentioned do not apply.

[PigShanks]

On some models with SR lightning you can turn the lights off when your hook goes in the water, which then makes them legal to fish with. You can look around with the lights on as long as your hook is not in the water, then you simply turn the lights off when you lower your hook.

Quite right, I never thought about using it without a hook in the water.

As far as respecting the rules, would that mean no sporting goods store in Alberta should be able to sell hooks, as about 99% of them all come with barbs?You have to realize as well that a lot of the big sporting goods stores sell product through mail order to provinces and other countries where some of the rules you mentioned do not apply.

Well I know that I can look around the local tackle shops and find an ever expanding selection of barbless, this comment was just to make a generalization, although I have had discussions with CO's as to what they deem barbless. Gaffs are illegal in Alberta, yet I can go into my local Canadian Tire and buy one off the shelf. Mail order is different. These businesses should not have to read and follow all the regs for all locations they ship to, but as a local store with walk in customers I feel that the stores should have to comply with the local regulations.

[Skiff]

Section 9 of the federal Alberta Fishery Regulations, 1998 provides that a light may not be used while fishing other than a light that is attached to a hook or line used in angling.

Interesting....and the law was passed 8 years ago.  Were cameras/attractant lights popular then?  I can't remember.  How about if you attached a glow stick above or below your hook?  I wonder if this would provide enough light to see the fish with the camera?

Another odd thing here in Manitoba is that radar detectors are illegal to use, install or possess.  Yet electronics stores all over Winnipeg sell them.