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Problems in the tagging system has forced the Newfoundland and Labarador salmon council to introduce new tages
As the result of frequent requests from Atlantic salmon conservation groups, the Province of Newfoundland and Labarador announced at the last Salmon Advisory Meeting that it will have new improved Salmon tags in place for the 2002 season!
SCNL (Salmonid Council of NF and LAB) and it's eight affiliates have long recognized that there is a major poaching problem because the old type tags were easy to open. Poachers were re-using them to take more than their allowable limit.
The new tags are designed so that they will break quickly where they enter the closure recepticle if anyone tries to pull them apart. Poachers were microwaving or boiling the old tags so that they slipped out of the receptacle. The new ones will break easily if this is tried.
Questions were asked - "What if I accidently break the tag while carrying a fish?"
Answer - "Too bad - carry it by the tail."
A broken tag is a used tag - plain and simple. No excuses should be accepted for this. SCNL figures the percentage of Atlantic salmon spared by the introduction of the new tags will be significant.
While not the same tag Council and SPAWN originally wanted, the new tag is much less costly to produce and, most important, WILL BE EFFECTIVE! We are grateful that the Province has finally made the move!
http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/spawn/news.htm |