1. The name of the Association is Skeena Angling Guides Association (SAGA). The Association was formed in 1986.
2. The purpose of the Association is
to pursue a consolatory relationship with government departments so that the membership may participate in the developments and institution of programs, policies and regulation that may affect sports fishing.
to preserve and enhance sports fishing in B.C.
to encourage ethical behavior in angling guiding and all facets of sports fishing.
to promote a harmonious atmosphere among the sports fisherman, Guides and local residents.
3. The operations of the Association are carried on in the Skeena region of the Province of British Columbia.
4. Membership in the Association shall be open to all persons who hold a current BC Angling Guide License upon payment of the required annual Dues, the amount of which may be determined or changed by consensus at any meeting if necessary.
5. The chairman shall keep an updated register of the names and addresses of all members and of any other information considered necessary.
6. A person shall cease to be a member of the Association
by delivering his resignation in writing to the Chairman or Secretary of the Association or mailing, e-mailing or delivering it to the address of the Association.
on having been a member NOT in good-standing for 60 days (non-payment of dues)
on breaking any by-law (see by-law section)
on his death
At the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in November each year the following officials shall be elected: Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary
As members we are expected to abide by "all" the By-Laws of the Association. These By-Laws are the regulation of the Association members as decided by the members from time to time.
If a member who knowingly breaks a Fish and Wildlife regulation, Government Statue or Law, that the Guiding Industry is obligated to abide by will be asked to resign as a member of the Association.
Guides must NOT purposely drop off their clients to angle on their own, as clients should never be left unattended except for emergency or special reasons. Example of a special reason may be a guide has to go pick up the boat trailer.
Guides must NOT rent, lease or loan boats to their clients.
Guides must NOT drink alcohol or use illegal drugs while guiding. If a serious (Criminal) conviction should arise from the use of either substance the member will be asked to resign.
If a member is charged and convicted under the Motor Vehicle Act or Coast Guard Regulation with a dangerous and serious motor vehicle or boating incident they will be asked to resign.
The maximum number of Assistant Guides that a Guide may use at one time on three categories of rivers will be (unless there is a specific maximum number for a particular river developed through AMP committee):
>> Small Size Rivers (Eg. Kasiks, Zymacord, Bish Creek) - Two Assistant Guides
>> Medium Size Rivers (Eg. Kalum, Kitimat, Kildala) - Three Assistant Guides
>> Large Size Rivers (Eg. Skeena and Nass) - Ten Assistant Guides
**Note: when guiding large groups, the guide must make sure the group is fishing on an isolated gravel bar, well away from any resident anglers who were there first.
A Guide or Assistant Guide must be the only operator on float or power boat (clients must not be an operator of either type of boat unless it is an emergency or to provide assistance for a very specific reason).
A member must NOT "tip off" (inform) any individual who they know is under investigation for breaking any Fish and Wildlife law.
A Guide must NOT advertise (promote) in print, signs, circulars, brochures, web pages, letterheads, like materials or in any other fashion, as well as orally, shall not misrepresent in anyway that they can guide on a Classified River where they have no rod-days unless they have written permission from the guide who owns the rod-days. This agreement should be in possession of the Chairman and kept updated so that the Chairman may answer any questions the public or government may have.
A Guide who owns grandfathered or purchased grandfathered rod-days may rent or lease their rod-days to another guide from time to time as a method of utilizing all their rod-days. While leasing days should not be a long-term plan, the Association feels it is a good idea to help others in the community, not monopolize, develop relationships and off set costs. Guide businesses need opportunities and time to grow; renting or leasing unused days allows flexibility and an ability to grow while making days available to other guides. If unused days are a concern, renting allows flexibility and greater day usage.
For fall 2005 angling season, ALL members must "catch & release" ALL Coho Salmon they and their clients catch while guiding on ALL of the lower Skeena River tributaries from the mouth of the Kalum River downstream to the ocean.
ALL members must "catch & release" ALL "wild" Steelhead they and their clients catch.
Guide and Client must wear life jackets when their boat is in motion.
Any member who is voted out or resigns is no longer allowed to attend any meeting by proxy or otherwise.
Any member (named), through the chairman, at anytime, may request any other member to be called to answer any question(s) by any member, at any meeting on any subject. Any questions presented to the member must be in writing in advance of the meeting. Any member may ask any additional oral questions at the meeting. Date scheduling for the meeting, between the called member and the chairman, will be resolved. The called member then must attend.
Members are not allowed to licence anymore third party AAG (Assistant Angling Guide) in the non-Classified Water time period on the Zymoetz (Copper) River.
If a member breaks any of the above by-laws and has been asked to resign, they have the right to appeal to a Special Committee made up of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary to hear their side. This Committee will report back to the Full Membership for a final decision.
If the decision comes back negative the guide will be asked to resign again and if he does not he will be considered in breach of his contract (terms and conditions) he signed and accepted as an �accredited� guide and will be removed from the Association without any further notice. top^
Allocation for Angling Opportunity in British Columbia:
Members support the idea that the resident non-guided angler has unequivocal priority with regard to angling opportunity in British Columbia. However, the Association does not support any current, past or future proposals or regulations that limit guided angling opportunity while allowing non-guided non-resident anglers to be unlimited. The Association believes the following Hierarchy of Exclusion should be considered when regulation changes regarding allocation of angling opportunity are proposed. First to be excluded would be:
Promote and develop the highest level of fisheries management in the Skeena Region.
Develop and maintain a high quality and professional angling guiding industry that contributes to the Local, Regional, and Provincial economies and the quality of the sport fishery.
Do our part to preserve the quality angling experiences that are associated with wilderness and special angling waters for all classes of anglers.
Do our part to protect and sustain wild fish stocks.
Support the enhancing or improving the quality of an angling experience for all classes of anglers that have deteriorated as the result of overcrowding or through regulations that encourage bad ethics.
Promote catch and release whenever possible especially for wild fisheries.
Encourage members to carry appropriate equipment such as first aid kits, cell phone and or radio for emergency use wherever a service exists, emergency phone numbers/frequencies, appropriate programmed radios when traveling active logging roads and wearing life jackets when using boats.
Encourage members to ensure that someone else knows where you are in the event you do not return.
Encourage members to hold at least a minimum Survival First Aid Certificate.
Report as quickly as possible any observed violations of Fish and Wildlife Regulations to the C.O. Service or Fisheries & Oceans Canada.
Report as quickly as possible, to the appropriate authorities, any suggestions/ideas for a new Regulation or a Regulation change that would be beneficial to fish.
Bring back all garbage for proper disposal and recycling.
Follow good health and disposal practices for human waste above the high water mark.
Promote catch and release using small barbless hooks whenever possible especially for wild fisheries.
Guide must always leave their angling area free of litter.
That the Association go on record as being in favor of change where it is obvious there is a need to limit the size of boats and or engine horsepower or even taking a proactive position limiting a particular piece of water to drift boats only.
Each member shall be given a membership card, fishing vest patch and decal for each boat and/or motor vehicle.
Encourage their Assistant Angling Guides (AAG) to attend meetings. top^
If guiding on a congested or busy section of river where controversy and conflict have often occurred try and work out a plan with other Association members who guide on that section of river that will minimize or eliminate controversy and conflict.
Guide should not crowd other guides or the angling public. Guide should make every effort to guide well away from the angling public.
Guides should practice conservation of fish stocks and help educate the public.
While operating jet boats, guides should slow down when approaching bank, wading anglers or other guides, anglers in anchored boats or drifting boats.
Guides should encourage their clients to limit the numbers of fish that they catch and release.
Guides must practice proper catch and release methods. No specie of fish should be dragged up onto a gravel bar or into a boat then released. Wet hands should only be used; gloves or any method for providing better grip will remove critical slime from a fish.
Guides should use only soft mesh landing nets, especially for Chinook Salmon.
Conflicts between guides should be resolved by privately meeting at an appropriate time and place. If the conflict cannot be resolved by this process it should be referred to an executive committee for their help to find a solution.
Do not give false or misleading information to prospective clients.
Be willing and capable of making restitution in cash or in kind, for breach of contract between a guide and a client when the client is not at fault.
Drive vehicles and boats in a safe and courteous fashion.
Talk and communicate with all other anglers in a friendly and courteous manner.
From time to time, members introduce ideas that are forward thinking, progressive, innovative and imaginative and may lead to upgrade and change as to how our association functions. These new ideas usually require a lot of discussion and understanding and possible testing before consensus can be achieved. Examples as follows:
Consensus via e-mail:
From time to time a special, emergency (cannot wait) issue may come up (that was not dealt with at a regular meeting) that every member should have an opportunity to agree with the consensus or not. The e-mail would be send to members asking for consensus by a certain date. If the member does not reply back it means YES for consensus. Kind of like...speak now or forever hold your peace. (Please review our Constitution document as to what is a consensus and what you have to do to achieve it.)
Suggestion as to how to proceed:
First, send out an e-mail asking members whether or not to proceed with asking for consensus on a particular issue ? If the question fails then the issue must be dealt with at the next general meeting. If the first consensus question succeeds then send the question.
SAGA branches:
Start planning to establish SAGA branches on the Queen Charlotte Islands, Prince Rupert, Hazelton and Smithers. top^
Pole Question
From time to time a question will come up that �every� SAGA member should have a chance to answer. The pole question will be sent by the chairman via e-mail. Members will be advised of the pole results. top^
