Hunting and Fishing Added to BC’s List of Essential Services

BC residents rejoice as hunting and fishing is announced as an essential service during the COVID pandemic, but with guidelines in place for social distancing.

Richmond, Canada - May 1, 2020 /PressCable/ —

The BC Wildlife Federation received some happy news at the end of April as the BC government announced that hunting and fishing has been added to the essential services list during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fishing and hunting fall under the essential service food cultivation category along with farming, livestock, and community gardens.

“We are happy hunting and fishing are now listed as essential services. With this listing comes great responsibility and a degree of scrutiny; as responsible citizens and conservationists, we need to ensure these activities are conducted within the guidelines set out by the PHO,” said BCWF president Bill Bosch.

However, this does come with a number of health and safety guidelines as outlined by the Provincial Health Officer. For example, non-essential travel is discouraged. This includes trips to vacation homes, fishing lodges,, and rural properties.

Other guidelines include limiting the amount of people you’re fishing or hunting with, social distancing including staying 2 metres apart, not sharing vehicles with anyone outside the individual’s family.

The Vancouver Sun ran a recent article that stated, “The solitary nature of fishing makes it a good hobby in a time of social distancing. But would-be anglers should know they need a fishing licence, and should be aware of any changes in rules due to the pandemic.”

“I go out all the time,” said Jason Tonelli of Pacific Angler. “I was out by myself a couple of days ago. For a lot of people that are really passionate about fishing, it can often be a solitary pursuit. You’re out, you’re in the boat by yourself, no cellphone, you don’t have to talk to anybody. You’re out on the open ocean, looking for salmon.

Fishing resorts like King Pacific Lodge on BC’s central coast are still taking bookings in preparation for the upcoming fishing season. Learn more about the resort at http://kingpacificlodge.com/

Contact Info:
Name: George Cuthbert
Email: Send Email
Organization: King Pacific Lodge
Address: 4850 Cowley Crescent, Richmond, BC V7B 1C1, Canada
Website: http://kingpacificlodge.com/

Source: PressCable

Release ID: 88955845