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Law Enforcement Committee
The Mission of the International Great Lakes Fishery Law Enforcement Program is to participate in the management of the fisheries resources by preventing exploitation by unlawful means. The Committee:
- provides a conduit for the transfer of information between fisheries managers and law enforcement in order to design enforceable regulations;
- provides a forum for the transfer of information between law enforcement agencies within the Great Lakes basin;
- facilitates the establishment of law enforcement subcommittees on each lake;
- identifies and evaluates the problems associated with control of illegal fishery activities in the Great Lakes basin, and supports agencies in their resolution;
- drafts recommendations for consideration by the Council of Lake Committees on the cooperative procedures and the practical fishery management policies required to reduce and prevent illegal commercialization in the Great Lakes basin; and
- advises the Council of Lake Committees on all matters pertaining to efficient law enforcement in the Great Lakes basin.
For deliberations of this Board, the area of concern is the illegal take,
possession, transportation, and sale of fish from "Lake Ontario (including the
St. Lawrence River from Lake Ontario to the 45th Parallel of latitude), Lake
Erie, Lake Huron (including Lake St. Clair), Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and
their connecting waters,. . . " and the area of concern ". . .shall also apply
to the tributaries of each of the above waters to the extent necessary to
investigate any stock of fish of common concern, the taking of habitat of which
is confined predominantly to the Convention Area."
Terms of Reference
COMMITTEE NAME
Law Enforcement Committee
MISSION
The mission of the Law Enforcement Committee is to protect, enhance and promote the safe and wise use of the natural resources in the Great Lakes for present and future generations and in doing so, the Law Enforcement Committee shall:
Promote recognition that the Great Lakes fisheries resource is a shared, renewable resource whose protection and enhancement requires close cooperation between all jurisdictions charged with the responsibility of resource protection.
Promote recognition and acceptance that law enforcement is an integral part of effective Great Lakes fisheries management.
Promote cooperation between all Great Lakes law enforcement jurisdictions by:
- Identification and promotion of Great Lakes law enforcement priorities and tactics.
- Sharing of law enforcement intelligence information
- Supporting investigations crossing jurisdiction lines
- Supporting development and dissemination of information on fisheries forensic sciences
- Development and recommendation of uniform and consistent regulations and commensurate penalties between jurisdictions.
Provide basin update annually to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission
Ensure that Law Enforcement information is incorporated into Fisheries Management decision making
Participate in the management of the fisheries resource by preventing exploitation by unlawful means.
Maintain communications between this committee and the committee working on the Recepricol Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and The Government of Canada concerning cooperation in marine enforcement.
AREA OF CONCERN
For deliberations of this committee, the area of concern is the illegal take, possession, transportation, sale and release of aquatic resources from "Lake Ontario (including the St. Lawrence River for Lake Ontario to the 45th parallel of latitude, Lake Erie, Lake Huron (including Lake St. Clair), Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and their connecting waters…" It also includes the tributaries of each of the above waters to the extent necessary to ensure effective enforcement in the Great Lakes basin.
COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS
- Provide a forum for the exchange of information between law enforcement agencies within the Great Lakes basin.
- Provide a conduit for the transfer of information between fisheries managers and law enforcement in order to design enforceable regulations.
- Guide and direct the law enforcement subcommittees on each lake.
- Work with Lake Committees in determining the need for law enforcement associated with fisheries management objectives.
- Identify and evaluate the problems associated with control of illegal fishery activities in the Great Lakes basin, and to support agencies in their resolution.
- Draft recommendations for consideration by the Council of Lake Committees on the cooperative procedures and the practical fishery management policies required to reduce and prevent illegal commercialization in the Great Lakes basin.
- Advise the Council of Lake Committees on all matters pertaining to efficient law enforcement in the Great Lakes basin.
MEETING SCHEDULE
The committee shall meet at least once per year sufficiently in advance of the Council of Lake Committees meeting to allow the preparation of material, reports, and recommendations for its review and action. The chair to deal with special business items may convene special meetings.
MEMBERSHIP
Members are appointed by each resource agency with enforcement responsibility in the basin. Members should have the authority to effectively represent their respective agency. Agencies are encouraged to bring guests to the Law Enforcement Committee meeting.
OFFICERS
Chair The chair shall be member and serve a 2-year term. The outgoing chair shall be responsible for presenting the committee’s report at the Council’s annual meeting and the annual meeting of the committee responsible for the Recepricol Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and The Government of Canada concerning cooperation in marine enforcement.
Vice-Chair The vice-chair shall serve a concurrent 2-year term, but may not be from the same country as the chair. The vice chair shall be responsible for assisting the chair with presenting the committee’s report at the Council’s annual meeting and the annual meeting of the committee responsible for the Recepricol Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and The Government of Canada concerning cooperation in marine enforcement.
ADVISORS
Advisors may be appointed to membership on the committee for indefinite terms as required to enhance the progress of committee work.
DECISIONS
The business of the committee shall be conducted by consensus of agencies present. The concerns of all members shall be described in the committee’s report to the Council of Lake Committees.
REPORTING
Detailed reports of Law Enforcement Committee meetings will be furnished by the chair to all committee members. Summary reports and committee recommendations for Council of Lake Committees approval will be presented during the Council’s annual meeting.
April 2000
Report Poaching
What to do if you spot a poacher?- Keep your distance
- You do not want poachers to know they have been spotted.
Otherwise, they might destroy evidence, escape, or try to
harm you.
- You do not want poachers to know they have been spotted.
Otherwise, they might destroy evidence, escape, or try to
harm you.
- Keep notes
- Writing down what you see helps officers catch the
poacher(s). Notes might include:
- What are the poachers doing?
- Where is poaching taking place?
- Where the poachers going?
- When did it take place?
- Who is/was involved (include descriptions).
- Boat/car involved, description, license plate.
- Anything else that can help identify the poacher(s).
- Writing down what you see helps officers catch the
poacher(s). Notes might include:
- Call
- Inform your local natural resource office or Crime Stoppers:
- Inform your local natural resource office or Crime Stoppers:
| State/Province | Phone Number |
| Illinois DNR(web) | 1-877-236-7529 |
| Indiana DNR(web) | 1-800-847-4367 |
| Michigan DNRE(web) | 1-800-292-7800 |
| Minnesota DNR(web) | 1-800-652-9093 |
| New York NYSDEC(web) | 1-800-847-7332 |
| Ohio DNR(web) | 1-800-762-2437 |
| Wisconsin DNR(web) | 1-800-847-9367 |
| Pennsylvania PFBC(web) | 1-888-742-8001 |
| Ontario OMNR (web) | 1-877-847-7667 |
Where can you learn the law?
Fishing laws are published annually by each jurisdiction on the Great Lakes. The publications are usually available where you buy your fishing license. Laws are also available online by visiting your natural resource department's website (links can be found at http://www.glfc.org) or by calling the department.
Photo: American Fisheries Society