This has been an issue that SPAWN has been trying to bring to the fore front here on the Humber River for quite some time. Salmon fisherman and recreational boaters have been coming into increasing conflict since a high-end resort has sprung up on the banks of "The Mighty Humber." The fishermen are getting buzzed by boaters who are operating at unsafe speeds in unsafe manners and have caused very near swampings of canoes and small fishing craft, as well as drastically affecting the wading anglers. They also have been know to run over fly lines and basically shag-up a morning's fishing. In retaliation some anglers have taken to casting very large deer hair bugs AT the pleasure craft operators...which can cause some very serious damage to the boater. Either way, it's a very bad situation that we have been attempting to facilitate a solution to.
Basically, we have been trying to educate both parties on how the actions of each group affects the other group in question. The dangers are highlighted and the possible results are laid out in black and white by the Coast Guard at information sessions. I'm happy to say that I have had boaters move to the complete opposite side of the river, and slow down to a snail's pace while I am fishing in knee-deep water and have never, personally, been "buzzed" by a pleasure craft operator. My hope is that this is a signal that the message is getting through.