Retired fishery officer Randy Nelson's first love was catching poachers. That obsession, plus a devious mind and enthusiasm for marathon running, spelled big trouble for law-breaking fishermen. Thirty-five years in the field (and stream) netted a gold mine of stories: with hair-raising tales of grizzly bear attacks; angry axe-wielding, rock-throwing, shotgun-blasting fishermen and high-speed chases on dirt roads and through bush; Poachers, Polluters and Politics provides a rare glimpse into the lives of DFO officers and the communities in which they live. Here too are stories showing the lighter side of the DFO, like how Nelson honed his "psychic powers," and recollections of life in a rodent-infested, government-issue trailer--where his wife Lorraine once awoke to find a mouse chewing her hair.

Firm but fair, and always innovative, Randy Nelson usually earned the--often grudging--respect of communities and fishermen he encountered. Whether it meant carving a peephole in a hollow tree or teaching his dog to sniff for salmon, Nelson was constantly scheming up new and tricky ways to catch poachers and polluters, many of them known violent criminals. Nelson spent a career dedicated to protecting BC's waters and fish population and his passion for his work shines through with every word, drawing the reader into the exciting world of protecting wildlife and prosecuting bad guys.

Randy Nelson was born and raised in Saskatchewan and moved to the BC coast for a job as a fishery officer without ever having seen a salmon. He has since become the most decorated fishery officer in the history of the province, having received multiple awards, such as the international Pogue-Elms Award and the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, in his thirty-five year career. Randy is an accomplished athlete, having raced in over two hundred competitions including ten marathons. He used that running ability to literally run down and catch hundreds of poachers. He has also curled over four thousand games and played in numerous national championships including the Brier, Seniors, Masters and Canadian Police Nationals. Randy is also the author of Poachers, Polluters and Politics (Harbour Publishing, 2014). He lives in Kamloops, BC.

Randy Nelson's profile page

Article and Interview with Randy Nelson in <i>The Tyee</i>