I haven't exactly liked him before...but now I think he and his crazy cohorts need to be voted out of office at the earliest opportunity. I can deal with socialized medicine and out of control defecits and bribes and other political corruption but when you start messing with fishing, you need to be voted out. The Obama administration will accept no more public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters. http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/saltwater/news/story?id=4975762
I have to ask do you honestly believe that any President including this one is crazy enough to ban fishing?? Another take on it http://www.examiner.com/x-37128-Cha...3d9-ESPN-claims-Obama-is-about-to-ban-fishing All I see in the ESPN report is a lot of conjecture about this could happen or that could happen and not a single word saying that the Goverment have announced they intend to ban fishing!! The opening statement The Obama administration will accept no more public input for a federal strategy that could prohibit U.S. citizens from fishing the nation's oceans, coastal areas, Great Lakes, and even inland waters Exactly how long should this consultation have gone on for? it also dont say that they have stoped talking to industry just the PUBLIC very big difference.
Yes, I do believe that they may ban recreational fishing. Will they do it across the board in one fell swoop? I doubt it. They may start with only ocean or coastal waters and maybe the Great Lakes (in order to 'protect' them) or they may just impose harsh restrictions. But that is just a first step for what the eco-folks really want.
I can't see it happening StuJoe and this coming from a guy that lives about 5 miles from Lake Michigan. Take away recreational fishing in Lake Michigan to Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan would destroy these states (especially Michigan and Wisconsin). There's a lot of money generated from licenses and trout stamps add more. Then factor in launch sites that generate more tax money as welll as on shore fishing sites. Talking a lot of money and tax revenues for the states involved. As for stricter regulations? I can see it as I have before. Ever seen a lake "die"? I have. The Lake Michigan perch population became precariously low many years ago due to invasive species'. Perch fishing was basically NOT allowed. We wondered if it would ever recover and thankfully it did through regulation. As the population came back restrictions became less. In other words it has happened in the past. Now you may see this as a "first step of what the eco-folks really want" but I see it as preserving something and keeping it allive for another day. Would you rather see the fish populations decimated? Don't believe me? Ask anyone that has fished for perch in the Chicago area for 40 years or so. They'll tell you. Now there is a new threat to Lake Michigan which could ultimately work it's way further. Asian carp. They've worked their way up the Mississippi and getting darn near entering Lake Michigan. They breed and are voracious eaters. They will most likely gain access from Chicago. This in itself is a major threat and the states surrounding Lake Miichigan are up in arms about it. We've been there and we've done that basically. I can imagine folks in other parts can understand my reasoning and many others can't. So be it. I don't look at any of this an "eco-folks" scenario. I look at it as a reality. We can let it ride or let it die. Regulation, when necessary, is the answer. The states involved will have plenty to say about it.
I do not think they will outlaw recreational fishing in those words. What I do think is a definite possibility is to lump recreational fishing in with commercial fishing or to make it so difficult to recreational fish that it dies on its own. I live in the Presidents home state. I also live within spitting distance of federally managed lakes. Between the state and the feds...I have to buy a license to fish. I have to buy a permit to enter the federal area. I have to buy a permit to put a boat on the lake. They regulate what areas of the lakes can be fished. What times of the year they can be fished. They regulate what areas you can go and bank fish and what times of year you can go there. They regulate how many poles you can use. They regulate the number of hooks you can have on the poles. They regulate the bait you can use. They regulate the fish you can catch and what you can do with those fish. They regulate the size of the boat and the size of the motor. And on and on. Now, I am also an avid hiker and an amature nature photographer. I understand and agree with a lot of conservation regulations and even fees. But, it doesn't take a whole lot of imagination to realize there isn't much they have to add to regulations to basically eliminate recreational fishing as an activity. And, btw, almost all of this is done, not to protect the lake or fish, but for birds. Mostly Canada Geese. Oh, and even as a hiker and photographer, I still have to pay fees to enter the area and am regulated on where I can go and what times of year I can even go in those areas. Ironically, the same agency that will not allow me to go on over half of the area has been bugging me for months to use my photographs for free to promote the area. lol And even more ironically, there are munitions makers and other industry that leases land within this area (of course that is all restricted too). I am sure they do a lot to protect the area from the dangerous fishers and hikers and photographers.
Yep Stu there are a load of regulations in place as to how & when you can fish, also as to were and when you can go hiking in certain parts of the country. Now I have to ask would you prefer no rules a free for all? so people could fish rivers with nets or explosives? oh and before you say thats extreem I have seen both methods used Then on to the park lands if you allow continuose use then it causes errosion the land needs time to recover. Try looking at the damage that was caused to the peak district here in the UK before measures to conserve were introduced. Unfortunatly we live in a time were it is all tooo easy to travel and therefore we are in a situation were we can kill those wonderful areas simply by loving them too much. So simply put not all regulations are bad LOL (Only the ones I dont like
Hey gang, it's been a while. I'm with Clembo on this. The Detroit river Walleye is also a prime example. Mercury from the auto factories, Rouge River as well. Look at the Salmon in the Puget Sound in Washington, same thing there. They do it here for Elk. It not at all uncommon to alter take limits, season dates, etc etc to thin herds, allow recovery and to clean up. I do know there are the kooks that think that animals have more rights than we do, but this is not the case.
2 entirely different topics, though. Recreational fishing and industrial pollution. Rivers don't catch on fire from recreational fishing. And as far as the people who want to ban and such...trust me, they are out there and they even target your kids. http://www.pleasebekind.com/kids/fishing.htm lol
I thought I said I understand and agree with a lot of conservation regulations and even fees. But, if I wasn't clear, I will say it again. My point is there are already a lot of them on the recreational side and I haven't seen anything that shows that recreational fishing is a problem. One study I saw said that almost 60% of recreational fish are catch and release. I bet that pollution and commercial fishing do the real damage. Which is why it is disconcerting if recreational fishing is being lumped into a study with commercial. It is already a pretty expensive and, in some places, difficult recreation to pursue.
He's just not going to quit until he's managed to enrage every nook and cranny of America is he? LOL! In my younger years, I used to fish a lot. All over the place. I've given it a break for a while but I intend to get back to it eventually some day, as I get older. I really enjoy fishing in Minnesota. That being said, I hope an average guy can still afford to do it (or is even allowed to do it) when the time comes. Looks like nothing's sacred. I'm all for wildlife management. I'm not for raising licenses, stamps and fees. Eventually enough is enough.
