IF & W town hall meeting on Fishiers Managment

[IceMan100]

Was disappointed on the turn out on the Town Hall meeting, only 9 people showed up for the meeting,  was a good presentation still went 2 hrs.   really surprised on the turnout.    still have a place to express your concerns @ www.MEFish.org 

 

[JDK]

I was there and agree with you.  However, I also thought that there was some good feedback.

Sounds like the bear meeting was interesting.

[Sawyerjosh]

I really wanted to go, but my wife was working and we have a 7 y/o who would not have sat through that...

[MarkNFish]

I too was surprised at the low turnout.  Perhaps they should have held the meeting at the irish pub down the street

On the other hand, we had plenty of opportunity to be heard. 

[MG39]

It's good that you had the chance to voice your opinions. Hopefully, some of your recommendations will be taken seriously.
I have been discouraged at meetings I attended in the past, mainly because several people had strong opinions and recommendations which fell on deaf ears. It gives you the impression that they meet, just to say they did?

[Alex Delarge]

I hate to say it but MG39 hit the nail on the head. These meetings are held to give the appearance that IF&W actually gives a rats a$$. It's all about money and how to attract tourists to the state. IF&W keep preaching to sportsman about ethics, while at the same time auctioning moose permits to the highest bidder and using tax dollars for political commercials. They spent thousands to transport wild turkeys up here to compete with the deer heard just to say that we have turkeys statewide.
I could rant for days but the bottom line is that unless you are a politician or own a business that caters to tourist... I highly doubt anything you say is taken into consideration. My $.02.

[JDK]

Well, the way I look at it is that WE had an opportunity to voice our opinions and ONLY 9 people showed up.  It isn't IF&W that should be bothered by that it is US. 

They took notes and, as I said, I thought that even with the 9 in attendance there was some very good feedback along with a respectful differing of opinions.  Mark and I talked on the way home and we were encouraged that IFW seems to want to take a watershed approach to management rather than a statewide.  In my opinion, they truly are between a rock and a hard place in a number of cases because there are people like me that want larger fish and don't care if I catch fewer and others who want to catch their limit and have a dinner. 

[MarkNFish]

It is easy to paint any organization with a broad brush, and IF&W is no different.  To say that "IF&W" does or does not listen or care may or may not be accurate.  The organization is made up of individuals with a broad variety of opinions.  The key is to provide the support to those that share your opinion, and convince the others that don't.  It's a big ship.

[bee]

I hate to say it but MG39 hit the nail on the head. These meetings are held to give the appearance that IF&W actually gives a rats a$$. It's all about money and how to attract tourists to the state. IF&W keep preaching to sportsman about ethics, while at the same time auctioning moose permits to the highest bidder and using tax dollars for political commercials. They spent thousands to transport wild turkeys up here to compete with the deer heard just to say that we have turkeys statewide.
I could rant for days but the bottom line is that unless you are a politician or own a business that caters to tourist... I highly doubt anything you say is taken into consideration. My $.02.

  They need have a new outlook on attracting dollars. Promote the great Warm water fishery we have. Most of the country would die for it.

[woodchip]

I hate to say it but MG39 hit the nail on the head. These meetings are held to give the appearance that IF&W actually gives a rats a$$. It's all about money and how to attract tourists to the state. IF&W keep preaching to sportsman about ethics, while at the same time auctioning moose permits to the highest bidder and using tax dollars for political commercials. They spent thousands to transport wild turkeys up here to compete with the deer heard just to say that we have turkeys statewide.
I could rant for days but the bottom line is that unless you are a politician or own a business that caters to tourist... I highly doubt anything you say is taken into consideration. My $.02.  I'm with You guys 100% after seeing how well things were run back in the fifties and Sixties and to see the changes they have put through in the past years Makes a guy want to puke in Maine and fish and hunt in other states .

[jacksmelt71]

i had that meeting  marked on my calendar but forgot to check it! i have been emailing frank frost about some issues and suggestions how they could be fixed. never even got a response! unless you get a hundred people to complain at one time in a roomful of 1000's you don't get heard! that won't happen in a n. maine meeting! most fishermen that did care, gave up trying. i suggested that if we are about restoring the original species to this area that they reintroduce the togue to all the fish river chain lakes. when there was more togue in eagle there were very few perch. togue love perch! I've found many in a togues stomach. use them to control the perch population instead of other means. don't put 10000 in a lake. put a 1000 every year for 5yrs. then check the perch population. i bet it goes down drastically. they will target some smelts but perch are slower , easy targets. unlike southern maine that has a problem with togue. we grow big togue  up here and have no problem with them over populating  unless the state stocks 7000 at one time which has happened in the past but that was our fault. funny to that we have had no togue in eagle lake in any number in 15yrs. and the smelt population hasn't rebounded. all this hype about the togue wiping the smelt out is b.s. and a excuse for them to not stock togue at all. same thing about the salmon. they say too many small ones in these lakes. togue would thin them too and also provide a new fishery on all the fish river lakes. well,it fell on deaf ears as i never got a response so i guess 1 persons suggestion doesn't matter anyway. too many political agendas instead of common sense and good real science!

[JDK]

I am not sure that I totally agree with you Steve.  I'm a broken record when it comes to certain things and Frank is honestly tired of me talking about them.  Truth of the matter, if 9 people in Aroostook County dictate fisheries management, I'd be very very concerned. The best you can do is say your peace when you can and move on.

A question/comment similar to yours was asked as was a comment regarding the yellow perch population.  While I cannot exactly remember the response, IFW is open to methods of reducing the perch population, including derbies.  They clearly stated that they would not initiate a derby but that they would permit it.  They also felt that this present boom in the population was cyclical and it had happened in the Rangeley area in the past.  If that is true or not I do not know.

I also think IF&W has been responsive recently when it comes to togue stocking, especially in Eagle and St. Froid Lakes.  It appears to me that they really are trying to stop the boom/bust overpopulation cycles of the past.  Will it work?  I don't know and it will take some time to find out.  They have also stocked togue in Glazier and Beau.

I also believe that the elimination of smelt dipping in Mud Brook on Long Lake will help in the long run.  They are looking at musky and have increased year round fisheries in the region.  Overall, could things be better, certainly. But I don't believe that there is anyway in heck they can manage all fisheries so all people are happy. 

[jacksmelt71]

i tried to organize a derby but because the long lake derby has a perch class now, i couldn't get many sponsors.  i know they can't make everyone happy but if they could throw us a bone once in awhile it would be nice. i mean 800 togue every 3 yrs. in eagle and froid? lucky if half of them make it to legal size. in eagle and st. froid there should be at least a 1000 a year for 3 yrs. strait then net. then you would see a difference. the way i see it its like they give us just enough to appease us. just like heritage brook trout water designations. that title guarantees they will never stock brook trout in these waters again! they're using this as a excuse to not stock. i can see in remote waters but in the fish river chain the brookies should be stocked due to fishing pressures. i wish i hadn't missed that meeting!

[MarkNFish]

I had asked about what has changed in the FRC that has led to increase in yellow perch population.  Their best theory is that we have had several years in a row with prime perch spawning conditions, and they are as anxious as anyone to see the populations decrease.  I guess nature happens and there is only so much control we are going to exert over it.  The organizers of the Long Lake Derby have recently increased the "perch prize".  Instead of re-inventing the wheel, perhaps they can be convinced to raise it even more.  Maybe 800+ people in one weekend can catch enough perch to make a dent. 

[Alex Delarge]

IMO IF&W does the best job they can to please a wide variety of outdoor enthusiasts.
I'm still under the impression that current rules and regs on the FRC are fairly reasonable and offer plenty of opportunity to fish. They need to step up enforcement and educate the locals on why there are limits and encourage C&R.
I could have went and said that and then have a warden follow me around for 3 years.

[jacksmelt71]

enforcement is very lacking. i can't remember last time i was checked but i guess you wouldn't see them unless you're doing something wrong.