DEC's proposed new regulations

[Retired ECO]

 Proposed new regulation have just come out from DEC. More information may be gained at the following web sites:  www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/34113html     Also, you may call for a copy of the proposed new regulations at: 518-402-8920 or email [email protected]  Of interest to most of you are the new "definitions of tip-up" that may make it to the new fishing guide. When calling or emailing make you interest known so that it may cut down on the amount new proposed regulations that you receive. Good luck and remember, NYSDEC attempts to do there best, biologists and law enforcement do all they can to insure that you have quality fishing in this state !!!

[doctariAFC]

Thanks RetiredECO.  Here is the text of the proposed changes, in case folks do not know how to download a file 

DEC ANNOUNCES PROPOSED FISHING REGULATIONS FOR 2008-2010 Public Encouraged to Review and Comment

   New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced proposed changes to freshwater fishing regulations to enhance fishing opportunities and protect fisheries resources statewide. DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposals until April 4, 2008.
   
   “New York provides some of the best fishing in the nation, and every two years DEC modifies existing sportfishing regulations and proposes new regulations to help ensure that this remains the case,”
Commissioner Grannis said.  “I encourage interested anglers to review these proposed changes and provide us with their comments.”

   The proposed regulations are the result of a careful assessment of the status of existing fish populations and the desires of anglers utilizing these resources.  This formal review follows discussions held with angling interest groups over the past year. Prior to the announcement of today's proposed regulations, DEC made the regulatory options the agency was considering available on the DEC website and took comments.  The feedback received was integral to developing the regulation changes that are now being formally proposed.

To request copies of the regulation proposals contact: Shaun Keeler at
(518) 402-8920, or by e-mail to [email protected] . The proposals will also be posted on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/34113.html  .

   Comments on the proposals may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] or mailed to Shaun Keeler, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.  Final regulations, reflecting public comments, will go into effect October 1, 2008.

The following are highlights of the proposed changes: 

●   Prohibit the act of chumming with fish eggs to protect against
fish being harvested specifically for purposes of taking eggs and using them as a method to aggregate and concentrate fish to assist in their fishing success.

●   Provide clarity on what constitutes a “tip-up” by defining
it as any device used for fishing through the ice that has a signaling device attached, except a bobber or other floating object on the water, that will visually or audibly signal a strike. The draft regulations
also clarify tip-up restrictions.   

●   Prohibit the sale of trout eggs to prevent the harvest of trout
for the purposes of selling eggs for the use in tributary fisheries by anglers.

●   Establish a specific list of bait fish to help clarify and
define what bait fish species are acceptable for use.

●   Remove American eel from the list of fish that can be
spearfished to reduce fishing related mortality for American eels.

●   Clarify that “whitefish” in the Statewide Angling
Regulations does not include round whitefish - an endangered species in New York - to reduce the likelihood of illegal harvest of round whitefish.

●   Restrict the use of weight on the line, leader, swivels or
artificial flies used in the Salmon River Fly Fishing only area to reduce snagging of salmonids and provide consistency to the Great Lakes regulations.

●   Refine the allowable fishing tackle that may be used in the
special regulations fly fishing catch-and-release areas on the Salmon River in Oswego County to offer an unimpeded traditional fly fishing experience. 

●   Extend the winter “catch-and-release only” black bass season
in Suffolk and Nassau counties to provide additional angling opportunities.

●   Establish a special regulation for kokanee salmon in Glass Lake
in Rensselaer County with a minimum creel limit of three fish and 12-inch minimum size limit to reduce harvest and protect the kokanee salmon population.

●   Establish a three fish creel limit with a minimum size limit of
12 inches for trout in Beardsley Lake in Montgomery and Herkimer counties, Kyser Lake in Fulton and Herkimer counties, and Stillwater Reservoir in Herkimer County, to enable the harvest of larger size trout in waters capable of growing large fish while providing sufficient protection for these quality fisheries.

●   Reduce the creel limit on walleye and sauger in Lake Champlain
to “three fish in combination” to provide better protection of walleye and sauger stocks and provide consistency with Vermont regulations. 

●   Provide clarity to the description of the Boquet River portion
of the “Additional Lake Champlain Tributary Regulations.”

●   Prohibit the use of bait fish in waters such as Henderson Lake
in the Town of Newcomb in Essex County, and in Giant Mountain Wilderness Area to prevent more non-native fishes from becoming established which impairs the ability to restore native salmonids.

●   Prohibit the use of bait fish in Wheeler and Clear Ponds in the
Town of Webb in Herkimer County to protect these reclaimed brook trout waters from non-native fish introductions.

●   Add the ponds and streams in the Raquette-Boreal Wilderness Area
to the list of waters that restrict the use of bait fish to minimize the potential of introducing competing species to these sensitive brook trout ponds.

●   Create a three-fish creel limit with a minimum size limit of 12
inches for trout in the ponds contained with the Massawepie Conservation Easement Area in St. Lawrence County (Pine, Boottree, Town Line, Deer and Horseshoe ponds) as well as within Tamarack Pond in St. Lawrence County to provide for a trophy brook trout water by protecting excessive harvest and to protect these heritage brook trout brood sources.

●   Create a catch-and-release, artificial-lures-only regulation in
Wheeler and Clear Ponds in the Town of Webb in Herkimer County to protect against harvest of fish that are needed for an ongoing heritage brook trout evaluation study.

●   Eliminate the special regulation for walleye on Lake Bonaparte
in Lewis County and on Trout Lake in Lewis County as the five-year stocking effort to establish a walleye population has ended.

●   Create a special trout regulation consisting of a creel limit of
five fish with no more than two fish longer than 12 inches on the Lansing Kill in Oneida County to protect larger trout and provide an enhanced quality trout fishery.

●   Extend the catch-and-release section for trout on West Canada
Creek in Herkimer and Oneida counties to increase the number of fish available to anglers and reduce overcrowding on the creek.

●   Extend the current catch-and-release season for trout on the
West Branch St. Regis River in St. Lawrence County to all year, thereby increasing angling opportunities.

●   Eliminate the special regulation requiring catch-and-release
fishing for trout on the South Branch of the Grasse River in St.
Lawrence County and replace it with the statewide regulation; 
   
●   Eliminate the special regulation requiring catch-and-release
fishing for trout on Allen Pond in St. Lawrence County and replace it with a three-fish daily limit and 12-inch minimum size limit, which will allow for the harvest of trout, while still providing sufficient protection to this quality trout fishery.
●   Establish a special regulation for Ellicott Creek in Erie County
to provide anglers the opportunity to harvest trout within Amherst State Park.

[Retired ECO]

 Thanks Doc !!!!  Now the sports should not have to contact Albany. Just received another email from Albany that states the email address is incorrect. Should be [email protected]     Thanks again DoctariAFC, keep up the good work. Need more like you !!!!

[pooley]

thanks for the info!!!!!!! it would take me two days to type all that!!!!!

[sinkergurl]

thanks for the info!!!!!!! it would take me two days to type all that!!!!!

Well since this is only a proposal..I am anxious to see the final results

Btw Pooley...lil hint...Copy n Paste..no need to type

[iceblue]

Thanks for the info guys!

[pooley]

Well since this is only a proposal..I am anxious to see the final results

Btw Pooley...lil hint...Copy n Paste..no need to type

that's easy for you to say. i'm not that good with the computer. still learning. thanks for the info. something new to try.

[bucketbass]

 why isnt a price set to fish in a state no reason for it to go up anymore
if its the population they're worried about why is it my license goes up every year???for some reason i dont like any new rules year after year something changes  start cleaning our waters and worry about that who cares how you catch a fish just dont foul hook them or use anything that contaminates the h2o

[Hardwaternubie53]

I think I caught a typo in the proposed rules. Did they really mean to set a minimum creel limit for Glass Lake? Shouldn't that be maximum limit?
 Just asking...

[Retired ECO]

 Hey DoctariAFC: I see the whine and cry crowd has caught up !!!!  Hardwater, I believe you are right, it appears to be a mistake, I'll notify Albany and see what happens. 

[IceReaver]

The proposed regulations appear to address the protection and management of several natural resources [at face value] and should be applauded.  If each individual was responsible and respectful of these natural resources, most regulations would be obsolete...so I don't see why any [law abiding] citizen would be upset with protecting our NY waterways.

●   Prohibit the act of chumming with fish eggs to protect against
fish being harvested specifically for purposes of taking eggs and using them as a method to aggregate and concentrate fish to assist in their fishing success.

Does this mean chumming in-land lakes is allowable with other natural, biodegradable products (cut fish, oatmeal, etc.).  I've searched the NYS DEC website to no avail, trying to confirm/deny the legality of chumming.

●   Establish a special regulation for kokanee salmon in Glass Lake
in Rensselaer County with a minimum creel limit of three fish and 12-inch minimum size limit to reduce harvest and protect the kokanee salmon population.

Great catch Icemaniac...talk about your combat fishing...imagine the entire lake enclosed with high fence, guarded by CO's in high towers with rifles...one gate in, one gate out...and your ticket out is a minimum of three Kokanee!!

[jimmyclaude]

why isnt a price set to fish in a state no reason for it to go up anymore

Remember....
Creel cencus show less people are fishing = less $ to operate.
Money for cleaning waterways comes from a different source than lic. fees.

[Retired ECO]

 ICEREAVER:  Great post !!!!  It has always been legal to chum in N.Y., for some reason (I've been retired for 16 years) they must have a problem on some waters to propose the fish egg chum regulation. To all, remember, if it's not a law or regulation then it is permissible !!!! If the state attempted to address all that is permissible then you couldn't carry the book. This applies to all laws and regulations !!!! For those who are going to say and I've seen it here before " why doesn't DEC give us all the laws and regulations" , couldn't be done, the pages would number in the thousands. No different with other laws, like the" Vehicle and Traffic" laws, does motor vehicle give you a book on all of them ?? That is the nice part of computers, all laws of N.Y. are accessable !!! Penal. V&T, Conservation, Ag & Market etc. I use itall the time, saves me going to county court and look up laws in there law library. Again, I find myself rambling on, I apologize !!!!

[jimmyclaude]

you would be surprised how unfamilar judges are with the law.... I have found they are mostly familiar with the fines. That site really helps to know what is what

[doctariAFC]

Hey DoctariAFC: I see the whine and cry crowd has caught up !!!!  Hardwater, I believe you are right, it appears to be a mistake, I'll notify Albany and see what happens. 

Yep.  The whine and cry crowd has certainly found some more stuff to whine and cry about.

Let's be certain we all understand the process involved here, and what each of us can do about this.  The draft proposal release is step-one in the process.  We then have 45-days to comment on the draft proposal.  This is to be done in writing, or via email, but letters carry more weight (literally and figuratively). 

Now this is where it gets tricky.  With some draft proposals, comments are focused on the entirity of the draft, rather than specific parts of it.  For instance, the leading part of your letter should be something to the affect of either, I support the draft proposal or I oppose the draft proposal, as this is one document, not a series of documents, despite having bullet point components.  Once you have stated your position, give reasons why by pointing to specifics of the draft that you either support or oppose.  If you oppose the draft, the best opposition comments are ones that contain reasonable suggestions to correct what you find "offensive", rather than simply saying, these suck, go pound salt.  Offer suggestions, they do carry weight. 

Sometimes, the fishing proposals are looked at in pieces, rather than the whole.  I will attempt to get some clarity on this piece next week from our Fisheries Committee chairman at the next EC Federation Meeting, which is Thursday, Feb 28, at 7:30 PM, at the George Washington Fishing & Camping Club, Niagara Street in Buffalo (Riverside section, right next door to Sully's Tavern).  Incidentally, if any Erie County sporting enthusiasts wish to attend this meeting, you may do so, as it is open to the public (General Meeting - Board Meeting is NOT open to public).  I am sure we will address these new proposed regs in depth and ready a position for Erie County.  We rep approximately 10,000 sportsmen and women in Erie County.

So, to the whiners and criers, please put the whine and tears to good use, and get involved in the process.  Public comment period is open until April 4, according to this release.  If you do nothing beyond wring your hands and gripe about these changes, it will be your own apathy that is to blame.

I can also state with some certainty that most of these proposed regs changes (if not all of them) did indeed come from sportsmen/ angling groups, rather than the DEC Ivory Tower.  In specific, the prohibition of chumming with fish eggs and the prohibition of selling trout eggs came from WNY Chapter of Trout Unlimited.  We discussed these ideas last summer.  ECFSC at that time was in favor of the chumming prohibition, but opposed to the prohibition of trout egg sale.  Of course, the reasons have changed, especially on the first point, as the reason was trout being chummed would remain far longer in the pools, not moving normally, which was robbing angler opportunity.  In terms of the trout egg sale component, in NYS currently trout eggs from LAKE ONTARIO ONLY are prohibited from sale, and this is due to some eggs being sold to a Michigan company, which was sold under the guise of being used for bait, but instead wound up being sold as food, and with contaminent levels in Lake Ontario being what they were, it posed a health risk, so trout eggs from Lake Ontario were prohibited from sale.  We also believe that this regulation is unnecessary and not cost-effective, as the instances of anglers taking eggs and leaving carcasses will not alleviate as a result of this law.  Those who use trout eggs will still harvest and use trout eggs, regarless of whether they can sell them.  To the best of my knowledge, there has never been any major issues with egg-stripped trout carcasses strewn along stream banks.  Certainly a few here or there, but by no means is this really a major problem, needing correction.

Just some history and some detail.....

And, thanks for the kind words, RetiredECO.  I certainly do appreciate it.

[adkbrookie]

looks good to me. glad to see they are planning on doing some of the no more than 2 over 12 inches stuff. keeps the breaders in there.

[Retired ECO]

  Footnote on the "tip-up" changes.  This has been a policy for the better part of five years, about 6 years ago after reading all the comments on this site I contacted Division of Law Enforcement, Albany and Retired Director Lucas addressed the problem. He along with other staff, fisheries and the legal people came up a policy that would guide the ECO's in the field. Now they want to put that in writing so it is available to all the sports, ALL the time. They work for you and as Doc so eloquently stated, many of the proposed ch!anges are from local organized sports people and you do have input !!!

[FuzzyGrub]

Thanks for posting.  I don't see any new regs that bother me.  I do wish they wouldn't be so trout/salmonoid centric though.  Yes there is a little walleye and bass thrown in.   It would be nice to see or at least know that Muskies and Northerns are being protected. 

I assume this is the time to email about getting the VHS 7-day minnow receipt extended to 10-14 days? 

OK, I'm done with my crying?

[doctariAFC]

Thanks for posting.  I don't see any new regs that bother me.  I do wish they wouldn't be so trout/salmonoid centric though.  Yes there is a little walleye and bass thrown in.   It would be nice to see or at least know that Muskies and Northerns are being protected. 

I assume this is the time to email about getting the VHS 7-day minnow receipt extended to 10-14 days? 

OK, I'm done with my crying?

YES.  This is the time to suggest that.  Although it does not appear in the proposal, you can write an opposition letter to the draft as it is, and then suggest they address this one in the proposals.  What they do with it is dependent upon how many similar comments they receive regarding this desire.

[partyshanty]

Thanks for the info doc!!

[hamlin big daddy]

Thanks RetiredECO.  Here is the text of the proposed changes, in case folks do not know how to download a file 

DEC ANNOUNCES PROPOSED FISHING REGULATIONS FOR 2008-2010 Public Encouraged to Review and Comment

   New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis today announced proposed changes to freshwater fishing regulations to enhance fishing opportunities and protect fisheries resources statewide. DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposals until April 4, 2008.
   
   “New York provides some of the best fishing in the nation, and every two years DEC modifies existing sportfishing regulations and proposes new regulations to help ensure that this remains the case,”
Commissioner Grannis said.  “I encourage interested anglers to review these proposed changes and provide us with their comments.”

   The proposed regulations are the result of a careful assessment of the status of existing fish populations and the desires of anglers utilizing these resources.  This formal review follows discussions held with angling interest groups over the past year. Prior to the announcement of today's proposed regulations, DEC made the regulatory options the agency was considering available on the DEC website and took comments.  The feedback received was integral to developing the regulation changes that are now being formally proposed.

To request copies of the regulation proposals contact: Shaun Keeler at
(518) 402-8920, or by e-mail to [email protected] . The proposals will also be posted on DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/34113.html  .

   Comments on the proposals may be submitted by e-mail to [email protected] or mailed to Shaun Keeler, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bureau of Fisheries, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4753.  Final regulations, reflecting public comments, will go into effect October 1, 2008.

The following are highlights of the proposed changes: 

●   Prohibit the act of chumming with fish eggs to protect against
fish being harvested specifically for purposes of taking eggs and using them as a method to aggregate and concentrate fish to assist in their fishing success.

●   Provide clarity on what constitutes a “tip-up” by defining
it as any device used for fishing through the ice that has a signaling device attached, except a bobber or other floating object on the water, that will visually or audibly signal a strike. The draft regulations
also clarify tip-up restrictions.   

●   Prohibit the sale of trout eggs to prevent the harvest of trout
for the purposes of selling eggs for the use in tributary fisheries by anglers.

●   Establish a specific list of bait fish to help clarify and
define what bait fish species are acceptable for use.

●   Remove American eel from the list of fish that can be
spearfished to reduce fishing related mortality for American eels.

●   Clarify that “whitefish” in the Statewide Angling
Regulations does not include round whitefish - an endangered species in New York - to reduce the likelihood of illegal harvest of round whitefish.

●   Restrict the use of weight on the line, leader, swivels or
artificial flies used in the Salmon River Fly Fishing only area to reduce snagging of salmonids and provide consistency to the Great Lakes regulations.

●   Refine the allowable fishing tackle that may be used in the
special regulations fly fishing catch-and-release areas on the Salmon River in Oswego County to offer an unimpeded traditional fly fishing experience. 

●   Extend the winter “catch-and-release only” black bass season
in Suffolk and Nassau counties to provide additional angling opportunities.

●   Establish a special regulation for kokanee salmon in Glass Lake
in Rensselaer County with a minimum creel limit of three fish and 12-inch minimum size limit to reduce harvest and protect the kokanee salmon population.

●   Establish a three fish creel limit with a minimum size limit of
12 inches for trout in Beardsley Lake in Montgomery and Herkimer counties, Kyser Lake in Fulton and Herkimer counties, and Stillwater Reservoir in Herkimer County, to enable the harvest of larger size trout in waters capable of growing large fish while providing sufficient protection for these quality fisheries.

●   Reduce the creel limit on walleye and sauger in Lake Champlain
to “three fish in combination” to provide better protection of walleye and sauger stocks and provide consistency with Vermont regulations. 

●   Provide clarity to the description of the Boquet River portion
of the “Additional Lake Champlain Tributary Regulations.”

●   Prohibit the use of bait fish in waters such as Henderson Lake
in the Town of Newcomb in Essex County, and in Giant Mountain Wilderness Area to prevent more non-native fishes from becoming established which impairs the ability to restore native salmonids.

●   Prohibit the use of bait fish in Wheeler and Clear Ponds in the
Town of Webb in Herkimer County to protect these reclaimed brook trout waters from non-native fish introductions.

●   Add the ponds and streams in the Raquette-Boreal Wilderness Area
to the list of waters that restrict the use of bait fish to minimize the potential of introducing competing species to these sensitive brook trout ponds.

●   Create a three-fish creel limit with a minimum size limit of 12
inches for trout in the ponds contained with the Massawepie Conservation Easement Area in St. Lawrence County (Pine, Boottree, Town Line, Deer and Horseshoe ponds) as well as within Tamarack Pond in St. Lawrence County to provide for a trophy brook trout water by protecting excessive harvest and to protect these heritage brook trout brood sources.

●   Create a catch-and-release, artificial-lures-only regulation in
Wheeler and Clear Ponds in the Town of Webb in Herkimer County to protect against harvest of fish that are needed for an ongoing heritage brook trout evaluation study.

●   Eliminate the special regulation for walleye on Lake Bonaparte
in Lewis County and on Trout Lake in Lewis County as the five-year stocking effort to establish a walleye population has ended.

●   Create a special trout regulation consisting of a creel limit of
five fish with no more than two fish longer than 12 inches on the Lansing Kill in Oneida County to protect larger trout and provide an enhanced quality trout fishery.

●   Extend the catch-and-release section for trout on West Canada
Creek in Herkimer and Oneida counties to increase the number of fish available to anglers and reduce overcrowding on the creek.

●   Extend the current catch-and-release season for trout on the
West Branch St. Regis River in St. Lawrence County to all year, thereby increasing angling opportunities.

●   Eliminate the special regulation requiring catch-and-release
fishing for trout on the South Branch of the Grasse River in St.
Lawrence County and replace it with the statewide regulation; 
   
●   Eliminate the special regulation requiring catch-and-release
fishing for trout on Allen Pond in St. Lawrence County and replace it with a three-fish daily limit and 12-inch minimum size limit, which will allow for the harvest of trout, while still providing sufficient protection to this quality trout fishery.
●   Establish a special regulation for Ellicott Creek in Erie County
to provide anglers the opportunity to harvest trout within Amherst State Park.

Great more regulations being stuffed in a regulation manual filled with regulations it takes a New York lawyer to understand.

[Retired ECO]

 Hamlinbigdaddy: Suggestion, check all the pages, Doc already downloaded the same text that you just completed. As far as more regulations, think of it as better management for better fishing !!!  I like positive thinking !!!!

[hamlin big daddy]

Hamlinbigdaddy: Suggestion, check all the pages, Doc already downloaded the same text that you just completed. As far as more regulations, think of it as better management for better fishing !!!  I like positive thinking !!!!

Thanks for the suggestion RECO. Just thought the info. was so interesting wanted to move it along the thread. My beard grew several inches reading the new proposed regulations most of which have to do with trout. Let me think. Spearing at night was banned. Night fishing was banned in certain streams in the fall. All for these   fish that are good for garden fertilizer. Sportsman had a say in that also. It is all about the revenue the trout and salmon bring to the state. Please don't give me the tale of how NYS is looking out for it's own sportsman.Yes, it is time for a change. Vote for change.    

[Retired ECO]

 Hamlin Big Daddy: You make many excellent points, one quote that I will expound on: spearing, when I started as a ECO in 1957 the people spearing suckers around the Finger Lakes would take them home and they would be canned and used for human consumption. By the early 70's very few were doing that. More and more people spearing were throwing the suckers up on the banks to rot, that along with the trash that they were leaving plus the drinking that kept the home owners awake is why the state prohibited spearing. I personally know this as I was one of many ECO' answering all the complaints.

[Retired ECO]

  Whine and cry, whine and cry. I know of many states that do not even consider allowing public input !!!  This state has the finest and most diversified fishing of the contiguous 48 !!!!

[piscesman]

If we didn't have state management on the waters then how GOOD would the waters be?? Do you honestly believe that "fisherman" would automatically reduce their take if it was left to them? I think not!!!! People of the past affect us of their future. I'm sure you all have heard of many stories of over-taking of fish. "We didn't care because we like Joe". Sound familiar??? Someone has do something to help preserve this resource. Judging from past experiences many "sportsman" don't cut it............
      Kim

[hamlin big daddy]

Hamlin Big Daddy: You make many excellent points, one quote that I will expound on: spearing, when I started as a ECO in 1957 the people spearing suckers around the Finger Lakes would take them home and they would be canned and used for human consumption. By the early 70's very few were doing that. More and more people spearing were throwing the suckers up on the banks to rot, that along with the trash that they were leaving plus the drinking that kept the home owners awake is why the state prohibited spearing. I personally know this as I was one of many ECO' answering all the complaints.

It was explained to me by a ECO that worked our area that the spearing was stopped because of the introduction of Rainbow Trout to Lake Ontario. They would migrate into the streams in early spring. To protect the fishery spearing of suckers was stopped. Suckers tasted better. I never drank while spearing  but may have found it very hard to walk a stream with a lantern in one hand and a spear in the other. Sounds like the area you worked had problems. Close them streams down. Don't make all who spear suffer although it was the easy way out for NYS.   

[Retired ECO]

  Just for the record, did 34 years and was shot once. My father did 32 years as a Troop A trooper and my son is in his 24th year as a deputy sheriff, being named once as deputy of the year for the entire state for crawling in a burning car that was up side down to rescue two women. All three of us were very proud to serve the "people of New York"

[Retired ECO]

 Hamlin big daddy, Thanks for the memory jog, that was another reason that the spearing was eliminated. When they did away with the spearing they then did allow dip netting of suckers so that the few that still used them for food could pursue them.

[doctariAFC]

Certainly can see many sides of this prism.  On the one hand, conservation is 100% about assuring the future of our resources for many generations to enjoy.  On the other hand, too many regulations can and will confuse and confound, forcing some to give up on the sports altogether.

As one has said, we pay a ton of money for licensing and gear to enjoy our sports.  Therefore, does it also not stand to reason that we have INVESTED millions of dollars, our dollars, into making NYS one of the finest fishing states in the USA, and one of the best areas for freshwater fishing in the world?  Be it fish stocking efforts, habitat restoration and improvement, pollution clean up or improved public access, all of these efforts over the years have come about through OUR investments in licence and gear purchases.  The results have been tremendous, and is a testament to all of us.  Would anyone wish to NOT PROTECT our investments? 

Now, I will not at this time share my own opinions on these regs, beyond to say, some are good, some are not so good, some are necessary and some are emotionally driven but will do nothing but confuse and sour many of us.  All I can recommend is that each of you review these regulation proposals and try to find our whether each one of these is a beneficial move for the future, or if these are merely emotion-driven changes to benefit anglers for today, rather than benefit the resources for tomorrow.

There's a lot of both in here.  Separate the wheat from the chaff.  The best we as sportsmen and women should do is for the future of the resources, first, with science as the barometer of need, and go from there.  Avoid symbolic but elitist proposals at all costs. 

That's the best I can advise at this time.  When my own letter is completed, I'll post it in case someone needs something to say,m but cannot find the right words.  But, again, what I put forth may not be what you put forth, so each of us must do our part, question each regulation proposal and get at the facts.  If a change does not benefit the resources first, then these should be chucked, IMHO.

We'll be discussing these at length this coming Thursday....