Oak Orchard River Public Fishing Access Petition

[BlindSquirrel]

This is not Ice Fishing related but it does concern fishing rights in NY.

Here is the LINK to sign an online petition to keep the Oak Orchard River in Orleans county open to public use.  There is also a public meeting concerning this.



ORLEANS COUNTY LEGISLATIVE MEETING

YOUR PRESENCE REQUESTED TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC FISHING ACCESS ON OAK ORCHARD RIVER BELOW THE WATERPORT DAM

JANUARY 24, 2006 AT 4:30PM REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING

LOCATION 3 SOUTH MAIN STREET (ROUTE 98 ), ALBION, NY

CONFERENCE SESSION USUALLY BEFORE

OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

MUST REGISTER WITH CLERK OF THE LEGISLATURE TO SPEAK BRIEFLY AT CONFERENCE SESSION 585 589 7053

SUGGESTED ARRIVAL TIME BY AT LEAST 4:00PM

CONTACT ORLEANS OUTDOOR 585 682 4546 TO COORDINATE SO THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE PRESENT AT THE MEETING LOCATION CAN BE ACCOMMODATED

[GAMBELL]

Signed.  I'm all for keeping fishing access public.

[fishingking]

Done and sent it to a few friends

[ice boy19]

me as well!!!!!

[bigfish_1556]

Just curious as I'm not from the area, what's the legal argument and/or motivation for the proposed alternative (i.e. no public fishing)?  I'd like to edumacate maself prior to sighning a partition.

[BlindSquirrel]

This section of stream has historically been open to fishing.  It is one of the biggest and most popular trout and salmon streams in Western NY.  Though it was never officially a NYS public fishing site, it has been advertised by the county and state as fishable waters.  Over the last few years, the landowner has posted this section of water and has leased the rights to a guide.  The current effort is to preserve these waters for public access, including the possibility of making this an official NYS public access fishing site.

[bigfish_1556]

Is the landowner a private owner or a private corporation (e.g. hydropower company)?  I would think a private landowner would minimally be entitled to an offer from the State equivalent to, or exceeding, his current lease to a private individual (a fully negotiated State Property Easement).  If it's the case that the landowner is a company, like say, a regulated hydropower producer, that the state would have rights to request public access for recreational opportunities when the company is next up for a relicensing of it's project.  If it's the second case, appeal to an organization like New York Rivers United, and they will file a petition to be a party in the relicensing proceedings and fight for the public's recreational needs.  If it's a private landowner, as sounds the case - get as many folks out to the proceedings as possible, get some folks in there to speak on the economic and recreational benefits of the public use of the property, and cross your fingers!   Good luck!

[The Steel Leader]

Done

[oakorchardfishking]

Signed and passed on to a good # of Oak Orchard fishing people I know!

[1TIGGER]

Signed and verified !

[ChenBassHead]

Signed!  Anything I can do to help out a good cause!

-Zach