Courtesy of Barb Elliott, Salt City Bassmasters
The NYS DEC is considering possible regulation changes to increase catch and release bass fishing opportunities. As you should know it has been an extremely long process to get to where we are with the current regulations. And by all accounts bass anglers have thoroughly enjoyed the increased opportunities and bass populations have been sustainable.
Please read this article and send your support to EACH of the four counties listed asking that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) bring this regulation forward for public comment… because without your support anglers will not even be given the opportunity to comment on this regulation.
Also pass this on to as many people as you can and ask them to copy/paste and email to each of the FOUR counties… if they just copy and paste it will take them less than 2 minutes!!
We need this!! You do not have to live in New York. You could state that you may fish more in New York if they increase bass fishing opportunities. These types of changes help any other state that has any type of closed bass season.
If you read the below – we have tried to make it as easy as possible for any interested party to respond – PLEASE PASS TO YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILIES, CLUB MEMBERS, etc…
NYS DEC is soliciting feedback on possible regulation changes they will be considering putting up for public comment.
One possible regulation change they are considering is a change to the Oneida Lake catch and release bass angling regulation to bring it in line with the statewide general angling regulation (artificial only, Dec 1st thru 3rd Friday in June it would be legal to fish for bass on a catch and immediate release basis only).
BACKGROUND:
The current Oneida Lake regulation, established without opportunity for public comment back in 2006, forces bass anglers to wait until the first Saturday in May thru the 3rd Friday in June to enjoy catch and release bass angling opportunities. This regulation has nothing to do with protecting the bass spawn, any experienced bass anglers that frequents Oneida Lake knows that bass typically start spawning late May and finish end of June/early July depending on water temperatures.
Instead the reason bass anglers have been denied access is that the NYS DEC, the regulating agency, was lobbied by another user group that felt allowing bass anglers’ access to Oneida Lake for catch and release angling would lead to an increase in walleye poaching during the walleye’s closed spawning season. Thus bass anglers have to wait until the first Saturday in May for the catch and release bass season to start which is also the start of walleye season.
The flaw in this regulatory position is that Oneida Lake remains OPEN TO FISHING during the walleye spawning season. Oneida Lake anglers can legally fish for yellow perch, crappie, bullhead, catfish, bluegill, sunfish, white perch, carp, drum, bowfin, burbot, etc…
This current exclusion on Oneida Lake has been denying a specific user group (bass anglers) access simply because of the species they prefer to target. The NY DEC has gone on record numerous times stating there is no biological reason to keep bass anglers from accessing the water. In addition, the NYS DEC enforcement officers have gone on record stating they feel there would be no enforcement concerns regarding increase bass angler access.
ACTION:
We are requesting that the NYS DEC make the Oneida Lake catch and release bass fishing regulations:
-Possible Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes 2012_R7_01
-Possible Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes 2012_R7_02
-Possible Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes 2012_R7_03
-Possible Freshwater Fishing Regulation Changes 2012_R7_04
official public comment items in the 2012 regulation process so that the Oneida Lake catch and release bass fishing regulations follow the general statewide regulation and we request this for all counties surrounding Oneida Lake -Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego, and Madison.
WHAT WE NEED FROM ANGLERS:
We absolutely need every one of you to submit a comment to ALL FOUR OF THE POSSIBLE FRESHWATER FISHING REGULATION CHANGES requesting that these regulations be brought forward for official public comment.
Copy the following text –
I fully support a regulation that will bring the Oneida Lake catch and release bass fishing season in line with the General Statewide Catch and Release Black Bass Angling Regulations.
I am requesting that the NYS DEC bring this regulation forward for official consideration during the 2012 public comment process as there are no biological reasons to not allow bass anglers access to the resource and it will allow anglers increased access as well as provide increased economic benefit to local businesses and communities surrounding the lake.
Being that there are no biological reasons and that the Region 7 DEC Fisheries Managers support this regulation change, this change should be brought forward to public comment and ultimately should be implemented in 2012 regulation cycle.
Thank you –
(your name, phone)
(city, st)
After you COPY the above text
Click a county link below recommend starting with Madison and work your way down the list
PASTE your text you just copied above – you can modify as you see fit – then SEND the email
**IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO SEND A SEPARATE RESPONSE TO THE FOUR COUNTY LINKS LISTED BELOW!! **
Madison:
mailto: fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us
subject: Possible freshwater fishing regulation changes 2012_R7_01
Oneida:
mailto: fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us
subject: Possible freshwater fishing regulation changes 2012_R7_02
Onondaga:
mailto: fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us
subject: Possible freshwater fishing regulation changes 2012_R7_03
Oswego:
mailto: fishregs@gw.dec.state.ny.us
subject: Possible freshwater fishing regulation changes 2012_R7_04
