When will it end?

[Revtro]

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/saltwater/news/story?id=4975762

The story speaks for itself.

[Bender]

This is from one of the comments about the article:

Visit www.keepamericafish ing.org to send a letter to President Obama and other key policy makers urging the Task Force to include recreational fishing and boating in the national policy. When you send this letter to President Obama, it will automatically be sent to your Members of Congress.

[Durand Dan]

www.keepamericafishing.org

[motocross269]

Closures of Fishing areas started way back in the Bush Administration..All you have to do is read BASS times and you will see that George Bush and the Conservitives are no friends to fisherman either...It comes down to corporate greed not just politics..I have been reading on other sights where the diehard right wingers are throwing up the Anti-Obama flags without looking at the true history of these legislative attacks on our fisheries....I have no problem with people not liking the current administration just don't be blinded thinking the right wing conservitives have fisherman's interests at heart....(I understand that no finger pointing was done on this thread just making a point)

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/79933

http://www.fishsniffer.com/dbachere/060402salmonclosure.html

The Bush administration is considering launching one of the biggest conservation programs in U.S. history.
If implemented, President George W. Bush could, with the stroke of a pen, protect vast stretches of U.S. territorial waters from fishing, oil exploration and other forms of commercial development. The initiative could also create some of the largest marine reserves in the world — far larger than national parks like Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon.
The White House is thinking about taking "big steps, not small ones," says Jack Sobel, a senior scientist at the Washington-based Ocean Conservancy, an environmental group.
A spokesman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality confirmed that the administration is considering the initiative but declined to discuss details, saying they are still under review.
The idea is drawing strong support from conservationists who typically have been harshly critical of the Bush administration's overall environmental record. But some of the possible reserves are already attracting opposition from

Bush ended up signing some of this legislation into law....
Bottom line this isn't just a "Current Administration" issue and has been going on for years.....So Far Money and And corporate interests have won out...

[djkimmel]

Yeah... memories are funny like that when it comes to party politics. Part of my goal with this site has always been to provide accurate and complete information about issues that affect our common interests regardless of who did it or said it.

People can still choose after that how they wish to interpret it but at least I hope decisions are made based on all the information not just the information someone likes or from a one-sided source they like. Our sport is too important to all of us to ignore important information for any reason.

I always talk to and investigate all sides when it comes to the issues that affect our sport.

[Durand Dan]

I have to equate the whole political scene in Washington and its participants to pond scum. There are many different strains but in the end it all has the same effect on us!

[djkimmel]

I have to equate the whole political scene in Washington and its participants to pond scum. There are many different strains but in the end it all has the same effect on us!

Seems that way... but look at the positive. I LOVE SLOP FISHING!!!!

[gbaade]

I don't get your point Moto. So because Bush started it this is a non story? This stuff scares me to death and I don't care what party started it. The environmentalist have more power than any of us can even imagine, and this is the future if people don't stop thinking in Republican/Democrat terms. Our rights are eroded every single day by corrupt politicians who see a buck in policymaking....see Al Gore and Global Warming.

Wait until this kind of stuff makes its way over here.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/swiss-may-give-animals-free-lawyers/

[VinceR]

I sent my letter, and received my first "official" response back from Stabenow's office. No help to be had there (not that I expected there to be). Sounds like the "official" party line:

Thank you . . .



. . . for contacting me about protecting our Great Lakes. I couldn't agree more!



The Great Lakes are the backbone of our culture and economy. Their coastlines are home to wetlands, dunes, and endangered plants, and their beautiful beaches make them popular recreational destinations for millions of people each year. However, in their 10,000-year history, the Great Lakes have never been in so much peril as they are today. They are threatened by invasive species, low water levels, global climate change, toxic sediments, and a rapidly changing ecosystem. We need to invest more to restore our waters for our children and grandchildren. This is a fight for our very identity and way of life.



Since I came to Congress, I've been fighting to protect our Great Lakes. One of my first acts as Michigan's U.S. Senator was to pass a law that bans oil and gas drilling in the Great Lakes. This legislation was signed into law in 2001, and the ban was made permanent in 2005.



In 2006, President Bush signed my Michigan Lighthouse and Maritime Heritage Act into law, which creates a federal, state, and local partnership to restore Michigan lighthouses and promote the maritime culture of the Great Lakes. Michigan is home to more lighthouses than any other state - more than 120 - and they are important cultural landmarks and tourist destinations. I recently co-authored another bill to fund lighthouse restoration.



The 2008 federal spending bill included $9 million to create a barrier to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan, and $97 million for Great Lakes-specific programs. Additionally, there was $250 million in funding for water infrastructure projects such as sewers that will reduce pollutants to our lakes. However, I know, despite our progress, the U.S. government still must take a larger role in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes.



As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I was very involved in writing the 2008 farm bill, which included a number of programs that will improve Great Lakes water quality and habitat. Overall, Michigan receives approximately $50 million per year in conservation funding for farmland. The Great Lakes Basin Program for Soil Erosion and Sediment Control will target clean-up activities in severely polluted watersheds and restore urban watersheds that have been degraded by development. For the first time, this program will incorporate the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to fund priority issues challenging the lakes.



In Michigan especially, we are facing serious economic challenges. This is a tough time for us, but the Great Lakes give us hope and optimism for the future. Restoring the Great Lakes presents us with real economic opportunities. According to the non-partisan Brookings Institution, implementing the Collaborative Strategy will bring between $80-100 billion in short and long-term economic gains for our region.



I am also pleased to report that the Great Lakes Compact was signed into law last year. The Great Lakes Compact provides the region the authority to take local stewardship and responsibility for its water resources. The governors and state legislators have all agreed to the terms?'in fact 95% of the legislators voted in favor of the Compact in each state. It sets in place water management laws for each of the Great Lakes states, while at the same time maintaining the federal ban on water diversions. This ban protects the Great Lakes from being sold or diverted from the residents that live there while protecting them for the use and enjoyment of the entire nation. We would never allow other natural wonders such as the Everglades, Yellowstone Park or the Grand Canyon to be sectioned off and sold to the highest bidder, so this Compact also recognizes the needed protection of the Great Lakes. It is the federal protection that our region deserves.



On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law which included $6 billion in clean water infrastructure. Michigan would receive over $169 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and over $67 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to finance local clean and drinking water infrastructure improvements. Additionally, the Army Corps of Engineers received $4.6 billion to invest in operations and maintenance activities for dredging federal harbors and waterways, construction of major rehabilitation of inland waterway locks and dams, coastal navigation projects, and environmental restoration projects. This funding is anticipated to create as many as 37,000 direct new private sector jobs in addition to restoring our harbors and waterways.



For me, fighting for the Great Lakes doesn't just make economic sense, it's a moral imperative. The Great Lakes are an inseparable part of our economy, history, and culture, and must be protected. Our economy and our Michigan way of life depend on them.



Thank you again for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed about issues of concern to you and your family.



Sincerely,

Debbie Stabenow

United States Senator



DS:MS


Touched on everything but the National Ocean and Great Lakes Policy, and the Ocean Policy Task Force.

[sinkersanddinkers]

I am currently taking a college U.S. history class, and one of the things the literature in this class has shown, was what lead to the Revolutionary War. There were many different views and beliefs that were involved. However, the main confliction between the colonies and England was the numeroues taxes that were enforced among the people without allowing them to have the same rights as those in England. This is known as "taxation without representation", and over the last decade or so, it seems to me that the same thing is happening all over again. Yes, history has been known to repeat itself, but my point is we all know what happened the last time there was taxation without representation! It is the same thing, just with different issues involved than back then. And it is not just about fishing either, there are other issues besides this that prove my point. But as far as fishing goes, everyone in America that fishes pays sales tax on fishing items; most pay boater insurance; boat registration; ramp fees;fishing licenses; etc. etc. One of the forms of government whether it is federal; state; or local receives some of this money, yet who is protecting our rights?

[motocross269]

I don't get your point Moto. So because Bush started it this is a non story? This stuff scares me to death and I don't care what party started it. The environmentalist have more power than any of us can even imagine, and this is the future if people don't stop thinking in Republican/Democrat terms. Our rights are eroded every single day by corrupt politicians who see a buck in policymaking....see Al Gore and Global Warming.

Wait until this kind of stuff makes its way over here.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/swiss-may-give-animals-free-lawyers/

My point is....If you believe the Tree huggers are the only threat to our fishing you are highly misguided....Corporations and greed are a bigger and better backed threat than any extreme conservation group...You don't have to look very far to see examples of that...The refusal to close the mississippi shipping lanes to stop the invasion of Asian carp is a good place to start....It is all about Wal-mart type stores ensuring the flow of their imports.....
If you don't subscribe to Bass Times you probably should..There are some great articles in that paper on the battle to retain Clean, Fishable water....
This month Bass Times listed the top 10 Water polluting companies by facility....It was an eye opener...5 of the top 10 were meat processing plants...Most of them in the south...


I never said it was a "Non-story" Just the opposite...Everyone needs to make sure they are properly informed who the players are and who really is the enemy to Fisherman and not just listen to the talking heads that get rich off from creating hysteria....

[djkimmel]

As usual, I think we are all sort of saying and thinking the same thing. Just in different ways. It's not as important who said it or who started but what do we do about it.

Part of my hope is that we all (including me) get better at spending the most amount of our time on the actual issue, not the messenger or the person / party / thing that happens to be taking the blame of the moment.

We all have personal bias of various types and too often we make our bias the most important thing at the expense of not fixing issues or solving problems. Politics is a repetitively excellent example of this mistake.

The important issue in this case is to make sure whomever is in charge and makes the decision at this moment hears that us anglers want a fair shake and we believe that overly restrictive regulations on recreational fishing is unnecessary and even harmful to the sport, resource and thousands of jobs that rely on sport fishing.

Because... there are obviously people who feel differently taking the time to try to contact the same government people to convince them to do the opposite.

[REEL_MAN]

It's time to clean house in Washington from the top down. If they are in house now VOTE them out. The good ole' boy system has got to go. It appears that there is more loyality to the lobbies that to the people they are supposed to represent.

REELMAN
<))))>{

[mikesmiph]

I couldnt agree more Reelman. Only problem is, whoever we vote for, they will still be a politician.

[Revtro]

I couldnt agree more Reelman. Only problem is, whoever we vote for, they will still be a politician.

Love that response.  Laughed out loud. 

[peters_skeeter]

I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, BUT,  if there are no fishermen, that pay for licenses, and all the other contributions to clubs ect.... How will they fund all this BS  WE are the biggest conservationist. That's it! I'm movin to Mexico. WE CAN FISH ALL YEAR ROUND! WHO"S COMMIN WITH ME? 

[sinkersanddinkers]

I couldnt agree more Reelman. Only problem is, whoever we vote for, they will still be a politician.

LOL...talk about hitting the nail right on the head!!! But you are right, as this has been the case for quite some time. The best thing WE can do at this point in time is simply one word......."UNITE"!!! Im not talking about just fisherman from Michigan or the states surrounding the Great Lakes, we need to become as one group throuhgout the entire nation. I believe that it is the only way that we can truly have our voices heard, and to protect our rights. 

[djkimmel]

That would do it.

[sinkersanddinkers]

Received an interesting email today from Vern Ehlers office, and this is what it said............

Dear Mr. Ingvartsen:



Thank you for contacting me about the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force's recent interim report on our national ocean resources.  I appreciate you taking the time to share your concerns about the report inadequately addressing the importance of recreational fishing.



Last June, President Obama established the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and directed it to develop recommendations for national ocean policies to ensure the protection, maintenance, and restoration of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes' resources. The Task Force Membership is comprised of senior-level representatives from all of the federal government agencies ocean stakeholders.



In early September, the Task Force released an interim report which had a public comment period.  The Task Force also held regional meetings to solicit input from the public on their work including one in the Great Lakes region at the end of October.  I hope that you took the opportunity to comment directly on the Administration's work via their website at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/oceans.



I am very concerned about stewardship of the Great Lakes and have been leader in Congress in developing thoughtful policies to manage these precious resources.  In recent years, there have been a number of very thorough studies examining how to maintain and improve our ocean, coastal and Great Lakes' resources including our fisheries.  For the most part, putting the recommendations of these valuable reports into action has been challenged by very limited state and federal funding.  I hope the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force will listen and respond to the comments and concerns they receive on the interim report, and include realistic goals and funding options in their final report recommendations.



At this point in time, the interim report does not address details related to ocean management but rather sets priorities that must be considered when working with stakeholders on ocean policy. I expect more detailed information will be included in the final report, and hope that participation from recreational fisherman like you will inform that product.



Thank you again for contacting me.  If Congress considers implementation of the final report through legislation, I will keep your views in mind.  I am





                                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                                    Vernon J. Ehlers
                                                                                                    Member of Congress

Any thoughts on this??

[djkimmel]

It's a better response than some I have seen. After this show is over, I'll see exactly where we really seem to be at. As far as possible when dealing with government bureaucracy anyway.

Ehlers was a pretty decent person when he was in state government in the few dealings I had directly with him in the past.