DNR catch/release meeting - Thurs /21st

[Skip]

Meeting at 6 pm at the church next to DNR bldg on Thursday.
New rules are the topic. Might be a last chance to be heard.

[mlag]

I'll be there. Anyone else going?...................Mark

[B-Faithful]

mark, I am going to try. I need to find a baby sitter as my wife will have my one of my daughters at a "daisies" event.

[Fish Nut]

i will try and get a hall pass.

[Skip]

I'll be there.

[B-Faithful]

I dont think I can get a sitter. I have checked all our regular girls and my father in law is working for the legislature rightnow and it is a lot for him during the work week so I may be out of luck.

[Sykesville]

How did the meeting go? Sorry I could not make it!

[B-Faithful]

Went well. Just a few turned out and all but one seemed to be very supportive of C&R.

Here are just some of what I remember:

• I spoke out against the rod restictions based on the fact that they have no indication that those trolling are handling more fish than others fishing using other methods and the fact that the gear restrictions could have a negative impact on small business (ie.local tackle shops)
• There were several people who spoke out for moving the start of trophy season back a week or two as a more effective way of protecting the spawning stock due to the high percentage of prespawn females kept during the trophy season before May 1st according to DNR studies.
• One person did a nice job challenging restrictions all together being imposed given the unknowns. He basicly noted that DNR has an obligation to act on known issues prior to regulating the unknown.
• One person thought that the restrictions placed on preseason C&R should be carried over into the keep seasons based on the fact that so many fish get released during the open seasons (due to undersize, over the creel limit, was fishing for another species, etc.)

Those were the comments that stood out to me. (I dont agree with all of them for various reasons but was trying to remember some of the noteable comments made)

[5th Tuition]

My "Official Comment" which went on record was the following:

I told them I was looking forward to a DNR press release which states the following:

MARYLAND RESTRICTS IT'S CATCH AND RELEASE SEASON IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN IT'S CATCH AND KILL SEASON, IN THE NAME OF CONSERVATION

5th

[Fish Nut]

So what comes of this comment period? Sectary Griffin has already circled the wagons. No changes will be made to the current proposal. When and if changes have to be made in the future it probably will not be directed at catch and release.