Ban Gill Netting in the Chesapeake

[crabby and son]

Originally Posted by reds

When a person tells me "You reap what you sew" He is accusing me of being a poacher. He doesn't like being called a crook, neither do I.

Most waterman who are caught with a fisheries violation, has committed a misdemeanor not a felony.
I believe the laws have been changed this year to address the serious problems.

Like I said. The net industry is worth, very very conservatively $100 million to Maryland and probably 5000 jobs.

Trying to shut an industry down and putting people out of work for 2 poachers is a joke.

Reds, The comment , you reap what you sew was not a comment directed at you unless you are a poacher. You read it as you want to read it. Yes there are bad cops but not 43%. We don't need a $30,000.00 reward to turn the bad cops in. We do it out of pride and self esteem. We don't tolerate the bad cops and accept them as our brothers. If a police officer is charged even with a misdemeanor, chances are he will lose his job. I guess a waterman is an OK guy if he has just been charged with misdemeanors A waterman is about the only one that keeps his license after 20-50 misdemeanor violations. Even a professional driver or Home Improvement Contractor will lose his license after a few misdemeanor violations. Take, take, take is OVER and we will do the best we can to rid the Chesapeake Bay of nets.Oh , and 2 poachers is a joke too!!!.Instead of spending time on here defending nets, you should go and sharpen your hooks!.......Gary

[reds]

Originally Posted by crabby and son

Reds, The comment , you reap what you sew was not a comment directed at you unless you are a poacher. You read it as you want to read it. Yes there are bad cops but not 43%. We don't need a $30,000.00 reward to turn the bad cops in. We do it out of pride and self esteem. We don't tolerate the bad cops and accept them as our brothers. If a police officer is charged even with a misdemeanor, chances are he will lose his job. I guess a waterman is an OK guy if he has just been charged with misdemeanors A waterman is about the only one that keeps his license after 20-50 misdemeanor violations. Even a professional driver or Home Improvement Contractor will lose his license after a few misdemeanor violations. Take, take, take is OVER and we will do the best we can to rid the Chesapeake Bay of nets.Oh , and 2 poachers is a joke too!!!........Gary

I've become used to your intent. Usually you mean what you post when a smiley goes behind it.

As far as the 43 percent. I'll ask you what I asked the JCAA and the DNR. Where is the proof?. Guess what there is none. Pure conjecture. The people on Toilet Flush who posted that number, have an agenda. Only parrots repeat everything they hear without verifying if it true or not.

You'll get no argument from me on the numerous violations. They should be stopped from working the water, most are doing it without a license.

Don't hold your breath on the net ban. The hundreds of millions will be the deciding factor as well as the thousands of job. Just make sure, in your pursuit, you don't repeat what you have heard without verification. It happens a lot on Toilet Flush.

Oh and you can take the 2 poachers to the bank.

[5th Tuition]

Reds; when I read Gary's post, I didn't take it as a personal accusation about you. If you took it that way, I can see why you were sensitive.

The only thing I saw was that Gary should have said sow, instead of sew. However, when speaking of nets, I suppose you do sew them sometimes.

I took it as a personal insult to his eighth grade english teacher.

5th (Marty)

[Skip]

I like how the police commissioner took away the crooked cops badges himself.

[Mark]

Originally Posted by crabby and son

Reds, The comment , you reap what you sew was not a comment directed at you unless you are a poacher. You read it as you want to read it. Yes there are bad cops but not 43%. We don't need a $30,000.00 reward to turn the bad cops in. We do it out of pride and self esteem. We don't tolerate the bad cops and accept them as our brothers. If a police officer is charged even with a misdemeanor, chances are he will lose his job. I guess a waterman is an OK guy if he has just been charged with misdemeanors A waterman is about the only one that keeps his license after 20-50 misdemeanor violations. Even a professional driver or Home Improvement Contractor will lose his license after a few misdemeanor violations. Take, take, take is OVER and we will do the best we can to rid the Chesapeake Bay of nets.Oh , and 2 poachers is a joke too!!!.Instead of spending time on here defending nets, you should go and sharpen your hooks!.......Gary

As a rec, I don't like the recs lumping all watermen in one group as poachers. Not that that is what Gary was doing but it comes across that way. But, Telling them to go sharpen their hooks is just a "go f yourself" after that. Putting a lot of hard working, honest watermen out of work for poachers will solve nothing. Poachers will poach regardless of what ban you put out there. Do i like netting, no, but i like taking away another mans means of supporting his family even less. It's like saying, "doctors are caught practicing without a license every day and people are dying because of it. We need to ban all doctors from practicing medicine.". Sounds stupid, right? Its an extreme example, but its just to make a point. The net ban comes across as completely self serving, just as the reallocation in the name of conservation does. Do you really think these criminals will say, "oh crap, they banned netting! We have to stop poaching now!" Do we really believe all other states will follow suit, or will their watermen prosper as ours flounder? Will they applaud the efforts in public while they laugh behind our backs as they cash our watermens checks?

Telling them to go be hook and liners, in many cases, is like telling them to learn a new trade. For a cop, since we are on that, it's like saying, " there have been a lot of killings by rogue cops out there. Go learn to slide own a pole and put out fires. "

[crabby and son]

I just want to see the day when there are NO nets allowed in the Chesapeake Bay. I am not anti waterman nor did I make a personal attack on Reds. If you took it as a personal attack, please accept my apology. I don't know you and have no reason to believe that you have DNR violations or are a poacher. I do not hide my feelings with smiley faces. If I have something to say, I will say it and stand behind it. I have a construction business that has basically shut down in this economy. No one is going to bail me out and I have to change gears and find another way to support myself. If nets are banned, netters need to find another way to support themselves. Life ain't easy and it's not fair. Things happen for a reason and all this bad poaching might lead to the net ban. Something good does come out of something bad sometimes. This ban in my opinion is the best thing for the fishery.................Gary

[hippie]

Mark, While I agree with most all you have said I cannot agree with your statement concerning the net banning. It is a simple question of what is best for the species. It really has nothing to do with the waterman. Yea sure they will be put out of business but remember, the DNR is to protect the fisheries NOT get involved in the economics of society. Therefore they (DNR) should not even consider what the waterman will do or the effects upon them due to closing the bay to their nets.

Another statement is will other states follow Mds' example? Well if a person checks around they will find that Md. is behind the times and most all states have already banned the netters. That is why their fisheries are on the rebound while the Ches. Bay fisheries are becoming extinct.

Asking a cop to become a fireman. What is wrong with that? Remember the mon & pop corner stores, US Steel, the coal miners? These people all had to make changes because their jobs fell by the wayside, so what makes the waterman special? I've had a lot of jobs only to be laid off and find another job in a different field. This is reality-the real world!

Bob

[Hockleyneck]

Originally Posted by Mark

As a rec, I don't like the recs lumping all watermen in one group as poachers. Not that that is what Gary was doing but it comes across that way. But, Telling them to go sharpen their hooks is just a "go f yourself" after that. Putting a lot of hard working, honest watermen out of work for poachers will solve nothing. Poachers will poach regardless of what ban you put out there. Do i like netting, no, but i like taking away another mans means of supporting his family even less. It's like saying, "doctors are caught practicing without a license every day and people are dying because of it. We need to ban all doctors from practicing medicine.". Sounds stupid, right? Its an extreme example, but its just to make a point. The net ban comes across as completely self serving, just as the reallocation in the name of conservation does. Do you really think these criminals will say, "oh crap, they banned netting! We have to stop poaching now!" Do we really believe all other states will follow suit, or will their watermen prosper as ours flounder? Will they applaud the efforts in public while they laugh behind our backs as they cash our watermens checks?

Telling them to go be hook and liners, in many cases, is like telling them to learn a new trade. For a cop, since we are on that, it's like saying, " there have been a lot of killings by rogue cops out there. Go learn to slide own a pole and put out fires. "

I am not sure how many gill net permits exist, but would a ban really affect that many people? The mates could hook and line, the price would go up so the boat owners could make more per pound. The income from netting rockfish is also a suplemental part of most waterman's income correct? I am not sure the impact would be that great except for a few, but it would interesting to have the numbers to run.

[Mikie]

"It really has nothing to do with the waterman. Yea sure they will be put out of business but remember, the DNR is to protect the fisheries NOT get involved in the economics of society. Therefore they (DNR) should not even consider what the waterman will do or the effects upon them due to closing the bay to their nets."

Actually, I believe you will find if you check the mission statement of the DNR, socio-economic impact is a large and required factor to be used in their determinations of regulation and management.

[Spot77]

Random question unaffiliated with the biological implications of the nets:

Has anyone ever gotten their boat tangled up in one?

I remember reading about a musician...Orlando Something leaving a gig in Annapolis a few years ago and straying into a net which pulled his cruiser under at the stern.