Anybody out there?
Biologists outnumbered interested members of the public 6-to-1 last night at the meeting to discuss potential new fishing regulations.
By that I mean one member of the public attended the Annapolis get together--the ubiquitous Ken Hastings--with a half dozen Department of Natural Resources staffers there to explain the proposals and answer questions. Plus me.
Talk about personalized service. They had us surrounded.
Needless to say, the evening moved at a brisk pace.
A list of everything on the table is at http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/draftregulations.asp.
While not all matters listed on the handout sheets will make it to the reg book, it was nice to see that all elements of the fishing community--watermen, charter boat captains, guides and recreational anglers--had offered up suggestions for tougher penalties for poachers and pirates through a work group that meets periodically.
A list of offenses and penalties--too numerous to list--can be found at the above-mentioned place on the DNR website.
The item most likely to be enacted this fall (and to cause the most whining afterward) is the proposal to ban felt-soled waders and boots.
This one is a no-brainer. In addition to providing traction for wading anglers, felt is a dandy vehicle for invasive organisms to hitch a ride from one body of water to another.
Didymo, or rock snot, is a microscopic bad actor that thrives in the cold, clear waters of trout streams. Banding together in large, wet, gooey mats, the organisms smother the habitat and food of trout. Goodbye pristine trout stream, hello strip mall drainage ditch.
Vermont and Alaska have already taken steps to ban felt-soled shoes and boots. Orvis and Simns--gear companies that don't make money if we don't have good trout streams--are getting out of the felt-sole business.
Some folks don't like the idea of government dictating what they can wear. Others don't like the idea of having to replace boots that aren't worn out. Still others say they are very careful and should be granted a waiver.
Wrong, wrong and wrong. I have seen the videos of rock snot. I have spoken with a representative of New Zealand's government, which issued a biosecurity alert in 2004 to prevent the spread of didymo (penalty: up to five years in prison and a $100,000 fine). Biosecurity New Zealand, the government agency responsible for controlling and eradicating the invasive pest, has a fascinating timeline on its website http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pests/didymo.
In short, we do not want to end up there. Zero tolerance is the only answer.
Didymo already has set up shop in the Gunpowder River, a blue-ribbon trout stream. A single, positive test came out of the Savage River. That's two warnings.
Fisheries Director Tom O'Connell says he cannot image a scenario that derails the ban of felt-soled boots and waders, beginning in January. Here's hoping he's right.
You have until Sept. 15 to comment on the proposed regulation. You can do so from the link above.
