Spectre
Contributor
Got this forwarded to me:
> RHODE ISLAND COMERCIAL ROD & REEL ANGLERS
> 4 Nov 2004
> Dear Member:
> An extremely important meeting of the RIMFC Floating Fish Trap Advisory
> Panel (AP) will be held on Tuesday, 9 November at 6 PM at the RI Division of
> Fish and Wildlife, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, RI.
> The agenda item of particular concern to our organization, it's members and
> all commercial rod and reel, pot fisherman, lobstermen and recreational
> anglers is a proposed change to current regulations which would establish a
> 100 foot, so called "Safety Zone" around all floating fish traps.
> Initially, the reason given by the trap operators for such a requirement was
> to prevent injury to personnel working the traps from entangled hooks, rigs,
> jigs and plugs etc, but after much discussion at RIMFC meetings and hearings
> it appears that the primary reason for the proposed requirement is based on
> vandalism to the trap operators nets from divers.
> In any case, it is extremely important that as many of our members as
> possible attend this meeting to reiterate our organization's opposition to
> this so called safety zone issue (item 14.6) as depicted in the Public
> Hearing Summary Document and recommend it be stricken in its entirety from
> the subject document.
> In closing I'd like to emphasis that if this so called safety zone were to
> be enacted, all fisherman (with the exception of the floating trap operators
> themselves) would be denied access to prime fishing waters that have been
> fished on for years. This denial of public access would not only affect
> commercial rod and reel fishermen but all other user groups to include the
> recreational sector as well.
> Spread the word and please attend this important meeting if at all possible.
> STEPHEN PARENTE
> Vice President, RICRRA
> RHODE ISLAND COMERCIAL ROD & REEL ANGLERS
> 4 Nov 2004
> Dear Member:
> An extremely important meeting of the RIMFC Floating Fish Trap Advisory
> Panel (AP) will be held on Tuesday, 9 November at 6 PM at the RI Division of
> Fish and Wildlife, 3 Fort Wetherill Road, Jamestown, RI.
> The agenda item of particular concern to our organization, it's members and
> all commercial rod and reel, pot fisherman, lobstermen and recreational
> anglers is a proposed change to current regulations which would establish a
> 100 foot, so called "Safety Zone" around all floating fish traps.
> Initially, the reason given by the trap operators for such a requirement was
> to prevent injury to personnel working the traps from entangled hooks, rigs,
> jigs and plugs etc, but after much discussion at RIMFC meetings and hearings
> it appears that the primary reason for the proposed requirement is based on
> vandalism to the trap operators nets from divers.
> In any case, it is extremely important that as many of our members as
> possible attend this meeting to reiterate our organization's opposition to
> this so called safety zone issue (item 14.6) as depicted in the Public
> Hearing Summary Document and recommend it be stricken in its entirety from
> the subject document.
> In closing I'd like to emphasis that if this so called safety zone were to
> be enacted, all fisherman (with the exception of the floating trap operators
> themselves) would be denied access to prime fishing waters that have been
> fished on for years. This denial of public access would not only affect
> commercial rod and reel fishermen but all other user groups to include the
> recreational sector as well.
> Spread the word and please attend this important meeting if at all possible.
> STEPHEN PARENTE
> Vice President, RICRRA
