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  1. #1
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    Contact information for your fisheries biologist

    On the thread titled "Cumberland 12/27" I made a comment about how to contact your local fisheries biologist. The state is broken up into regions so a biologist will cover multiple counties and various different lakes. In the link I am going to provide at the bottom of this thread all you have to do is select the county in which you have a concern and hit submit. Once you do that it will give you multiple contacts. It includes contact information to people who work with fish, hunting, education and land conservation.

    I have personally spoke to the biologist who represents my county/district a few years ago. We spoke in depth about various different things. I also brought to his attention something that happened at Barren River Lake and he thanked me because he was not aware of the situation. If my memory is correct his comment was something like "we like feedback from the public because they see things first hand as it happens"

    Anyways I emailed the fishery biologist for the Lake Cumberland area because of something that really concerns me...if your interested in reading what I emailed them about then the information is in the second paragraph of the reply I made on the Lake Cumberland 12/27 thread. If you agree or disagree with me that is okay. Either way I encourage people to contact their fishery biologist and voice their concern about anything you feel is important to you.

    I am not one to promote more laws and regulations but fish are a natural resource that need someone to guard and look over them. It's up to KDFW to ensure they protect our natural resource. Some regulations can be influenced by large organization or $ money $ so it's regulations like this that we need to ensure that fish are priority one.


    Here is the link to find a contact...https://app.fw.ky.gov/WebContact/
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by R19 View Post
    On the thread titled "Cumberland 12/27" I made a comment about how to contact your local fisheries biologist. The state is broken up into regions so a biologist will cover multiple counties and various different lakes. In the link I am going to provide at the bottom of this thread all you have to do is select the county in which you have a concern and hit submit. Once you do that it will give you multiple contacts. It includes contact information to people who work with fish, hunting, education and land conservation.

    I have personally spoke to the biologist who represents my county/district a few years ago. We spoke in depth about various different things. I also brought to his attention something that happened at Barren River Lake and he thanked me because he was not aware of the situation. If my memory is correct his comment was something like "we like feedback from the public because they see things first hand as it happens"

    Anyways I emailed the fishery biologist for the Lake Cumberland area because of something that really concerns me...if your interested in reading what I emailed them about then the information is in the second paragraph of the reply I made on the Lake Cumberland 12/27 thread. If you agree or disagree with me that is okay. Either way I encourage people to contact their fishery biologist and voice their concern about anything you feel is important to you.

    I am not one to promote more laws and regulations but fish are a natural resource that need someone to guard and look over them. It's up to KDFW to ensure they protect our natural resource. Some regulations can be influenced by large organization or $ money $ so it's regulations like this that we need to ensure that fish are priority one.


    Here is the link to find a contact...https://app.fw.ky.gov/WebContact/
    I sent an email yesterday. I plan on sending another one and making a call to. We need some help guys does anybody else feel as strong about this as we do?
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  3. #3
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    I received a very detailed response to my email. I have asked permission to post it on here and I'm waiting on that response.

  4. #4
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    Got my response also...it answered a few things but also opened up a couple more questions. I replied back and thank them for their detailed response and inquired with a couple more questions.
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by mhall View Post
    I received a very detailed response to my email. I have asked permission to post it on here and I'm waiting on that response.
    Mark-I haven't received the email you were going to send.
    PM me or email me status. Email best. Will see it quicker.

    Peter
    peter@fishin.com

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by peter View Post
    Mark-I haven't received the email you were going to send.
    PM me or email me status. Email best. Will see it quicker.

    Peter
    peter@fishin.com
    I will send tomorrow

    Thanks

  7. #7
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    Peter I sent it to you today

  8. #8
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    Special Tournament (Size Limit) reply from KDFWR

    From: Ross, Jeff (FW)
    Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2020 4:10 PM
    To: Mark Hall
    Subject: RE: Special regulations at Cumberland

    Hi Mark,

    Thank you for your concern about tournament pressure, size limit exemptions, and the overall health of the bass populations at Lake Cumberland. Please be assured that your comments are being taken seriously and will play a part in any regulation decisions concerning black bass size limit exemptions in Kentucky.

    A little background information is required to best explain the process that has occurred so far. Back in 2013, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association began the process of creating bass fishing as a sanctioned high school sport. Through discussions with the KHSAA and FLW (their partner in the endeavor), KDFWR agreed to allow black bass size limit exemptions at two of the regional tournaments and also the state KHSAA finals. The two regional tournaments take place on Lake Cumberland and Cave Run Lake. The impetus was to allow enough of the high school participants to qualify for the finals and create an interest for more high school students to participate. This agreement has continued and now also includes the Kentucky Christian Athletic Association Schools. Once again, only exempting the regional and final tournaments.

    During this time, discussions also arose from other tournament groups, both big and small about the potential for expanded exemptions. This is something that is allowed in such states as Florida and Kansas. The Department did not want to jump right into the expansion, but instead asked the KDFWR Commission for an approval to conduct a three-year study looking at the impacts of exemption tournaments both from a fish mortality standpoint and also from public perception. The last thing we would want to do is harm a fish population that is already protected under special regulations.

    The Fisheries Division was granted permission by our Commission to conduct 4 tournaments a year (2 spring and 2 fall) at both Lake Cumberland and Cave Run Lake for three years. These tournaments would be used to determine the amount of mortality that is occurring, especially on those fish that would normally be protected. We need to see how much mortality is occurring on the water prior to weigh-in, weigh-in mortality, and post release mortality (approximately 1 week). The tournaments are only allowed in the spring and fall when water temperatures are cool (no tournaments after May and no tournaments before October).

    Tournament selection has been based on trying to sample both small and large tournaments, and their differing fish handling abilities. Many of the tournaments are selected from those that have registered on our voluntary tournament scheduling site. It may appear that the larger affiliations are being preferentially selected, but when you look at all of the exemption tournaments so far, they include several charity tournaments, local sponsored tournaments, several high school tournaments outside of the KHSAA and KCAA, and a veteran’s memorial tournament.

    We are beginning the third year of the tournament exemption study next spring and it will conclude next fall. At that point all results will be presented to the KDFWR Commission. Along with the tournament results, any public input (for or against) will also be factored into the discussions. Nothing can move forward with tournament exemptions, without the Commission approving a regulation change. As a result, the public will have several opportunities to provide their input, including attending the Commission meetings and also providing public comment as you have done with your email.

    KDFWR is aware of high fishing pressure occurring at many lakes across the state, but to this point has tried not to limit the fishing opportunities for any one group. KDFWR manages the resource for the health of the fishery and the enjoyment of anglers. We seek to balance the needs of various user groups both tournament anglers and non-tournament anglers despite the fact that their needs and requests can be quite different. We do not receive any extra funding in our budget based on the amount of tournaments that are on a lake.

    Once again, thank you for your thoughts and concerns about this study and potential implications to the fishery. All input will be factored into the final decision after the study has concluded.


    Jeff Ross
    Assistant Director - Fisheries Division
    Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
    #1 Sportsman's Lane
    Frankfort, Ky 40601
    Phone: (502) 892-4455
    Fax: (502) 564-3178



    From: Mark Hall
    Sent: Monday, December 30, 2019 9:29 AM
    To: FW Webmaster <FWWebmaster@ky.gov>
    Subject: Special regulations at Cumberland


    Why is the KDFWR allowing special regulations for tournaments at Lake Cumberland. Allowing under sized smallmouth to be kept and weighed is endangering more of our resources than it should be especially in the Spring when female fish are already stressed making babies. If the FLW, high school tournaments, college and what not can’t catch 18 inch smallmouth like the rest of us maybe they should find another lake to fish.

    Now I see where B.AS.S. are going to start up down there in the Spring of 2020 and I’m sure they too have already been promised special regulation provisions. Well I call foul and this is nothing more than the almighty dollar speaking. Tournament pressure on Cumberland has became ‘’RIDICULOUS’’ in the last several years. Hundreds of boats every weekend with KVD wannabe’s running all over the lake like mad men with rude behavior and then dead floaters all over the ramps after they leave. I know they are there I see them. When will some moderation be even considered for the insane amount of pressure these fish are receiving all over the state. I fish Michigan every Spring and they have a system that does NOT allow catch and keep until June 1st on all bass. This stops the tournaments other than the catch photo and release formats. Well guess what they have bass fisheries that DESTROY ours maybe there is something to that deal…ya think.

    Back to the subject at hand. Myself and others plan to send emails and what ever we can to you guys to tell you how poorly we feel about you allowing special regulations for these tournaments. Maybe just maybe you should listen and consider our concerns as they are very valid.

    Thank you
    Sincerly



    Mark Hall


    Somewhat related thread:
    http://www.fishin.com/forums2/showth...mberland-12-27
    Last edited by peter; 01-20-2020 at 12:42 PM.

  9. #9
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    LOL...After typing his response he must of used the copy and paste feature because this is the exact same response I got word for word.

    Now people can say I am wearing a tinfoil hat or that I am being to skeptical if they want but I want to dissect one statement that was made in that email response. " We do not receive any extra funding in our budget based on the amount of tournaments that are on a lake".

    KDFW budget is funded by anglers hunting and fishing license fees. FLW has had multiple events with right at 200 (around 180ish) boater and co anglers for a total of 360 or more people. Of that 360 there is a big portion of them who are out of state anglers. Based on their official practice days and the actual days of the event, if an angler makes it to the final day they will need at minimum a 1 week out of state license. If they pre fish any before the official practice days they will need an out of state license for the entire year. When people are fishing for 100K I bet they pre-fish as much as they can so the overwhelming majority will need an yearly out of state license.

    Charlie Evan who is the Tournament Director for FLW said after the 2017 FLW Tour event that FLW would not return to Cumberland unless they got an exemption on the smallmouth size limit. So when KDFW says yes you can have a size limit exemption then by default they are receiving extra funding to their budget by allowing undersize smallmouth in FLW events. A non resident year long is $55 and 7 day is $35. Multiply that number buy 100 or 200 people and you soon start seeing a good size number. With their budget being funded by license fees that makes his statement of "We do not receive any extra funding in our budget based on the amount of tournaments that are on a lake" seem to be not true by default.

    Here is another quote from that email.

    " We are beginning the third year of the tournament exemption study next spring and it will conclude next fall. At that point all results will be presented to the KDFWR Commission. Along with the tournament results, any public input (for or against) will also be factored into the discussions. Nothing can move forward with tournament exemptions, without the Commission approving a regulation change. As a result, the public will have several opportunities to provide their input, including attending the Commission meetings and also providing public comment as you have done with your email."

    This is why if you feel like everyone should have the same regulation and no one should have exemptions that it is important you reach out to you fisheries biologist and voice your concern. This is the reason I started this thread to begin with. Your fisheries biologist contact can be found in reply #1 of this thread. Just click on the link and select the County in which you want to contact a biologist.
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  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by R19 View Post
    LOL...After typing his response he must of used the copy and paste feature because this is the exact same response I got word for word.

    Now people can say I am wearing a tinfoil hat or that I am being to skeptical if they want but I want to dissect one statement that was made in that email response. " We do not receive any extra funding in our budget based on the amount of tournaments that are on a lake".

    KDFW budget is funded by anglers hunting and fishing license fees. FLW has had multiple events with right at 200 (around 180ish) boater and co anglers for a total of 360 or more people. Of that 360 there is a big portion of them who are out of state anglers. Based on their official practice days and the actual days of the event, if an angler makes it to the final day they will need at minimum a 1 week out of state license. If they pre fish any before the official practice days they will need an out of state license for the entire year. When people are fishing for 100K I bet they pre-fish as much as they can so the overwhelming majority will need an yearly out of state license.

    Charlie Evan who is the Tournament Director for FLW said after the 2017 FLW Tour event that FLW would not return to Cumberland unless they got an exemption on the smallmouth size limit. So when KDFW says yes you can have a size limit exemption then by default they are receiving extra funding to their budget by allowing undersize smallmouth in FLW events. A non resident year long is $55 and 7 day is $35. Multiply that number buy 100 or 200 people and you soon start seeing a good size number. With their budget being funded by license fees that makes his statement of "We do not receive any extra funding in our budget based on the amount of tournaments that are on a lake" seem to be not true by default.

    Here is another quote from that email.

    " We are beginning the third year of the tournament exemption study next spring and it will conclude next fall. At that point all results will be presented to the KDFWR Commission. Along with the tournament results, any public input (for or against) will also be factored into the discussions. Nothing can move forward with tournament exemptions, without the Commission approving a regulation change. As a result, the public will have several opportunities to provide their input, including attending the Commission meetings and also providing public comment as you have done with your email."

    This is why if you feel like everyone should have the same regulation and no one should have exemptions that it is important you reach out to you fisheries biologist and voice your concern. This is the reason I started this thread to begin with. Your fisheries biologist contact can be found in reply #1 of this thread. Just click on the link and select the County in which you want to contact a biologist.


    Perfectly stated R-19. I think you and I are on an Island by ourselves bro......what you said was the same things I scoffed at as well. Money drives the bus and its driving this one for sure.
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  11. #11
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    I sent a message but it was in support of the tournament exception. Just my opinion but I think it’s a good thing for several reasons.

  12. #12
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    Although we have different opinions I still respect yours. I can't recall if I mentioned on this thread or another post but if the size limit was changed to 15" for everyone it would not bother me. I don't keep bass and I rarely fish a tournament so 15" or 18" is not going to make a big difference to me personally but I do like the 18" limit better. Reason being I can recall fishing Cumberland in the late 80's and early 90's when it was 15" and I think the overall health and population is better with the 18" size limit verses when it was 15" many years ago. I doubt the 18" size limit is the only factor for the improved health and quality of smallmouth in Lake Cumberland but I am positive it did play a key role.

    What I have a problem with is making exemptions for certain groups. Smallmouth as well as all fish are a natural resource than can not protect themself. I do not like having regulations on everything but when it comes to a natural resource like fish they do need regulations. Those regulations should apply equally for everyone...again just my opinion and I respect anyone who has one different than mine.

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