FEDS want to close areas to fishing

[SecretWeapon]

Just imagine, you pull up on a boat ramp on Lake Erie and discover a large map of the lake that has enough shaded blocks to play checkers. Those shaded blocks represent areas closed to fishing, and your favorite rockpile — that you've been daydreaming about dragging a tube over for the last month — is under one of those blocks.

Sound unlikely? Freshwater anglers have been warned that, in the not-too-distant future, marine sanctuaries and the general protectionism philosophies plaguing our recreational saltwater brethren were coming our way. Well, the future has arrived, and it is time to pay attention.

"BASS members and every angler in America should be very concerned over the dramatic implications for recreational fishing access and management nationwide that are being proposed by the White House Council on Environmental Quality. This policy extends into the Great Lakes and the inland watersheds that flow into the oceans, which, of course, includes every river, stream and most lakes and reservoirs in America," said Phil Morlock, director of environmental affairs for Shimano Corp.

Checkout the rest of the article at:

http://www.fishinsites.com/forum/ope...-block-access/

[know1]

I'd like to close some areas of our government, but one can only dream...

[MagikSmallie]

I would say that this is unbeleiveable....but with this administration nothing is unbeleiveable!!! It's scary i fish Lake Erie and lake St. Clair and i'll be damned if I'll be restricted from fishing the spots I've fished with my dad since I was 13.....They keep pushing and pushing and by God it's time to push back!

[bassiusmaximus]

Here is a link that was on espn to send some feedback about this crappy legislation.
http://capwiz.com/keepamericafishing...ertid=14119696
Here's your chance to become astroturf. I doubt the Obama administration will read it or care what we have to say but it's worth a shot. Everyone should remember this when election time comes around and not just for the presidential election.
There should be a "lemon law" when it comes to politicians.

[raincheck]

I aready have heard not too fish too close too power plants on the lakes guess i better not get too close too the Dam too.

[kygorski]

Lets not start foaming at the mouth till the details are clear. There are already closed areas on the great lakes to protect spawning reefs from over fishing. these areas were the spawning areas of the original lake trout, most of you dont know but that species was almost extinct. The biggest culprit was the sea lamphery. The state of indiana banned gill net fishing finally, after the yellow perch was wiped. there are about 110 miles of indiana on the lake, there were almost400 or more m,iles of gillnets in use.I'm ticked because of what the government did to the cumberland river, but sometimes things got to be doneto protect the future of the sport. A great example is the govwernment and ducks unlimited to bring back the wood duck from extinction, same with the bald eagle.Another fine example of the "me now" mentality. A lot of you scream about the burden placed on our future kids, but when a distastefull program is tried, we revolt. Chesapeak bay was once going to be barren of striped bass, till there was unpopular government intervention. I fished the boundry waters when motors were allowed, now thouisands of people fish it in canoes and love it. When everyone is happy, suspect drugs!