H.B. 403 - protect our trophy catfish!

[Lowerider]

I honestly thought I'd never live to see the day - I am cautiously optimistic our state may finally do something to protect the third most sought after fish in the state - our catfish!

AN ACT relating to harvesting of catfish.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 150 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
(1) The department shall establish requirements by administrative regulation, not less than ninety (90) days after the effective ...date of this Act, to govern the harvesting, taking, and selling of catfish by commercial fishermen from waters of the Commonwealth and the buying of catfish by licensed pay lakes, as deemed reasonable and prudent by the department, to ensure proper propagation and prevent depletion of the catfish population.
(2) The department may set more restrictive daily creel and catfish size limits per license holder.
(3) Transporting of live catfish harvested in the Commonwealth across state lines for commercial sale shall be prohibited

The next step is getting a committee hearing. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee, since it was introduced yesterday. Likely is natural resources & environment, chaired by Jim Gooch. Therefore, we need to ask Rep Gooch to hear the bill and take testimony.

Please find the time (whether you fish for catfish or not) to contact Jim and let him know the enactment is long over due. The commercial overharvest of our state's trophy catfish is devestating to the recreational fisherman. Currently, there is absolutely no creel limit on the harvesting of catfish in the Ohio River by commercial fisherman. The season is open 24/7/365. Commercial harvest and sale of large fish to paylakes is a big business. The ending result is nets at every bend of the river - you don't even know they are there unless you know what to look for. The pressure is simply unsustainable. This is a great day for the conservation of a resource many Kentuckians cherish. You can email Jim here

Annex: [email protected]

Large catfish are the only natural predators for asian carp. The asian carp population is and will explode. Processing plants are currently being built to make use of this species and the commercial fisherman can adapt to fishing for them to replace lost income.

[sweetwater]

I would be against any catfish creel or size limits for recreational fisherman. The only recreational restrictions I support are the ones already in place which mainly govern the methods of harvest used.

I also don't think catfish are the only predators of asian carp either. Once asian carp get to a certain size I'm sure they have no predators but that would also apply to most of the larger species of fish. I can't imagine a bass or a musky passing up an opportunity to inhale a juvenile asian carp especially considering the resemblance they have to a shad.

Jim Gooch-D is a Vice President/Co-Owner of a Western Ky. steel company that does business with the coal industry. Just last year he was very verbal against the EPA when they tried to regulate mountain top coal mining in East Ky. Just who is he trying to protect, coal miners or his own back pocket? He also publically stated that Kentucky seceding from the United States "is not a bad idea."

I think it would be best if someone else took the lead on this one.

[Lowerider]

Would love the best of both worlds too (no creel for rec/tourney fisherman) but we'll take what we can get. States with regs (including AL) typically have a one fish over 34'' rule per day and no regs on numbers below 34'' so those looking for meat aren't really affected.

I'm sure many species can eat the carp when they are the size of minnow - shad, apparently these things have rapid growth and few river fish can regularly eat another 5+ lb fish. Got a video of a 20lb blue inhaling a looks to be 20+ inch carp. Scary to think what a true monster cat eats. Wish there where enough Musky in the river that they could actually make a dent.

I'm counting on Gooch, or whoever else has a vote, to see the side of common sense - a zero regulation policy is unsustainable. It's simple really, just imagine your favorite species of fish being commercially harvested in your favorite body of water and being sold to paylakes (cess pools for giant cats). Overloading a pond with giant river catfish is an obvious disaster for the fish. Constant restocking is necessary. There are simply too many fisherman who enjoy catfishing to let the natural resources go to sh*t. KY controls the majority of the Ohio River - time our state puts conservation ahead of politics.

[sweetwater]

Would love the best of both worlds too (no creel for rec/tourney fisherman) but we'll take what we can get. States with regs (including AL) typically have a one fish over 34'' rule per day and no regs on numbers below 34'' so those looking for meat aren't really affected.

I'm sure many species can eat the carp when they are the size of minnow - shad, apparently these things have rapid growth and few river fish can regularly eat another 5+ lb fish. Got a video of a 20lb blue inhaling a looks to be 20+ inch carp. Scary to think what a true monster cat eats. Wish there where enough Musky in the river that they could actually make a dent.

I'm counting on Gooch, or whoever else has a vote, to see the side of common sense - a zero regulation policy is unsustainable. It's simple really, just imagine your favorite species of fish being commercially harvested in your favorite body of water and being sold to paylakes (cess pools for giant cats). Overloading a pond with giant river catfish is an obvious disaster for the fish. Constant restocking is necessary. There are simply too many fisherman who enjoy catfishing to let the natural resources go to sh*t. KY controls the majority of the Ohio River - time our state puts conservation ahead of politics.

You can't look at one states regs and say it would work for another. My Sweet home Alabama has a 10 fish limit on black bass but do you think that would work in Kentucky too? No it won't. And I don't appreciate you using the fact that I'm from Alabama against me just because you don't like what I say.

I don't like paylakes either, but since they could be considered public businesses I see no reason why they can't be regulated along with the commercial fisherman, especially netting. If commercial fisherman and paylakes are causing the problem then go after them. I'm just saying leave the recreational fisherman alone and let them enjoy their sh*t. How many "trophy" catfish would be saved by regulating recreational fisherman and just how often does the average recreational fisherman even catch a "trophy" catfish?

Have there been any KDFWR long term studies that show just how many "trophy" catfish have been harvested, where they came from and who took them? If so, please share the data. If this hasn't been done or hasn't been done long enough to establish a definite pattern would it be wise to regulate now and ask questions later? No, but that's what politicians typically do. I will be emailing my State Representative and my State Senator and ask them not to support any new legislation that further restricts the rights of recreational fisherman.

[Lowerider]

I don't know what I said that got your panties in a bunch but you seem to be the one that likes to "shoot first and ask questions later..." or at least that's the same accusation you used in another post calling out a respected member on this board just for trying to help a guy find his stolen boat.

The TN River system in your sweet home AL is arguably the best trophy blue cat fishery in the nation. It will only continue to be that way long term with continued conservation efforts.

I'll do the simple math for you - the more trophy size fish left in a body of water the better the chance a recreational fisherman has to catch it. Those that want food for the table generally don't keep large fish anyway - especially from the Ohio River. It effects tournament fisherman the most because we might have to throw back 25+lbers but it's a small price to pay for the sake of conservation.

[sweetwater]

I don't know what I said that got your panties in a bunch but you seem to be the one that likes to "shoot first and ask questions later..." or at least that's the same accusation you used in another post calling out a respected member on this board just for trying to help a guy find his stolen boat.

The TN River system in your sweet home AL is arguably the best trophy blue cat fishery in the nation. It will only continue to be that way long term with continued conservation efforts.

I'll do the simple math for you - the more trophy size fish left in a body of water the better the chance a recreational fisherman has to catch it. Those that want food for the table generally don't keep large fish anyway - especially from the Ohio River. It effects tournament fisherman the most because we might have to throw back 25+lbers but it's a small price to pay for the sake of conservation.

If you're refering to what I said to hurricanebob I think it's obvious I said it in jest, if you haven't noticed I joke around with him and carter1 and a few other people on here that I respect and I do mean respect. It has nothing to with my panties and I don't appreciate that reference. However, I will give you the benefit of a doubt that you were only making an innuendo and not taking another jab at me personally. If you're going to cut on me for wise cracking you should be fair and do the same for everyone else on here that makes a wise crack from time to time including the moderators.

You really need to go after Ohio, Indiana and Illinois as well as Kentucky if you want to protect the Ohio River catfish fishery. Most of the river is in Ky but there are reciprocal fishery agreements with most of the states that border the river with Kentucky. Without every state following suite your buddy across the river in Cinncinnati or J-ville could keep catfish from the Ohio that you couldn't providing he doesn't catch them in a Ky. tributary of the Ohio.

With that said, the Ohio River is a totally different situation then the Tenn River in Bama is. The Tenn. River is entirely inside Bama's borders from just west of Chatanooga to the Mississippi State line. Once again, you can't use that as a fair comparison. Also, just so all the facts are on the table, I don't fish for catfish and I don't consume them either. I think they are nasty, their taste is to strong for my liking and because I am of child bearing age I am not consuming the extra mercury and PCB's they contain. But if someone wants to take a few home, including a large speciman to eat they should be able to do so just as they can with any rough fish providing they are taken using legal methods. Before I end let me check something,,,,, yep they're still in place.

[Lowerider]

Arguing for the sake of argument? Banging my head into the wall...

WV and OH already have protective regs in place. IN had a proposed Bill that got blown up at the 11th hour when the commercial fisherman brought a strong lobby to the table. This is in spite of the state's lead fishery biologist highly recommending regulations be put in place. Politics at its best.

Just because there are other states that have yet to see the light doesn't mean we should just abandon KY's efforts. It's a domino effect. Obviously our challenges are greater given we have to lobby several states compared to those that did so in AL several years ago. That doesn't mean the improved results since reported by AL fisherman can't also happen here one day. It's not apples and oranges - it's catfish and river systems (the same).

My opinion is that it's common sense for those that enjoy fishing for catfish to be willing to sacrifice keeping more than one large fish a day if that means the fishery will be protected and sustainable for years to come. The flip side (your opinion) is that if restrictive regulations must also be applied to recreational fisherman than it's not worth it. Yes, we are all entitled to our opinion. Even those that don't even fish for catfish but still feel the need to call their Representatives and voice theirs?

[riverrat12]

I honestly thought I'd never live to see the day - I am cautiously optimistic our state may finally do something to protect the third most sought after fish in the state - our catfish!

AN ACT relating to harvesting of catfish.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 150 IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
(1) The department shall establish requirements by administrative regulation, not less than ninety (90) days after the effective ...date of this Act, to govern the harvesting, taking, and selling of catfish by commercial fishermen from waters of the Commonwealth and the buying of catfish by licensed pay lakes, as deemed reasonable and prudent by the department, to ensure proper propagation and prevent depletion of the catfish population.
(2) The department may set more restrictive daily creel and catfish size limits per license holder.
(3) Transporting of live catfish harvested in the Commonwealth across state lines for commercial sale shall be prohibited

The next step is getting a committee hearing. The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee, since it was introduced yesterday. Likely is natural resources & environment, chaired by Jim Gooch. Therefore, we need to ask Rep Gooch to hear the bill and take testimony.

Please find the time (whether you fish for catfish or not) to contact Jim and let him know the enactment is long over due. The commercial overharvest of our state's trophy catfish is devestating to the recreational fisherman. Currently, there is absolutely no creel limit on the harvesting of catfish in the Ohio River by commercial fisherman. The season is open 24/7/365. Commercial harvest and sale of large fish to paylakes is a big business. The ending result is nets at every bend of the river - you don't even know they are there unless you know what to look for. The pressure is simply unsustainable. This is a great day for the conservation of a resource many Kentuckians cherish. You can email Jim here

Annex: [email protected]

Large catfish are the only natural predators for asian carp. The asian carp population is and will explode. Processing plants are currently being built to make use of this species and the commercial fisherman can adapt to fishing for them to replace lost income.

Great news Scott, thanks for the update. Chuck

[mhall]

A capital idea and I hope it passes and works....

Chuck and I have had this conversation many times and it is getting increasingly harder each year to find trophy Cats, do the math people....

[Lowerider]

It takes less than a minute to show your support (or disapproval).

Just call 1-800-372-7181 and tell them you are in support of HB403. They will then ask who to send it to - All state representatives is a great answer.

Thanks for taking the time. Hotline is open during normal business hours.

[sweetwater]

Arguing for the sake of argument? Banging my head into the wall...

WV and OH already have protective regs in place. IN had a proposed Bill that got blown up at the 11th hour when the commercial fisherman brought a strong lobby to the table. This is in spite of the state's lead fishery biologist highly recommending regulations be put in place. Politics at its best.

Just because there are other states that have yet to see the light doesn't mean we should just abandon KY's efforts. It's a domino effect. Obviously our challenges are greater given we have to lobby several states compared to those that did so in AL several years ago. That doesn't mean the improved results since reported by AL fisherman can't also happen here one day. It's not apples and oranges - it's catfish and river systems (the same).

My opinion is that it's common sense for those that enjoy fishing for catfish to be willing to sacrifice keeping more than one large fish a day if that means the fishery will be protected and sustainable for years to come. The flip side (your opinion) is that if restrictive regulations must also be applied to recreational fisherman than it's not worth it. Yes, we are all entitled to our opinion. Even those that don't even fish for catfish but still feel the need to call their Representatives and voice theirs?

I consider it a matter of a few people in a select area wanting to tell everyone else in the whole state what they can and can't do in areas that may not need to be regulated in the first place. If you want the Ohio River regulated then go for that, not the whole state, and if you disagree with what someone says don't use personal knowledge whether it be their gender or state of origin to get a rise out of them. I'm all for protecting the rights and privileges of the common recreational fisherman and that's it. It's got nothing to do with catfish, Alabama, Kentucky, The Ohio River, my panties or Lowerider. That's my opinion and I'm done.