Opportunities for Public Comment

[Gerry Zagorski]

The system sure does have a ton of room for improvement for the fish and the fishermen.. But like Pat said, if we have an opportunity to comment on these options, although they don't address all the issues we face, we want to choose the option that we believe is the most favorable for now.

Trying to solve all the issues at once is like trying to boil the ocean.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by AndyS

Thanx ! Several of the areas included not just shoreline access, but up to 300yds into the water. How can they enforce this with 127 miles of coastline ?

I hear you, but I’m not worried about enforcement... I'm worried about the areas they might close down since it now includes not only endangered but added threatened species. Plus, there are no provisions for any public input so the have card blanche authority do what they want with no checks and balances.

Let’s play this out like I've seen first hand in places like Washington State and California with seals. Your have a boat on your own dock or in a public marina and the seals decide to take up residency there.... They close the area with barriers and you now have no access to your boat or the dock. You try and get near those seals to persuade them to go elsewhere and the DEP shows up and arrests you..

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

The system sure does have a ton of room for improvement for the fish and the fishermen.. But like Pat said, if we have an opportunity to comment on these options, although they don't address all the issues we face, we want to choose the option that we believe is the most favorable for now.

Trying to solve all the issues at once is like trying to boil the ocean.

Makes sense but personally I don't believe public commentary will ever factor into the outcome of management decisions. It's a check the box protocol I believe is required and as seemingly with everything else always falls on deaf ears. There's driving forces behind all these decisions and recreational public commentary I'm afraid will never factor into those decisions. I know that's a defeatist attitude but it's more than backed by years of public commentary that's shamefully been completely ignored.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Broad Bill

Makes sense but personally I don't believe public commentary will ever factor into the outcome of management decisions. It's a check the box protocol I believe is required and as seemingly with everything else always falls on deaf ears. There's driving forces behind all these decisions and recreational public commentary I'm afraid will never factor into those decisions. I know that's a defeatist attitude but it's more than backed by years of public commentary that's shamefully been completely ignored.

That used to be the case, not only ignored but hidden.. I have however seen evidence to the contrary more recently. Used to be public comments that were submitted prior to the meetings were practically hidden from the public. I remember one fluke meeting where the NJ council was surprised that someone on the DEP staff showed some charts quantifying them and it caused quite a stir in the council to the point that the meeting was abruptly adjourned. The last few meetings both in NJ and the ASMFC, the public comments were put front and center and a lot of time was spent on them. Yes the councils and committees have the authority to make decisions counter to public comments but that needs to happen in the light of day so there is more transparency and accountability.

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

That used to be the case, not only ignored but hidden.. I have however seen evidence to the contrary more recently. Used to be public comments that were submitted prior to the meetings were practically hidden from the public. I remember one fluke meeting where the NJ council was surprised that someone on the DEP staff showed some charts quantifying them and it caused quite a stir in the council to the point that the meeting was abruptly adjourned. The last few meetings both in NJ and the ASMFC, the public comments were put front and center and a lot of time was spent on them. Yes the councils and committees have the authority to make decisions counter to public comments but that needs to happen in the light of day so there is more transparency and accountability.

Well that's certainly positive movement Gerry, thanks for posting.

[Broad Bill]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

I hear you, but I’m not worried about enforcement... I'm worried about the areas they might close down since it now includes not only endangered but added threatened species. Plus, there are no provisions for any public input so the have card blanche authority do what they want with no checks and balances.

Let’s play this out like I've seen first hand in places like Washington State and California with seals. Your have a boat on your own dock or in a public marina and the seals decide to take up residency there.... They close the area with barriers and you now have no access to your boat or the dock. You try and get near those seals to persuade them to go elsewhere and the DEP shows up and arrests you..

I pray we don't have any endangered Delta Smelts in our waters or we're screwed

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Broad Bill

I pray we don't have any endangered Delta Smelts in our waters or we're screwed

For sure

Funny story along the same lines... Every year for her birthday I'd take my daughter out with her girlfriends for a day out on the boat. On this one particular day it was flat calm so I decided to take them out to the tip of the hook and anchor up near the beach.. A few of them decided to swim to shore and walk around on the beach. BIG MISTAKE since that section of beach was closed for Pipping Plover nesting which I get. What I didn't get is why they'd drive three 6000 pound SUVs up to two 100 pounds girls to warn them they were in volition of disturbing the Plovers.

You can't make this shit up

[NJ219bands]

Gunnison Beach. Lol 😆

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

For sure

Funny story along the same lines... Every year for her birthday I'd take my daughter out with her girlfriends for a day out on the boat. On this one particular day it was flat calm so I decided to take them out to the tip of the hook and anchor up near the beach.. A few of them decided to swim to shore and walk around on the beach. BIG MISTAKE since that section of beach was closed for Pipping Plover nesting which I get. What I didn't get is why they'd drive three 6000 pound SUVs up to two 100 pounds girls to warn them they were in volition of disturbing the Plovers.

You can't make this shit up

Yeah just a bit of overkill there.. Similar to having a stantion mounted machine gun pointed at the face of a dad and a couple little kids fluke fishing in a rowboat for getting too close to the bouy near the ammo pier... Government over reach.. they are good at that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanut_(squirrel)

[Gerry Zagorski]

I wanted to make some comments on this issue...

NJDEP is putting forward a proposal that would grant them more power concerning public access to our shore. This would give DEP the authority to restrict/prohibit access to areas considered as critical habitat not only to endangered species, but also to threatened or possibly threatened species. Several of the areas included not just shoreline access, but up to 300yds into the water. The Non Game and Endangered Species Council worked wit DEP on this, but refused to include the Marine Fisheries Council in a stakeholder meeting
Below find the document and the instructions on how to comment
Deadline 2/13/25
https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/wildlife/reg...otection-rule/

A few things here I think are important to mention and expand on.

- I know a lot of people are tired of submitting comments on this sort of stuff because they are ignored. I understand how you feel but you can bet your last dollar that this commission in the NJDEP is doing everything in their power to get the Enviro Extremists to submit comments to stack the deck in their favor. Sit back on this one they definitely get their way.

- More proof of them stacking the deck is that the NJ Marine Fisheries Council was not included as a stake holder in these discussions. Why? Well because they didn't want to include any stake holders, even the ones within the state offices, that might have opposing view to theirs.

Please submit your comments here https://dep.nj.gov/rules/rule-comment-form/

They might go something along these lines:

As someone who fishes regularly and enjoys other recreational activities in our states waters, I'm concerned about expanding the NJDEPs ability to unilaterally close areas to public access. While I'm sensitive to protecting the habitat of endangered and threatened wildlife, I don't feel it's in the public's best interest to give card blanch authority to do so without checks and balances to include public input on each site you may consider closing before hand.

Thank you for considering my comments.