Commercial fishing study (aka Gill nets)

[Catch & Release]

Just wanted to remind everyone to go to the TWRA website express their opinions and feelings about the proposed commercial fishing study on gill nets on currently unopen waters in Tennessee. This is a study that will cost either the TWRA (our fishing license dollars) or the tax payer around $800,000.00 to complete, not to mention killing countless numbers of fish. It would also be a good idea to contact your state representative who unanimously passed legislation trying to force the TWRA to do this study. But as it stands right now the TWRA commissioners sent the proposal back to the assembly asking for funding. The assembly can either fund this study, force the TWRA to fund the study, or not do the study. I don’t think it is right for us sport fisherman or taxpayer to fund this study that will kill countless #'s of fish. So whatever your opinions on the matter please contact the TWRA and your representative and let them know..... The clock is ticking........
Thank you for your time....

[ALANRAYG2]

Catch and Release, Thanks for posting this on this forum.
I sent an email to TWRA comments a few days ago. Here are my concerns that I pointed out. I know some of you will disagree with me and that is ok. I really do not want our money to be spent on a study for commercial fishing. Let's improve the sport fishery. We all know TWRA is strapped for cash. Let TWRA know how you feel and the State Reps.

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan <alanrayg2@aol.com>
To: TWRA.comment <TWRA.comment@tn.gov>
Sent: Thu, Dec 22, 2011 11:39 am
Subject: paddlefish study

Hi,
I have to make a few comments concerning the paddlefish study and commercial fishing.

A) I am against funding the study with sportfishing funds. I would rather see the money spent on the improvement of the sauger fishery or trout hatcherys. Let the commercial fishermen get the money for the study else where.

B) I do not understand how a complete population study can be made by testing a small section of water for a year or two. It seems to me this population study would be an ongoing study. Do we not study game fish regulary?

C) Undoubltly there will be game fish caught in the nets. How will they be disposed? Will they be sold? Again sportfishermen are getting the short end of the stick.

D) If my understanding is correct, the commercial fisherman will be allowed 12 gill nets up 900 feet long. That is over 2 miles of net per fisherman. I do not know the height of the gill nets. Will they be surface to bottom? Will the commercial fisherman be liable for recovering lost nets or damage to watercraft caught in the nets?

E) Lost nets will continue killing fish for decades. There will be lost nets. There are trees floating around out there.

F) Several years ago on the Tennessee River near Mousetail State Park I ha a commercial fisherman drop 2 gill nets where I was fishing. Needless to say I had to stop fishing in that area. I have to drive 90 minutes and spend around $75 to $100 a trip. Needless to say I was and am pissed that my best hole was made unfishable.

G) Where does TWRA get most of it's funding? commercial fisherman? I think the sole reason you came into existence is to manage sport fishing and later non- not sport fish. I know you must be tight on funding the regular programs. Do not allow the General Assy force you to fund this program. $741,000 is a lot of money to benefit a few commercial fisherman.

H) EPA and environmental groups have been trying to ban lead from my tackle box. How much lead is on the bottom of a lost 900 foot gill net.


In summary,
I am not willing to use my license fees to pay one red cent for a study on a commercial fishery of any sort. That funding should come from else where. Let the buyers of the eggs pay for this study.
I have a real concern for lost nets. I have lost dozens of crankbaits to lost trot lines over the years. I do not need monofiliment nets all over the lakes and rivers either. I would like to see all gill nets eliminated from Tennessee waters.

Thanks for listening
Alan Gartin

[randy10357]

I agree 100% with your evaluation. The TWRA is already cash-strapped and we do not need to spend funds on a survey that will only benefit a few.

I am 54 years old and have been amazed at how much hunting and fishing has improved since my younger days due to tighter limits and regulation.

Lets not take a step back.

JMHO...

[ALANRAYG2]

I got a reply from Doug Markham on Face Book. The TWRA will be meeting on Jan 12 on this issue. Here is a link to get you to the TWRA news room. Scroll down until you find the article on the paddlefish study. In that article is the email address to make your comments.
http://news.tn.gov/taxonomy/term/41

I urge you to send your emails as soon as possible. Alan

[robhal11]

If we are going to spend the 800K, use it at the fish hatchery instead. I don't know all the in's and out's, cut through the crap.:)

[bd-]

Commenting to TWRA is good, but I don't think it will get us very far. This study wasn't something TWRA came up with in the first place. The General Assembly passed a law basically forcing TWRA to evaluate new areas for commercial fishing, whether TWRA wants to or not.

Call your elected representative and raise hell. Tell them to amend or repeal the stupid law that started this mess (Public Chapter 338, formerly HB0903 and SB1140). That would be a good start.

bd

[ALANRAYG2]

bd, Here is the letter I sent via email to my state Rep and Senator. I hope and urge everyone to gets involves soon. I think we will see increases in license fees and boating registration fees in the coming few years. Here is the letter. I did put my name and address on the original letter.

It has been brought to my attention that Public Chapter 338 is mandating TWRA to fund this study. I am vigorously opposed to this mandate. The waters belong to everyone in the state, therefore, the state of Tennessee should be required to pay for this study. Removing $741,000 from the TWRA budget will affect the ability of TWRA to manage current projects that pertain to boaters, fishermen and hunters. The sportsmen in this state should not have to pay for this study. If the mandate for TWRA to fund this study stands, undoubtedly, license fees for hunting, fishing and boating will be increased. It is unfair to pass this burden on to only the sportsmen in the state since the waters belong to everyone.
I encourage you find and pass in the house alternate funding.

[bd-]

Yes, I think the Reps need to get lots of letters exactly like that. We need to let them know that we sportsmen do not support this.

In addition, I should clarify that it will help TWRA to send them comments too. I expect that they are going to be battling it out with the legislature over this. I'm sure it will help them if the sportsmen are on their side.

I heard through the grapevine that TWRA has only gotten a very small handful of comments so far. That's not good - it makes it look like sportsmen are not interested. We need to do better!

bd

[ALANRAYG2]

Here is a link to find your state Rep and state Senator.
http://www.capitol.tn.gov/
Fill in your street address and your city in the " find your Legislator" search engine. The contact information will be provided. You can email or call them. Let them hear from you.
Contact TWRA also. That information is in an earlier post.
It only takes a few minutes. If you know anyone that would rather write TWRA a letter, let me know; I have the address around here somewhere.

Let's make this happen !!!! alan

[gfawkes]

I am posting in reply to several past comments about the Paddlefish Study soon to begin in Tn. Fortunately for all of us, Tn has historically taken a progressive attitude towards commercial fishing and has implemented fairly reasonable commercial fishing rules. This study will no doubt shed some positive light on commercial fishing when it revels the truth about fishing with gill nets. Among them are that net fishermen only want to catch the type of fish they are after. It isn't in their best interest to catch a number of fish that they will have to pick out of the nets and then throw back. So the will use nets that are very selective to the target species. I know its hard for some of you to believe but a gill net is not a magic wand. Commercial fishermen, like you, don't always catch fish. And when they do it is usually the fish they are after. I have been out with several commercial fishermen and caught only paddlefish, carp, and buffalo. I have never seen a sport fish in a gill net. The only exception to that would be an occassional large catfish and they just get thrown back. Fish mortality related to catch and release of sport fish by sport fishers on the other hand is well documented and signiifcant to sport fish populations.

A common thread in these debates is the idea that state fish and wildlife agencies are funded by the sale of sport licenses and that money should only be used to fund recreational activities. It never seems to occur to anyone to mention that the existance of lake you are probably fishing in is the result of a dam that was constructed and is maintained at public expense. That is expense to the general public, not the recreational fising public. We pay for the lake you are fishing in so it is entirely reasonable that we should have a say in what goes on there. I think the general public will agree that our lakes are for public use, both recreational and commercial.

Commercial fishing is a time honered and honest way to make a living. This study appears to be an attempt to determine if it is sustainable and whether or not it impacts sport fisheries. It deserves your support.

[Catch & Release]

Have you never been fishing for one species and catch another? I know I have many many times. Gill nets are not selective in what they catch, they will catch whatever swims in them. Commercial fisherman have alot of water avaliable to them, all we ask is that they leave what little water we have left alone. I am not saying it isnt a honest way to make a living, I respect all hard working individuals. But again I believe these waters should be free from gill nets.

Here is a question and reply that I found on another forum asking a question about gill nets:

http://www.catfish1.com/forums/images/styles/Sandstorm/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Jamey
Are gill nets even legal in Tennessee?! If so, there must've been some changes to the regs since I last checked them..

Some of the smaller shad and chubs I catch in my castnet end up getting 'gilled', but castnets and seines generally have mesh no larger than 3/8" or so. Gill-netted bait pretty much sucks, unless of course you like fishing with dead or dying bait.
I'm pretty sure they are legal, but only to commercial fisherman. This past fall I was fishing a local bass tourney and saw some guys pulling one in, it was full of dead bass and crappie, made me and my partner sick. I hope they do get outlawed cause they kill anything that swims into them.

[Travis C.]

Due to the way commercial guys have gone about getting this "new waters" deal into play I doubt we can get it stopped. The sport fishing and hunting community would have to be as organized as the commercial fishing community to do that.

I have no problem with a person trying to make a living but if they are going to open more water to the commercial guys then they need to fix this first:

http://www.fws.gov/le/PubBulletins/PublicBulletinPaddlefish8-29-2011.pdf

[ALANRAYG2]

I am going to list some websites that concern paddlefish.

http://www.fws.gov/international/DMA_DSA/pdf/TN%20Paddlefish%20Factsheet%20(June%202009).pdf

This is the study.

http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/pfpopulations.pdf

Gfawkes, I am a little confused on your comment on funding.... I agree on your comment on multi-use for recreational and commercial. That is why I said the taxpayers in Tennessee should fund this study. We as fisherman have a stake in this study and we should pay a portion, but not all of the study. If all of the funding comes from the state, then we all are paying equally.
If you look at the second web link I placed here. You will see that the retail value of harvested paddlefish has decreased in Tennessee by $5.7 million.
This brings us to the first web link I have here. CITES will not allow export of paddlefish flesh or eggs from Tennessee waters. They site over exploitation as a possible cause.
There are some fish consumption advisories in some of the study areas. Have you ever seen a food product bought at any store with a warning label?
Such as do not eat more than 6 meals a year or do not consume if you are pregnant, or woman wanting to become pregnant, do not eat if you are an infant or child. I have not either. That is enough on the fish.
Gillnetters do have a place in our lakes and rivers. There have been a few successful studies done on netting asian carp. I think that was in Missouri.
Apparently CITES does not think that the rate of harvest in Tennessee waters are sustainable for paddlefish with current regulations. Perhaps we should reduce the allowable catch rate on current lakes.

Catch and Release,
I think CITES only covers international export of Paddlefish. It doesn't cover domestic sales. I could be wrong and probably am.
There has been a lot of discussion in the past on gill nets catching sport fish. Lake Guntersville in Alabama has been hot on this topic for years. I have seen photos of dozens of big female bass dead in nets in the spring. A friend of mine has seen nets across the mouths of creeks on the Tennesee River near Cuba Landing. He actually got his motor tangled in one while loading his boat on the trailer. The net was in the back of a creek in front of the ramp!!!
The only place I disagree with you is on the elimination of gill nets. They are the best way to control over population of rough fish and catfish.
I do want to say I respect everyone's opinion on this issue. I admit I do not know the answers and I do not posses all of the information. I am not against the study. I am against us fisherman and hunters and boaters funding this study. Our license fees for hunting , fishing and boating registration fund the management of our activities. This could also be called a " User Fee " Do we not pay to ramp at Army Corp. ramps. Don't some parks charge an entrance fee for using them? don't they exist at public expense?
In closing, The paddlefish fishery would not exist without the hatcheries in Tennesee. We have stocked the lakes and rivers with paddlefish and as far as I know we still stock them.
In closing, contact your state Rep and Senator and TRWA and let them know your position.

[ALANRAYG2]

Travis C, Thanks for the link. I was unaware of the ban. I did a little digging and found that CITES has determined that the fishery is in decline and not sustainable. I am assuming the waters in Tennessee are over harvested. I wonder how opening 5 more lakes will help the over harvesting in current lakes being netted? I'll bet the netters will buy more nets and fish every where. Then all of the lakes and rivers will be over fished.

[Travis C.]

Travis C, Thanks for the link. I was unaware of the ban. I did a little digging and found that CITES has determined that the fishery is in decline and not sustainable. I am assuming the waters in Tennessee are over harvested. I wonder how opening 5 more lakes will help the over harvesting in current lakes being netted? I'll bet the netters will buy more nets and fish every where. Then all of the lakes and rivers will be over fished.

Another thing to consider on the "overharvesting" is not just opening more lakes. Part of the things looking to get passed is allowing someone to harvest without a license holder present on the boat.

" Make it legal for commercial fishing helpers to run gear without presence of commercial license holders."

bd said it best maybe here or on another forum, it would likely cause more "sub-contracting" out help to run nets in turn creating more people on the water.

[ALANRAYG2]

Travis, Thanks for bring that up. I did read that somewhere in the proposed changes in the current law. I had forgotten all about that. It would most certainly allow an increase in the numbers of nets. That would promote potential over harvesting.

[Catch & Release]

At this time, there is a bill going before the Tennessee legislation which is trying to EXPAND the use of commercial nets to some sacred striper waters in East Tennessee. As a part of the bill, $750K is to be apportioned from the sales of SPORTFISHING licenses to study the effects of allowing the expansion of commercial gill netting. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN. In this economy, where every penny is needed to maintain the system that is hanging on by a thread, the system which maintains our sport fisheries, the LAST thing it needs is this unnecessary burden!


WE CAN STOP THIS. But you MUST act quickly. All you have to do is send an email. But it must be sent within the next 3 days as the vote is on Jan 12th. Sadly, there have only been 78 comments sent to the TWRC (TN wildlife resources commission) speaking against this misuse of funds and resources to benefit the spread of commercial fishing. I hope every one of you sends your comment, and we fishermen, united, can prevent this loss.


Here is the list of emails, all you have to do is copy and paste:
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lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov), sen.mark.norris@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.mark.norris@capitol.tn.gov), sen.bill.ketron@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.bill.ketron@capitol.tn.gov), sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov), sen.mae.beavers@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.mae.beavers@capitol.tn.gov),sen.jim .kyle@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.jim.kyle@capitol.tn.gov), sen.lowe.finney@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.lowe.finney@capitol.tn.gov), sen.andy.berke@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.andy.berke@capitol.tn.gov), sen.beverly.marrero@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.beverly.marrero@capitol.tn.gov), speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov),re p.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov), rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov), rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov), rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov),rep.de bra.maggart@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.debra.maggart@capitol.tn.gov), rep.ryan.haynes@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.ryan.haynes@capitol.tn.gov), rep.barrett.rich@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.barrett.rich@capitol.tn.gov), rep.vince.dean@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.vince.dean@capitol.tn.gov), rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov),rep.tony .shipley@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.tony.shipley@capitol.tn.gov), rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov), rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov), rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov), rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov),rep.joe .pitts@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.joe.pitts@capitol.tn.gov), rep.gary.moore@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.gary.moore@capitol.tn.gov), rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov), rep.lois.deberry@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.lois.deberry@capitol.tn.gov), rep.sherry.jones@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.sherry.jones@capitol.tn.gov),TWRA.c omment@tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:TWRA.comment@tn.gov)
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Here is a suggested body to your letter, or you can choose write your own:
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I’m writing in regard to the recent undertakings of Senator Jim Summerville and Representative Frank Niceley regarding the promotion, expansion and endorsement of commercial fishing in the lakes of Tennessee.

I, like hundreds of thousands of other Tennesseans, am an avid recreational angler. The time that I spend on the water is of immeasurable personal value and I maintain a tremendous appreciation for our beautiful and magnificent lakes.

I’m very concerned and highly disappointed in the actions of Senator Summerville and Representative Niceley as their desire to increase commercial harvest in our waters could prove devastating to our fisheries. Commercial nets are not selective about what species are harvested and they will catch anything that swims, and everything they catch, they kill. The by-catch of commercial netting has devastated fisheries all over America and is only beneficial to those few that engage in the practice. In Tennessee specifically there are approximately 250 commercial fishermen, opposed to over 800,000 recreational anglers. This legislation is glaringly engineered to the benefit of very few, at the expense of many.

I’m writing to ask that you please help the recreational sportsmen and women of Tennessee and help defeat any legislation that expands commercial fishing in our state. The thought of seeing hundreds of thousands of dead “by-catch” sport fish floating on the shores of our pristine waters is sickening, and I’m asking for your help to defeat any legislation that promotes this activity.




With my sincerest appreciation for your time and consideration,




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Please send this quickly. We all need support and we need it fast!


Thank you,

[ALANRAYG2]

Alan,

I am replying to your e-mail from December 29 concerning the deadline for comments on the proposed plan to study the opening new waters to paddlefish harvest in Tennessee. We would like to have these comments by January 11 so that they can be presented to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission at their meeting on January 12. These comments, along with the Plan, will then be submitted to the Tennessee General Assembly as requested. We will however still accept public comments after January 11 as well.

I also read your e-mail from December 22nd and I wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your comments.

Sincerely,

Bobby Wilson
Chief of Fisheries

[mjones]

At this time, there is a bill going before the Tennessee legislation which is trying to EXPAND the use of commercial nets to some sacred striper waters in East Tennessee. As a part of the bill, $750K is to be apportioned from the sales of SPORTFISHING licenses to study the effects of allowing the expansion of commercial gill netting. WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN. In this economy, where every penny is needed to maintain the system that is hanging on by a thread, the system which maintains our sport fisheries, the LAST thing it needs is this unnecessary burden!


WE CAN STOP THIS. But you MUST act quickly. All you have to do is send an email. But it must be sent within the next 3 days as the vote is on Jan 12th. Sadly, there have only been 78 comments sent to the TWRC (TN wildlife resources commission) speaking against this misuse of funds and resources to benefit the spread of commercial fishing. I hope every one of you sends your comment, and we fishermen, united, can prevent this loss.


Here is the list of emails, all you have to do is copy and paste:
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lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov), sen.mark.norris@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.mark.norris@capitol.tn.gov), sen.bill.ketron@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.bill.ketron@capitol.tn.gov), sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov), sen.mae.beavers@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.mae.beavers@capitol.tn.gov),sen.jim .kyle@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.jim.kyle@capitol.tn.gov), sen.lowe.finney@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.lowe.finney@capitol.tn.gov), sen.andy.berke@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.andy.berke@capitol.tn.gov), sen.beverly.marrero@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:sen.beverly.marrero@capitol.tn.gov), speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov),re p.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.judd.matheny@capitol.tn.gov), rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.steve.mcdaniel@capitol.tn.gov), rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.gerald.mccormick@capitol.tn.gov), rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.kevin.brooks@capitol.tn.gov),rep.de bra.maggart@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.debra.maggart@capitol.tn.gov), rep.ryan.haynes@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.ryan.haynes@capitol.tn.gov), rep.barrett.rich@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.barrett.rich@capitol.tn.gov), rep.vince.dean@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.vince.dean@capitol.tn.gov), rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov),rep.tony .shipley@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.tony.shipley@capitol.tn.gov), rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov), rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.craig.fitzhugh@capitol.tn.gov), rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov), rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.mike.turner@capitol.tn.gov),rep.joe .pitts@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.joe.pitts@capitol.tn.gov), rep.gary.moore@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.gary.moore@capitol.tn.gov), rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.barbara.cooper@capitol.tn.gov), rep.lois.deberry@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.lois.deberry@capitol.tn.gov), rep.sherry.jones@capitol.tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:rep.sherry.jones@capitol.tn.gov),TWRA.c omment@tn.gov (mhtml:{42FC3C79-D650-4D5E-816D-01FEA4294F28}mid://00000986/!x-usc:mailto:TWRA.comment@tn.gov)
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Here is a suggested body to your letter, or you can choose write your own:
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I’m writing in regard to the recent undertakings of Senator Jim Summerville and Representative Frank Niceley regarding the promotion, expansion and endorsement of commercial fishing in the lakes of Tennessee.

I, like hundreds of thousands of other Tennesseans, am an avid recreational angler. The time that I spend on the water is of immeasurable personal value and I maintain a tremendous appreciation for our beautiful and magnificent lakes.

I’m very concerned and highly disappointed in the actions of Senator Summerville and Representative Niceley as their desire to increase commercial harvest in our waters could prove devastating to our fisheries. Commercial nets are not selective about what species are harvested and they will catch anything that swims, and everything they catch, they kill. The by-catch of commercial netting has devastated fisheries all over America and is only beneficial to those few that engage in the practice. In Tennessee specifically there are approximately 250 commercial fishermen, opposed to over 800,000 recreational anglers. This legislation is glaringly engineered to the benefit of very few, at the expense of many.

I’m writing to ask that you please help the recreational sportsmen and women of Tennessee and help defeat any legislation that expands commercial fishing in our state. The thought of seeing hundreds of thousands of dead “by-catch” sport fish floating on the shores of our pristine waters is sickening, and I’m asking for your help to defeat any legislation that promotes this activity.




With my sincerest appreciation for your time and consideration,




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Please send this quickly. We all need support and we need it fast!


Thank you,

[mjones]

Please help keep commercial fishing out of our TN waters so our children and grandchildren can continue to enjoy this wonderful recreation sport.

[Catch & Release]

I know that probably 99.9% of Tennessee sportsman(and women) are against this proposal, but I am afraid unless we get a whole lot of comments to the TWRA website so they can present them to the general assemby that is will go through. I know everyone is busy with work and life in general, but please get ahold of everyone you know and have them respond asap. This is our only chance to stop this from happening...
Thanks everyone for your help.....
Todd Smith

[ALANRAYG2]

I got this from Doug Markham. He had made a reply to me on my Face Book. I had ask if he had heard anything and if he would let me know how the meeting went. If I hear any more I will post it here. This was from yesterday 01-12-2012

Alan, I'll learn more tomorrow. But, what I heard is that we made the presentation to our commission and now one of our executive directors will take it to the legislature and ask them to provide the money. We'll see what happens from there. About 200 anglers responded to our call for comments, which isn't bad. There's still a bunch of folks that don't know or understand what is going on. Anyway, I think about 99 percent opposed the study, or at least sporstmen paying for it. We'll see what happens. Have a good weekend.

[Catch & Release]

Senator Beavers will not be supporting expanding commercial fishing.

Patti Saliba
Office of Senator Mae Beavers
Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee
7 Legislative Plaza
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
615/741-2421 or 1-800-449-8366 x 12421
Fax: 615/253-0205




From: Todd Smith [mailto:dtsmith@nctc.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2011 9:59 PM
To: Mae Beavers
Subject: commercial fishing


Mrs Beavers, I am a proud supporter of yours and appreciate you very much,I am a business owner and avid fisherman residing in Smith county. I am writing in regards to some legislation that concerns fishing in our district. I understand that the commercial fishing industry is lobbying to allow commercial fishing on Old hickory(above 109 bridge) and Cordell Hull. I believe this would be a great travesty on the trophy striper waters we have here. I would like to know what can be don't to stop this. There are only about 70 licensed commercial fisherman in Tennessee, I don't know the exact number of sport fisherman, but I am sure it is substantial. Please stop the wheels in motion to allow this. I would love to talk to you about this,
Thank you for your time,
Todd Smith
615 418 6675
dtsmith@nctc.com