I NEED ADVICE

[Fredrick]

I was fishing the Brandywine yesterday by the museum off of RT 1 and I saw a bunch of gentlemen from south of the border fishing and swimming. When I was walking by I noticed that one was using a spear gun :-o and a couple of them had hand lines and one had a fishing rod. The thing is that none of them had licenses and is it legal to spear fish on the Brandywine . I was watching them for a bit and noticed that anything and everything they were catching they were keeping . This wasn't the first time I have seen these people either . The area they were fishing is a nice strech of water and would be even better if they would follow the regs . But the funny thing is that its not just the men from south of the border there is all kind of trash that go there and hang out and swim and there is trash everywhere I went and got a wawa bag from my car and grabbed as much as I could carry with me . The worse part is that its on the Museum poperty and it doesn't seem like they care they have a security guard thats rides around in a suv but all he does is patrol the parking lot this part is about a 2 minute walk from the parking lot . What i'm asking is what steps should I take to clean this place up of all this trash and i'm not just talking about litter either. :-x :-x

 

[Troy]

Frederick,
I would call the fish commisssion and the museum. I don't think they will be able to do anything about past episodes, but maybe this will give them the motivation to watch over the situation a little better.

That kind of stuff really bothers me. I see it happening all over. Last year, I saw a few non English speaking fellows on the DH part of the Tulpehocken. They had a large net (6ft x 6ft) and were actually putting on drives to catch fish. I didn't see them get any trout, but they had plenty of carp. I also didn't see any licenses. I was leaving and I decided to tell them that it was illegal to do what they were doing. Well, they didn't say anything in return because I don't think they understood me. They then took their carp and went home. I got home and called the fish commission. They said they had a few reports of this. I felt better because I know I tried to do the right thing.

As for the trash being littered. That also _ _ _ _ _ _ me off. I am so sick of seing streams littered up. I just don't know how people can just leave trash wherever they feel like it. I don't think that is ever going to change. We have too many people in this world that just don't appreciate mother nature. Well, I hope something good comes out of your experience.

Troy

 

[Chaz]

As one goes farther south one sees much more trash, I don't know why it just is. Mexico is another story, yes it is a poor country but that doesn't make trashing it right.

 

[jaybo41]

Best think you can do is get a description of the perps, take a license plate number down and call the WCO Regional Office. They will tell you not to confront the perpetrators, but only gather as much info as possible and let them handle it.

They may ask you to testify should the case go to court. They can begin watching and monitor said behavior and hopefully stop it. Maybe a call to the museum would be helpful too, it's amazing that they wouldn't care about all that garbage.

 

[Salvi1]

Hi,

That is a shame to hear indeed I have noticed certain foreign types in some of my local waters without licenses but when I am fishing I really kind of keep to myself so i never asked them about it and figure they dont really know what they are doing anyway . The spots I do fish I always keep a few trash bags in the trunk and pick up the parking areas when I leave I would be profoundly upset if I could not get access to my fav areas because of people who DONT care. As for the fish commision I have the local regional office on my cell contacts but have never called.

S,

 

[jhguster23]

I have several pieces of advice.

#1 -- Carry a cell phone -- if you see someone violating the law or specific stream regulations call the police or your local PFBC officer.

#2 -- If you see someone littering, say something. Or pick up the trash in front of them and show your exasperation.

#3 -- Tell the museum. If people are littering and not respecting the property, the museum should definitely care about enforcing it.

#4 -- Don't assume things about people you don't know. I'm not sure if you have x-ray vision and could see into their wallets and examine their green cards or lack thereof, but for all you know, the guys you saw could have been American citizens. Automatically assuming they were from "South of the Border," or illegal, or whatever is not cool.

#5 -- Finally, "trashy" people (whatever that means) have a right to enjoy the outdoors as well. Maybe if people who care set an example or confront them about the proper way to treat the environment, they, in the future, will take better care of it.

 

[RRR]

I used to get really upset when I saw illegal activity going on while I was out fishing. I don't know how many times I have seen people bait fishing, keeping fish out of season, fishing without a license, using trot lines to catch trout, etc. just on the Tully alone. That seems to be a real hotbed for illegal activity. Over the past several tears I have called the Fish Comm. several times when I observed this type of thing and I know a couple other people who have also. Never once have I seen a Fish Warden show up and do anything about it. When you see this stuff happening all the time and report it and nothing happens you finally just say to hell with it. I'm not about to risk my life by confronting these people myself as most of them look like they wouldn't think twice about stabbing or shooting you. I have considered becoming a deputy warden so that I could arrest them myself however at my age I'm probably too old to become one. It is a very frustrating situation and I really don't know what the answer is. It still upsets me when I see it happening, but I don't let it completely ruin my day like it used to because I realize now that no matter how upset I get or no matter who I call, nothing is going to be done about it. One fellow told me they don't bother fining these people because they know they don't have the money to pay the fine anyway. Maybe that's true, I don't know. :-(

 

[Fredrick]

#1 -- Carry a cell phone -- if you see someone violating the law or specific stream regulations call the police or your local PFBC officer.

I didn't have it with me this time and I'm waiting for some of my friends to call me back with the local WCO cell #

#2 -- If you see someone littering, say something. Or pick up the trash in front of them and show your exasperation.

I usually don't catch them in the act but when I see the trash on the ground after they already left when i'm walking back to my car from a day of fishing..And I don't confront people with spear guns when I only have my T-3

#3 -- Tell the museum. If people are littering and not respecting the property, the museum should definitely care about enforcing it.

Working on this but I have to figure out what my plan of attack is ....

4 -- Don't assume things about people you don't know. I'm not sure if you have x-ray vision and could see into their wallets and examine their green cards or lack thereof, but for all you know, the guys you saw could have been American citizens. Automatically assuming they were from "South of the Border," or illegal, or whatever is not cool.

I work in a Federal Prison I know a illegal alien when I see one and I can read people very good and can tell when someone is up to no good , which is probally why they didn't have a thier licenses displayed because they can't get one :-o

#5 -- Finally, "trashy" people (whatever that means) have a right to enjoy the outdoors as well. Maybe if people who care set an example or confront them about the proper way to treat the environment, they, in the future, will take better care of it.

So you have never seen someone or watched someone that you would consider trashy? Which I can say that I have alot expierence dealing with these people also. I do confront people all the time and I do try to educate people. Just not there yet but I will trust me :-x

I have considered becoming a deputy warden so that I could arrest them myself however at my age I'm probably too old to become one.

I thought about this but I thought that it would be a conflict of intrest with my current job but I am really reconsidering it now....

 

[lestrout]

maybe all this publicity has helped: a coupla days ago I was ffishing the Tully, mainly losing a lot of flies the honorable way. I did see the white warden SUV 2 or 3 times making the rounds.

tl
les