Tell Pennsylvania Representatives that Anglers Oppose House Bill 1576

[SBecker]

I am friends with Doyle Heffley on FB. He posted how he was proud of this bill. I quickly responded to his post with how he has lost my vote and some other pertinent information about how the bill made no sense. It was quickly deleted.

 

[The_Sasquatch]

Alright I sent the letter via the TU site. Even after the P.C.E. article, I was opposed to the bill (if anything, on the grounds that state endangered species lists should not mirror the federal lists, that I believe states are more capable of managing our wildlife better than Washington, and the whole snake bit was ridiculous), but the issue of adding more oversight to the fish and game commission was a valid point, I believed. The WITF article was helpful, as is the fact that it seems the consensus on this bill by the entire outdoors community is against the bill.

 

[jbomb]

You can keep track of how your rep. votes here

 

[KeithS]

THIS THING PASSED ?? WTF??

 

[jbomb]

I don't think it was voted on yet in the general assembly. I thought it just made it out of committee. That being said I think there is still time to write to your representatives. I've written to both chambers on more than one occasion regarding this bill.

 

[LehighRegular]

This bill has not been voted on yet. Its "on the table", but they may get to it this week. There is still time to write your legislator.

Becker - I met with Heffley back in March. That guy is misguided with regards to trout and how the management of trout will affect recreation in his district. Not good!

 

[whheff]

LehighRegular wrote:
This bill has not been voted on yet. Its "on the table", but they may get to it this week. There is still time to write your legislator.

Becker - I met with Heffley back in March. That guy is misguided with regards to trout and how the management of trout will affect recreation in his district. Not good!

Some of us from our TU chapter meet with our local rep Joe Emerick, who was on the committee. He told us that he was a sportsman and enjoyed the outdoors. Then in the next breath he said he will vote yes for this bill. His reason was that once something is placed on the endangered species list, it never comes off. This hurts businesses that have to comply with the laws to protect these species.

Rep Phyle, I think I spelled his name correctly, said that he proposed this bill because if it weren't for some endangered species in his district he would have more businesses relocating there.

It's all about the money. Remember these guys when it comes time to vote. They are counting on people having short memories.

 

[BrookieChaser]

I was in contact and exchanged a few emails with my representative since this bill first came to my attention. He is also a member of the house fish and game committee. It looks like this bill has a strong chance to succeed.

 

[bikerfish]

yep, until someone pony's up more money than the gas industry, it's "screw the trout", and "hello profits".
FWIW, I feared this industry at the very first hint of what was going to happen, and people kept telling me that this industry really cares about OUR environment, about OUR state, and about OUR streams.
guess what, total F-n BS!!!!!!!
laws will continue to be changed to favor their profits, greedy f-n bastards.
edit, sorry for the thinly veiled vulgarity, but that's the kindest way I could put how I really feel.

 

[blueheron]

Of course it will pass, big business rules Harrisburg, just like it ruled DC under Dubya.

 

[SBecker]

LehighRegular wrote:
This bill has not been voted on yet. Its "on the table", but they may get to it this week. There is still time to write your legislator.

Becker - I met with Heffley back in March. That guy is misguided with regards to trout and how the management of trout will affect recreation in his district. Not good!

Yes Heffley touts himself as an outdoorsman. But God damn it he doesn't understand #censor#. He has the mindset of a local put and take fishermen. He just can not understand the revenue that is created with wild trout fisheries. Feel like an idiot for voting for him. Won't make that mistake again.

 

[Stenonema]

This bill will place conservation decisions in the hands of an appointed group. Who will make up this group and will they objectively make decisions for the benefit of conservation. I think we all know the answer. This is a scary, scary bill and proposition. particularly if you live in the Marcellus region.

 

[whheff]

SBecker wrote:

Yes Heffley touts himself as an outdoorsman. But God damn it he doesn't understand #censor#. He has the mindset of a local put and take fishermen. He just can not understand the revenue that is created with wild trout fisheries. Feel like an idiot for voting for him. Won't make that mistake again.

This is the same impression that we got from Emerick too. When we tried to explain the economic impact that fishing has on the local economies, he did't seem to understand that it could be that much.

We invited him to a TU meeting. Let's see if he shows up.

 

[oncorhynchusmykiss]

It's not that bad. The state has almost all wild streams classified already. They already have the ability to classify any wild trout stream as a class a or class f if they need to just by which area they select to survey. PA politics is corrupt, all this thing means that we as anglers have to pay closer attention to all the streams we fish. If something is out of place or wrong with a stream tell everybody you know that fishes it about it and either go do some work on the stream or go nag your reps about it. You can't really trust alot of TU chapters anymore anyway aside from CVTU and a few others.

 

[whheff]

oncorhynchusmykiss wrote:
. You can't really trust alot of TU chapters anymore anyway aside from CVTU and a few others.

?
Explain please. :-?

 

[oncorhynchusmykiss]

Alot of TU chapters just hang out, get hammered, and b.s. Some of em are buying up public water, posting it, and charging admission (not so much in PA as out west and in VA) For other people TU is just a stupid status symbol. I think the least TU could do if they're managing fisheries is to manage them for native species rather than the easiest species to manage, i think it says something about "conserve and restore" in their mission statement somewhere. I also think the TU national adgenda is focused too much on climate change, didymo, selling Patagonia/orvis products, and alot of other red herrings. There are alot of organizations that take advantage of TU to sell their "conservation" products and ideas which really don't do a whole lot for conservation. It's just like a sub division of the government, it has potential to corrupt and in some cases it has. There are good things that TU chapters do, CVTU has done restorations on almost every limestoner in their valley for example. All I'm saying is be careful who and what you listen to or our fisheries may end up like Europe. Some of you probably wouldn't mind that though.

 

[Mike]

There are numerous Pa wild trout streams that have yet to have been officially documented and classified as such, even in SE Pa, which is not exactly a wild trout hot spot.

 

[whheff]

oncorhynchusmykiss wrote:
Alot of TU chapters just hang out, get hammered, and b.s. Some of em are buying up public water, posting it, and charging admission (not so much in PA as out west and in VA) For other people TU is just a stupid status symbol. I think the least TU could do if they're managing fisheries is to manage them for native species rather than the easiest species to manage, i think it says something about "conserve and restore" in their mission statement somewhere. I also think the TU national adgenda is focused too much on climate change, didymo, selling Patagonia/orvis products, and alot of other red herrings. There are alot of organizations that take advantage of TU to sell their "conservation" products and ideas which really don't do a whole lot for conservation. It's just like a sub division of the government, it has potential to corrupt and in some cases it has. There are good things that TU chapters do, CVTU has done restorations on almost every limestoner in their valley for example. All I'm saying is be careful who and what you listen to or our fisheries may end up like Europe. Some of you probably wouldn't mind that though.

Me experience with TU has not been quite the same as yours. We have worked with Project Healing Waters, have done stream restorations on our home waters, road clean up and Trout in The Class Room, fly tying classes and many youth day events.
I wish that more members would participate in there chapters stream and other projects but like many organizations, a few carry the load for the chapter.
You are entitled to your opinion but if you want to change TU then get involved, speak up at meetings and volunteer.

 

[afishinado]

oncorhynchusmykiss wrote:
It's not that bad. The state has almost all wild streams classified already. They already have the ability to classify any wild trout stream as a class a or class f if they need to just by which area they select to survey. PA politics is corrupt, all this thing means that we as anglers have to pay closer attention to all the streams we fish. If something is out of place or wrong with a stream tell everybody you know that fishes it about it and either go do some work on the stream or go nag your reps about it. You can't really trust alot of TU chapters anymore anyway aside from CVTU and a few others.

From reading your past posts, you seem to care an awful lot about preserving and enhancing our native wild strain brook trout.

1 Above you express little concern over the politicians taking over the process of designating and protecting native and wild trout streams.

2 You poo poo the largest and most vocal organization (TU) that advocates for wild and native trout fisheries.

1+ 2 = 0? for the protection of wild and native trout.....doesn't add up for me.

 

[Chaz]

oncorhynchusmykiss wrote:
It's not that bad. The state has almost all wild streams classified already. They already have the ability to classify any wild trout stream as a class a or class f if they need to just by which area they select to survey. PA politics is corrupt, all this thing means that we as anglers have to pay closer attention to all the streams we fish. If something is out of place or wrong with a stream tell everybody you know that fishes it about it and either go do some work on the stream or go nag your reps about it. You can't really trust alot of TU chapters anymore anyway aside from CVTU and a few others.

You apparently don't get out much.