Tully DH: harvest by poachers vs legal harvest...your estimate

[Mike]

The anecdote presented above of an angler harvesting five trout in one fishing session was a case of regulation violation as well as a case of harvest. He was two over the limit. That his friend and he harvested thirty-five trout in two weeks may sound like a lot, even if they had all been taken legally, but it represented a fractional percentage of the stocked fish.

As for the extra two fish, if an individual is inclined to violate, he will be tempted to do so regardless of the regs. Enforcement may not always be a deterrent. Sadly, every so often in various fisheries an individual is cited two days in a row for the same harvest or size limit violation.

It appears that there are at least some individuals who are interested in legally harvesting trout.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

If legal harvest is encouraged but does not occur often then is illegal harvest encouraged?

 

[Maurice]

foxtrapper1972 wrote:
If legal harvest is encouraged but does not occur often then is illegal harvest [d]encouraged[/d]Tolerated?

There I fixed it for ya.

 

[outsider]

Mike wrote:
The anecdote presented above of an angler harvesting five trout in one fishing session was a case of regulation violation as well as a case of harvest. He was two over the limit. That his friend and he harvested thirty-five trout in two weeks may sound like a lot, even if they had all been taken legally, but it represented a fractional percentage of the stocked fish.

As for the extra two fish, if an individual is inclined to violate, he will be tempted to do so regardless of the regs. Enforcement may not always be a deterrent. Sadly, every so often in various fisheries an individual is cited two days in a row for the same harvest or size limit violation.

It appears that there are at least some individuals who are interested in legally harvesting trout.

Mike, with all due respect, I believe the time I have spent on the Tully for the past 35 years far outweighs the time spent by you and law enforcement officers. In my observations, the harvesting of fish illegally is much more than you suspect. I also recognize that the Fish Commission can't concentrate on one stream.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Area at top of regs area where I picked up all the trash a week ago now has more beer bottles and assorted litter along with worm containers....

Guy fishing with corn at pull off below Papermill in morning.

 

[afishinado]

I've fished the Tully for quite a few years and I can't recall very many times I've seen trout legally harvested fish by anglers during the harvest season.

I do recall many times seeing illegal harvest with poachers using bait and/or fish being kept during the non harvest season. And, even when I do not see illegal harvest, I've observed and picked up litter such as bait containers, hook and lure packaging many times along the bank, which is evidence of the illegal harvesting.

I don't believe there should be any concern at all that the Tully is under harvested with respect to trout.....between the predator birds, mammals, fish and humans that hunt there every day.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I've fished the Tully for quite a few years and I can't recall very many times I've seen trout legally harvested fish by anglers during the harvest season. I do recall many times seeing illegal harvest with poachers using bait and/or fish being kept during the non harvest season. And, even when I do not see illegal harvest, I've observed and picked up litter such as bait containers, hook and lure packaging many times along the bank, which is evidence of the illegal harvesting. I don't believe there should be any concern at all that the Tully is under harvested with respect to trout.....between the predator birds, mammals, fish and humans that hunt there every day.

Which is what makes this thread hilarious and sad.

Stop asking hypothetical questions that no one could every truly quantify. The mere fact that illegal harvest could even possibly come close to legal harvest on this watershed means it is happening at a large frequency. Now go do something about it!

:roll:

 

[foxtrapper1972]

" Now go do something about it!"

Exactly!

 

[dshaffer]

It seems to me that for however long we have had DHALO regs on the Tully some folks don't get it and some folks just don't care. When the "harvest" begins and ends to some is mute; they are just going to keep fish no matter when they catch 'em. And that population has grown significantly over the last few years regardless of what some folks think. As most of the folks commenting on this page know, stories of poaching are the tip of the iceberg not the underbelly. Poaching has become a VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM on the Tully.

It seems to me that a CATCH AND RELEASE policy for the special regs. area would be helpful in that no one can keep a fish. This would certainly make the job of the WCO's easier. You have taken a fish then you are fined. Maybe bait fishermen would get a clue and those that want to "harvest" cannot.

It also seems to me that signs in Spanish would be helpful no matter what the state and Mike do about our petition. Since this is an urban fishery it would make sense to use Reading's urban language. It pains me to say this, but it might help.