This appeared in today's Harrison Daily Times...Dano
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Marina rules anger anglers
By DWAIN LAIR
Times Staff dwainl@harrisondaily.com
Published: Friday, January 23, 2009 12:01 PM
Cars and trucks bearing Arkansas and Missouri license plates spilled out of the parking lot Thursday evening at the Quality Inn in Harrison. Some of the trucks pulled boats and trailers, and almost every vehicle was owned by a fisherman.
They packed the convention center to express their frustration and anger at the Corps of Engineers’ 2008 regulations for operations at commercial marinas on area lakes it manages.
They noted the 2007 regulations were a “good-faith agreement” negotiated between representatives of the Corps of Engineers and fishermen.
The fishermen said they were blindsided by 2008 regulations, which extend commercial zones up to 50 feet around commercial marinas and include an Appendix A implementation plan. They said the regulation prohibits fishing within 50 feet of commercial marinas, and that regulation could make up to 60 percent of Bull Shoals Lake off-limits to fishing during low-water conditions.
Fishermen said Thursday evening’s gathering was organized after calls to their congressional delegation. Fishermen and Corps officials were joined by Jim Pitcock, an aide to Sen. Mark Pryor, and Phillip Moore, an aide to Cong. John Boozman.
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Corps officials organized the meeting as a workshop, with tables set up for fishermen and other interested users to ask questions one-on-one. Large maps of affected lakes were spread around the room, with 8 1/2 by 11 copies of overhead pictures of commercial marinas.
Most anglers were upset that they couldn’t ask questions and make comments in a forum setting, saying they had believed it would be a meeting, not a workshop.
Appendix A of the 2008 regulation notes designated areas at locks, dams, spillways, powerhouses, swimming areas and water intakes have been restricted. “Establishing a commercial zone has the same intention,” the 2008 regulation reads.
The 2007 regulation describes commercial activity as “typically the procurement of materials, supplies and services from the marina concessionaire. However, the commercial zone may not include boat storage areas.”
The 2008 regulation adds fuel and store docks, restaurant docks and boat-storage docks as part of the commercial zone, and stresses that commercial-zone signs must be authorized by Corps officials.
The 2008 regulation also notes that most marina owners have the authority to post “No Fishing” signs on their docks as part of their lease agreement. The new regulation suggests “Commercial Zone,” so it applies to both fishermen and other recreational users.
It says concessionaires are not authorized to enforce the regulation, which is the responsibility of Corps park rangers and local and state law enforcement authorities.
The appendix concludes: “Commercial zone restrictions are not provided for resort leases and private docks.”
The 2008 regulations show they were completed May 13, 2008, but many fishermen said they didn’t see the new regulations until September.
The regulation affects Beaver Lake, Table Rock Lake, Bull Shoals Lake, Norfork Lake, Greers Ferry Lake, Lake Maumelle and Clearwater Lake in Missouri.