Critical Corps Meeting In Harrison,ar

[basscatin]

Folks, We need to support this and we need to let Chris handle his end of this spectrum for us. He is an excellent ambassador for our sport and will represent us well. He is a former biologist with the Arkansas Game & Fish and is a good presenter. He will be professional in his approach.

Here is his article from todays BassMaster.

Critical Corps Meeting in Arkansas

By Chris Horton

BASS Conservation Director

(Archive)

Updated: January 16, 2009, 4:08 PM ET

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BASS just learned that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be hosting a public workshop regarding their new fishing around marinas policy in Harrison, Ark., on Thursday night, January 22. The meeting will be at the Quality Inn Conference Room, 1210 US Highway 62/65 North.

Recently, we posted an article that covered some of the history of this issue (Click here to read the story). Basically, we had an agreement in place, an agreement by the anglers, marina owners, state enforcement and fisheries agencies and the US Army Corps of Engineers, that allowed anglers to fish around marina facilities, provided they didn't fish within 50 feet of gas docks, marina stores or restaurants.

In one of the most irresponsible moves ever by the Corps, they changed this policy about 9 months ago without even bothering to tell us. Now we can't fish within 50 feet of any marina structure. Marinas are effectively off limits to law abiding anglers. This is the worst example in many years where the US Army Corps of Engineers completely disregarded public input and implemented a policy that benefits one special interest group - the marina owners - over the American public that owns the water.

The Corps is facilitating the privatization of public waters!

As an angler, if this doesn't make your blood boil, you may want to check your pulse. If it does, and you live within driving distance of this meeting, you have an opportunity to let your voice be heard. If enough anglers show up for the workshop, it very well could be the catalyst for a favorable outcome for anglers.

I hope to see you there.

The meeting starts at 5:00

[KC Trout Fan]

Has Anyone heard any rumblings from this meeting??

[basscatin]

I was under the impresion that this was going to be a meeting but when I got there I found out it was only a workshop where the corp. had about eight people their explaining the new "rule" not a law they said but a rule that they can write you a ticket for. I heard several good questions that they could not answer one of them that I remember was how many accidents in the last ten years were on record that was caused by fisherman they could come up with an answer on that one, we can request copies of all the new offlimit docks witch I do suggest we all get a copy to keep in the boat to make sure we are not breaking the Rule. They talk like they will be leiniant on writing tickets but we'll see. I would guess that their was between 100 to 140 people that sowed up. What will they come up with next?

[Danoinark]

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.

*

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.

[KC Trout Fan]

was the representitive from BASS there? What were his thoughts?