larryg

Town of Hamlin is putting the docks in at the DEC launch this morning!

After 16 years as a Master Instructor and Qualified Examiner at the fed., state and local level I want to clear-up a few points on this Bill. (1.) this is not New. It has been rejected by the State dating back before 2004. The reason it has not passed into law is the powerful Marine Retailers Associaton and marina boat rential groups lobby in Albany. Why? Because it amounts to big $$$ in their pockets to sell and rent boats to idiots that don't know how to operate them safely. (2.) This is NOT a NYS money grab! The only way the state gets any money is if you take your certification from NYS P, R & HP office. If you take the USPS or USCGA course 100% of your fee goes to their boating safety programs, NOT TO NYS. the state gets their money from your trailer and boat registration. (3.) You are Exempt if you are licenced by the USCG or Canadian CG to operate a vessel (OUPV 6-pack Captains you are good to go)! Experienced boaters, challange the exam without taking the class, there is no fee involved. Out of stater? if your certification is USCG, USPS or USCGA approved you are okay to operate in NYS. All I could do is provide the "knowledge" to the general public and people seeking a USCG licence by teaching and testing them basic intructions on safe boating and COLREGS in Cleveland, Buffalo and Rochester. I could not teach them any "skills" to become better Charter Captains or boat operators due to insurance reasons. The only groups I could give skills training to were fed., state and local government personnel. Thus, you can teach the knowledge but the skills can only be self-learned. Yes, you can't fix stupid, just fail them on their certification exam.

Tom, good post on DEC Division of Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources highlights. However, what I really liked was Jason Kemper's (Chairman, Conservation Fund Advisory Board) remarks to NYS Legislators during 2012 Budget hearings last week. He said he does not like Consrevation Fund money going to pay DEC staffers (including ECO's) that have no connection with fishing and hunting. He went on to tell them that fishermen and hunters are the ONLY group that pay over 80% of their own way for the sports they enjoy and that groups such as kayakers, joggers and hikers are not paying anything to use state resources. He went on to talk about the recent fishing and hunting license increase and that this group is getting "nothing for something". I think he got his point across as legislators are now drafting proposals for registration fees, user fees and permit fees for these groups and others he spoke of in his address IMO, if you own a kayak, jog or hike NYS resources you are going to start paying for the privilege just like fisherman, hunters,trappers, snowmobilers, ATVers and boaters. Hope it happens and the Conservation Fund can then support what it was designed for, supporting fishing and hunting ONLY. Larry

Not getting a regulation book in the mail has been in effect from last year. Even Lifetime Licence holders were informed we would not longer get the regs book. DEC told us to go to the website to stay current on reg changes when they sent out our plastic license (I think this means we will NOT be receiving the regular licence in Sept. DEC said this was a cost cutting (10 percent) they have to make this year. Talking with a number of ECO (Game Wardens) they said they only got one copy of the regulations each. Which makes their job harder as fisherman claim they are not aware of the reg changes and make it harder to issue tickets. They have even told me they are having a number of tickets "throw out" by JP's due to "ignorance of the law" in their words. No wonder we are losing ECOs at a greater rate than we are replacing them. My own observation, The DEC (Albany) started business advertiving a couple years age to cover the cost of printing and distribution but cut the printing by 45% last year and have slated another cut to this years printing. Thus, the "use the internet website for updates" direction for Albany DEC. Plus their are NO academy classes scheduled in the future to replace ECOs leaving. Bottom line, less tickets issued, longer response time for ECOs, less patrol on the water and land. As told to me directly for all ECOs, "Use the sheriff, Local police, Park Police and State Police to report violations you see. They will have faster responce time and are not a lenient as we are with people violating the law".

This BILL (S2462-2011) as passed by the Senate and sent to the Assembly (currently sent to DEC) IS STATEWIDE FOR ALL FRESHWATERS. It is not restricted to L/O or fishing from boats. It changes the current general fishing regulation from TWO lines per person to THREE lines per person.

Town of Hamlin are putting the dock in at Sandy Creek today.

The town put the docks in today.

This is NO April Fools Joke. The Town of Hamlin is putting the docks in at the DEC Boat Launch this morning!

Your right MOTOMAN, this fight has been like a civil war. Problem is we lost it in 1992 when then governor Mario Cuomo directed the New York Power Authority to void the contract with Hydro-Quebec at the urging of NY power companies (RG&E, NiMo, ConEd, etc.). In 1987 Hydro-Quebec started producing hydro-electric power at their James Bay Project and suppling NYC and Long Island with electric power. Power companies in NY went into meltdown because James Bay could produce 16000 megawatt which is 2X Niagara Falls and 8X Hoover Dam (NYC max. demand today is only 12,000 MW). This was at a cheaper price than NY power companies could produce. So the power companies got togeather and cried to Governor Cuomo this was a foreign country getting U.S. dollars and robbing NY jobs. So, poof, no more contract with Hydro-Quebec. The James Bay II project that would have an output of 30,000 MW was put on hold in 1994 due to the loss of the NY contract. Currently James Bay is not even operating at their reduced capacity. Today the wind turbine companies are throwing money at the local, state and federal politicians blinding them from seeing the environmential impact on Lake O and how easy it would be to get clean, cheap hydro-electric from Canada. Of course, this would take the governor or legislator to do what is best for the people of New York.

HB, Your e-mail to the DEC is going to the wrong office/department if your referring to the Fort Niagara and/or Tuscarora State Park boat launches. These launches are owned by the NYS OPRHP (Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation). NYS DEC only has control of their own department fishing access sites and boat launches. You need to redirect your e-mail to OPRHP, local state rep., town and county officials to get any action or complain. I doubt the DEC will take over control of the launches as they have their own budget cuts to deal with and they are being asked to shift monies from the EPF to other areas (Offices & Departments).

Capt. Larry Jones, You are right! This is only a preliminary list form OPRHP. They have until April 1st to submit their final list to the Gov. and legiislature for budget review.

More confusing window dressing? Yesterday (Sunday, March 21) the EPA released its' 5-year plan to rescue the Great Lakes damaged ecosystem from toxic contamination, lose of wildlife habitat and invasive species by spending $2.2 Billion dollars. The EPA Plan targets a goal of ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY for invasive species, specifically the Asian Carp threatening to enter Lake Michigan. I'm confused, The Feds won't close the locks to keep the darn things out but WILL spend big $$$ to try and keep them out.

Closing the Oak Orchard State Marine Park is estimated to save NYS $7,000 of the $33M proposed cuts. They are not going to put up barriers to keep people out, just no docks, restrooms or maint. at the launch. Yes, it hurts as 1 of the 41 park closings by the OPRHP across the state but wait until you see the impact of the DEC budget cuts. With $5M transfering from the Environmential Protection Fund to OPRHP right from the start the DEC has to cut even deeper. Everything is on the cutting block at the DEC including hatcheries, the Academy, campsites, fishing accesses and boat launches. Region 8 had a gimme to close a fishing access when RG&E closed Russell Station. April 1 is the target date for proposals to be submitted. Bend over people here it comes!