|
Progress Map
|
New Meadows Gill Net Regualtions
 |
|
Stripers Forever Maine – In 2006, recreational activists led by the Maine Association of Charterboat Captains (MACC) pushed for and got special gill net regulations for the New Meadows River. This was done to halt the widely witnessed bycatch of striped bass in unattended gill nets set to gather lobster bait. This regulation expired on Dec 31st, 2007.
The Maine Department of Marine Resources is proposing to continue this regulation, this time with no sunset clause included. There will be a public hearing on January 23 at the Boothbay DMR facility. Captain Dave Pecci of MACC said: “This has been an effective spot-specific regulation and it is important that it stay in effect both to eliminate striped bass bycatch in the New Meadows and as an example regulation, should this same bycatch issue develop in other places along the Maine coast in the future.”
Many of us look forward to a day when, as a general conservation policy, gill nets will be outlawed everywhere in the coastal waters of the United States. It is important that the public show its support for any efforts to curtail these indiscriminate killers of not only fish but marine birds and animals that are unlucky enough to get entangled in them.
Should you wish to attend the meeting or send in written comments please see the link to the official notice of rule-making proposal:
Surprisingly, the State of Maine has no formal option at this time to receive comment by e-mail, but we have included below the e-mail address of Pat Keliher, the Director of Sea Run Fisheries in Maine. Patrick.Keliher@maine.gov
We hope that SF members will let Maine state officials know that striped bass should not be sacrificed in unattended gill nets.
| |
|
|
