Questions for VDGIF

[lannyp]

Hey guys,
I am doing a little survey to help us come up with the best questions to ask Vic at the meeting next month. If you want to respond here that is fine or if you wish to remain anonymous you can send me a PM with your response. Below is the main question I want to get responses to but if you have a question that you feel needs to be addressed please feel free to let me know.
Question:
What do you think the three major things are impacting the fishery negatively; with the fist one being the worst and so on?

[Ramrod2]

1. Overfishing. This includes violations of the laws in place now. I can go on a lot more on this one alone.

2. Parasites, to wit cocapods. Is this taking its toll on our stripers?

3. Lack of law enforcement.

[roe]

I will agree the previous post, but shift the order.

If there is enforcement of the existing regs, it can reduce over fishing.

I also understand that even with the existing regs, there can be overfishing when people go out day after day and keep a legal limit.

How about a closed season---illegal to possess? This is done in the ocean and Bay with some pretty heavy fines. But again, enforcement is the key. My impression of enforcement on this lake is that the authorities are more interested in busting a guy having a good time taking his family tubing (but has a beer) than enforcing the wildlife regulations.

I have never in ~14 years striper fishing, been checked while striper fishing.

[LittleBoyBlue]

1. Lack of law enforcement.
2. Lack of law enforcement.
3. Lack of law enforcement.
I know the wildlife officers are stretched thin, especially with economy cut-backs and now with the hunting season. But if they could show more of a presence by checking people's fish boxes I believe it would help to keep the dishonest people honest.

[JBee]

Have to agree with the previous responders. Fish are being hit hard by environmental factors and on top of that folks are just being plain greedy. Where the heck would the fishery be without the supplemental stocking?
One question for Vic would be to see how other fisheries have resonded to regulation changes? Norman and SML had serious issues followed by changes in management practices. Did they work?

[benjiwhite]

I have to agree with the lack of enforcement while striper fishing. We were pleasure boating on a labor day weekend and you guessed it, we were stopped and checked. Never checked while fishing.
Oh, and according to the gill maggott article link Lanny posted, SML had a problem with gill magotts and that was part of their problem.