More Harassment from Watermen

[Mother Ducker]

There is no end to BS on the net problem, there are a lot more bad apples then most people think. Its been going on before most people on this site were born. The disease that the bad apples have has infected the DNR & Representatives that make the rules. It took a long time to get this way & will take a good while to fix but I think the process has started. Thank God our old friend at the Sun paper made it public. But I believe the upper pressure made her change job description.

[JiggyWillis]

Ha! You zapped him good, Chief! This guy is probably one of the "your stealing my heritage" whiners; translation: "your stealing my right to take whatever I want because that's all I've ever known."

Unfortunately it's a pervasive attitute reflected in all natural resources conservation arguments. At least we are talking about a renewable resource that can benefit from draconian managment, ie. moratorium. What about the 300 million years worth of oil that we are on pace to burn up in 300 years? We're halfway there and will hit a tipping point sooner than we want to think about.

[dutz]

Good for Brandon, for standing up to this guy...

[backpeddler]

Rob Newberry. Ah well known from Chestertown to Cville. Should be some hunting violations on that list somewhere as well. He actually ran for County Office a few years back as I remember.

[berettafan]

Will MSSA be checking all participants in the coming tournament for any poaching violations before allowing them to enter?


Hey there BP, how's life been treating you? Been out of hunting for a while thanks to life getting in the way. MDWFA still doing well?

[rhahn427]

....... and you are just seeing this Brandon ....... really !! ..........

it's a shame when the lawlessness is part of the culture and there are just 1 or 2 good apples left ....... poaching is a way of life ........ remember the Federal case ......... went from the watermen to that packers to the restaurants and the watermen cried over the long investigation and theses guys were just trying to feed their familiies etc .......... any watermen turn in the guys who left the nets out illegally ........ bet there are more than a few who know who they are ........

[Thunnus Amongus]

I once had a waterman tell me "If it werent for us watermen, the bay would be dead. We sustain a sensible harvest to keep the bay healthy".
I'm just glad 200 years ago the watermen got here just in time to save us, mother nature has been f*cking up the bay for 10,000 years prior. Thank you watermen!!!!

[TomGlenBurnie]

No doubt someone will be down my shirt, for saying this: Friends, I do not hate watermen in general. They have every right to harvest legally . The numerous oyster thieves, and fish thieves, were perhaps at one time watermen, but they have earned a new title: "Poacher".
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Buckshot, and Beretta, and others made a good point, last week! All watermen should not be insulted, because some [ I hope few ] are professional poachers. We should go after the known poachers, and try to get them off the water. How can we do that?? I do not know not yet anyway...
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* Can we influence the DNR to remove the poacher's license to harvest???
* Can the Judges help by increasing the penalties on GUILTY VIOLATORS?
* Can we ask legislators to make the Points system work on Guilties, and, and, and PBJ's.
* Can the boats used for poaching be forfeit to the State? Guns used to poach deer are routinely siezed. Why not boats??
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There are probably better ideas, but They must be suggested; Proposed.
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I have been trying to help by using my time and knowledge, to help and advise. Brandon should not be afraid to go out alone in his boat. So I did research and presented the law on protective orders and Harrassment.
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I am trying to at least understand how the legal part of this poaching system is working. I cannot go to every trial. I cannot travel long distances, even for an important case, like the one in Dorchester next month. The Bay needs help here.
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The Bay had a win this month. Someone suggested that the court clerks would give copies of past dockets. That could be huge, because we would know the names and case numbers of recent violators. Then we can do research. Granger wrote to Somerset, and asked nicely for the past docket for 13 march. The clerks promptly mailed the docket to me. Amazing!
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Talbot county responded to a similar letter. That is two out of two. Excellent!! Best regards, and thanks for reading. Tom G.
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Note: We need help to write letters and do research, even a few hours would help the bay. We need more guys like "marqcaptma".

[27 sailfish]

Tom , few years ago - DNR worked out a point system for violations. Idea was similar to driver license points - get too many in short time , you lose the right to be on the water.

There are various levels / points given out. The weak link is judges who hand down reduced sentences or PBJ.

The DNR can seize a boat - however , it must be kept in good condition. If the suspected poacher is found not guilty and his boat was damaged while stored by DNR - DNR would have to fix it. Picture a boat seized in winter and engine freezes or worse - sinks.

Slowly - ever so slowly , people are beginning to see poachers for what they really are - common petty thieves.

[kidz]

Brandon, seems to me that your name is being spread around because of what you stand for on the gill net issue and TF. Glad you used the knowledge you have to find out who left the message and confront him. If the DNR ever decides to do the right thing and stop being influenced by the waterman, the bays resources will improve more then before. I for one thank you and the others for taking the time to make the efforts to improve the Chesapeake Bays future.