Gill Nets

[Sam]

Dad and I went down to the bridge to do a little perch fishing. We fished for about an hour without a nibble. As we were fishing, we discussed how many gill nets were located in the general area where we were fishing.

After we finished (nothing caught) we took a ride down to our property on the creek. We went out in our canoe and checked one gill net that stretched the ENTIRE creek. When we approached the net we could see white fish floating near the top of the water. I pulled the stick that was holding the net in place and we drug it to the other side of the creek. For over an hour, we pulled the net onto the bank with at least 200 dead white perch, catfish, herring and mullet caught up in the mesh. We did our best to release 25 or so white perch and catfish that were still clinging to life.

This made me sick. Not only the smell of all the rotten fish, but the tragedy of the situation. I called the natural resources police and left them a message. I called about the same thing last year and they said they couldn't do anything about it because the water is too shallow there. I think that is BULL. If this jerk who is setting these nets with his little boat and 20hp motor can do it, the Government surely can.

This kind of abuse needs to stop.... That was only one net out of the 7 we could see...

[chomper]

What are the official laws on gill netting

[mdram]

call the coast guard, thats blocking a navigable channel, a federal offense

[Randy Stinchcomb]

....or one of the localy TV stations, as that could be a health hazard as well :wink:

that makes me madder then hell :evil:

dont get me started on netters or longliners either, I've had MY fill of them over the years :guns:

[Coop]

:x

[Sam]

Natural Resources Police will be out there today with a john-boat to make sure everything is taken up. I told them where the net was that we drug ashore also.

[seabass]

That is totally effed the eff up !!!!!!! Such a beatiful little piece of water . I used to crab and fish there back in the 60's as a young boy and it was great . I still go there to catch grass shrimp and occasionally chicken neck for crabs . It's one thing to put a net out but to to leave it totally unattended is worse . That is such a fragile area and our coastal bays have already been pushed to the brink :(

[Sam]

The officer in charge is keeping me posted. My dad went out there today and said there was only one net still out there. :-)

Thank you very much, NRP!

[DaveH]

Here's a dumb What is the purpose of a gill net? It sounds like it strains the water of anything swimming.From your details you would not eat anything rotting in the net

[Steve]

Gill nets can be used during the spring run. You put it in the water, wait about 15 minutes maybe and pull it up. Take the live fish out, keep what you want. At this point, they're all still alive, any longer and they'll die.
Least that's the way I saw it done on the Patuxent years ago.
But those guys I saw didn't span the whole dadburn creek!

Yes, it does catch everything and that's a very bad thing. I don't like them.
Figure they're just like sticky paper.

[DaveH]

:thx: